# Do Indians Need a Consultant for a South Korea Visa? DIY vs Agent > You can apply for a Korean visa yourself: e-Form on the Visa Portal, walk-in at a VFS-run centre, INR 3,600 fee. What an agent can and cannot change. _Published: 2026-11-02 · Reading time: 5 min · Words: 1184_ ## TL;DR Indians do not need a consultant for a South Korea visa. You complete the e-Form on the Korea Visa Portal, print it and submit it at a Korean Visa Application Centre run by VFS Global, with no appointment needed at most centres. An agent cannot change the fee, the processing time or the consulate's decision, which is at its sole discretion. ## Key takeaways - Indian applicants fill the e-Form on the Korea Visa Portal (visa.go.kr), print it and submit it at a Korean Visa Application Centre (KVAC) run by VFS Global. - No appointment is needed at the Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa and Hyderabad centres. - From 1 August 2026: INR 3,600 for a short-term single-entry visa, INR 5,400 for long-term single entry and INR 8,100 for multiple entry. - The consulate decides at its sole discretion and does not disclose reasons for a refusal; you can reapply only after three months. - The Chennai Consulate warns of counterfeit Korea Visa Portal websites; use the official portal only. **No, a consultant is not required. According to the Embassy of Korea in New Delhi and VFS Global, you fill in the e-Form on the Korea Visa Portal yourself and submit it at a Korean Visa Application Centre run by VFS, with no appointment needed at most centres. A short-term single-entry visa costs INR 3,600 plus the VFS charge.** ## Article Whether an agent is worth paying for depends on your category and how comfortable you are assembling a file. This guide sets out what the official process asks of you and where outside help does or does not change anything, as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For category checklists, see our South Korea visa guide for Indians. ### What does a DIY South Korea application involve? Korea's missions in India describe a four-part process: - Confirm your visa type and documents on the Korea Visa Portal (www.visa.go.kr) or the checklist of your KVAC. - Fill out the e-Form on the Visa Portal and print it. Mumbai-jurisdiction centres want your Aadhaar number in the 'National Identity No.' field and your signature on the last page. - Submit at the KVAC for your jurisdiction, with your passport, photos and supporting documents. - Check the status on the Visa Portal. In Chennai and Bengaluru you use the 14-digit reference number from the centre, starting 170 for Chennai and 171 for Bengaluru, with your passport number, date of birth and name. VFS states that no appointment is needed at the Korea centres in Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa and Hyderabad; you walk in during submission hours. In Chennai and Bengaluru, submissions run Monday to Friday 09:00-13:00. For a tourist visa, the paperwork is mostly Indian documents you already hold: 2 years' ITR, a 6-month bank statement with the bank's original seal and signature, an employment certificate on letterhead (or business registration or GST certificate if self-employed), a covering letter, a day-by-day itinerary and refundable flight and hotel bookings. ### What can an agent legitimately do for you? The official pages show a defined role for agents, not a special track: - Submit on your behalf in set hours. The Chennai and Bengaluru centres keep a travel-agent submission window of 09:00-12:00. - Help assemble the file. Most items still come from you (ITR, bank statements, employment proof) or from Korea (invitation letters, business registration). - File some e-Visas. C-3-3 medical tourists or G-1-10 patients can get an e-Visa applied for by a recognised medical travel facilitator. This is one of the few categories where an intermediary is part of the official route. For the Mumbai jurisdiction, the overview mentions the Consulate or designated agencies, but a Mumbai notice says all applications must be submitted through the KVAC operated by VFS Global. ### DIY or agent: what changes and what does not? ItemApplying yourselfThrough an agentVisa fee (normal)INR 3,600 short-term single; INR 5,400 long-term single; INR 8,100 multipleSame official feeExpress feeRs. 6300 short-term; Rs. 8100 long-term; Rs. 11700 multipleSame; not returned on rejectionVFS chargeRs. 1600 (Chennai/Bengaluru page; checklists show Rs. 1380); Rs. 1000 at Mumbai-jurisdiction centresSame, plus the agent's own feeProcessing (normal)Chennai 25 and Bengaluru 27 working days minimum; Mumbai 10; Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Goa 12Same timelinesDecisionConsulate's sole discretionConsulate's sole discretionRefusal reasonsNot disclosedNot disclosedIn short, an agent saves you time and legwork. It does not buy a different fee, a faster queue or a better chance at the counter. ### When is outside help worth considering? A sightseeing application mostly uses documents you already hold. Some categories involve more moving parts: - Marriage (F-6): needs a long list of documents issued in Korea within 3 months, a police clearance certificate, a TB test and several Korean forms. - Job seeker (D-10-1): needs a letter of invitation and a letter of guarantee from Korea, both notarised by a notary public in Korea, plus a TB certificate from a designated hospital in India. - Students (D-2, D-4-1): need apostilled academic records, a TB test from a designated hospital and, in the Mumbai jurisdiction, parents' original financial documents for students under 30 they support. - Work (E-7): rests on a visa issuance number obtained in Korea, and 2026 wage floors apply, such as KRW 31.12 million a year for E-7-1 professionals. Even in these cases, the key documents come from the Korean university, employer or spouse, so a consultant cannot replace them. ### Which red flags should make you walk away? - A look-alike Visa Portal. The Consulate General in Chennai warns about counterfeit Korea Visa Portal websites. Use only www.visa.go.kr. - A promised approval. The Chennai Consulate's KVAC page says grant or refusal is at the consulate's sole discretion and no reason is disclosed for non-issuance. - An 'online tourist e-Visa'. Ordinary tourists cannot get a Korean e-Visa; that route is limited to specific categories. - Guaranteed express. In the Mumbai jurisdiction, first-time tourist visa applicants are not eligible for express, and express fees are not returned on rejection. - Submitting too early. From 21 September 2026, Mumbai-jurisdiction centres accept applications only if the travel date is within one month of submission. - Rushing a reapplication. After a refusal you may reapply only after three months. ### Where do you submit, and which office decides? OfficeStates (main list)KVAC centresEmbassy, New DelhiNorth, East and North-East India, including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and OdishaNew Delhi, KolkataConsulate General, MumbaiMaharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar HaveliMumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa, HyderabadConsulate General, ChennaiAndhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep, PuducherryChennai, BengaluruOfficial details are on the Embassy of Korea's VFS visa centre page. If you go the DIY route, the itinerary, hotel booking and covering letter are the parts many applicants find slowest. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters, from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for all four. Mumbai-jurisdiction centres ask for a confirmed, refundable e-ticket and a refundable hotel booking, so check what your centre's checklist accepts. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page. ### Frequently asked questions #### Can my travel agent submit my Korean visa application without me? The Chennai and Bengaluru KVACs keep a 09:00-12:00 submission window for travel agents. Children under 18 must still be accompanied by an adult, not VFS staff, at the centre. Check your centre's rules if you plan to use a representative. #### Is there a South Korea e-Visa for Indian tourists? No. The Korea Visa Portal issues e-Visas only to specific groups, such as Gold Card experts, C-3-3 medical tourists filed by a recognised facilitator, certain repeat business visitors and invited scientists. Indian tourists fill the e-Form and submit in person at a KVAC. #### Do Indians need a visa for Jeju Island? Indians flying directly to Jeju from abroad, without stopping elsewhere in Korea, can enter Jeju without a visa or K-ETA; the KVAC gives the stay as up to 30 days. Travelling on to other parts of Korea needs permission from the Jeju Immigration Office. #### How do I get a Korean multiple-entry visa? Frequent visitors who went to Korea more than 4 times in the 2 years before applying, or more than 10 times in total with one visit in the last 2 years, can get a 5-year C-3-1 multiple-entry visa. Business applicants can also request multiple entry; the normal fee is Rs 8,100. ## FAQ ### Can my travel agent submit my Korean visa application without me? The Chennai and Bengaluru KVACs keep a 09:00-12:00 submission window for travel agents. Children under 18 must still be accompanied by an adult, not VFS staff, at the centre. Check your centre's rules if you plan to use a representative. ### Is there a South Korea e-Visa for Indian tourists? No. The Korea Visa Portal issues e-Visas only to specific groups, such as Gold Card experts, C-3-3 medical tourists filed by a recognised facilitator, certain repeat business visitors and invited scientists. Indian tourists fill the e-Form and submit in person at a KVAC. ### Do Indians need a visa for Jeju Island? Indians flying directly to Jeju from abroad, without stopping elsewhere in Korea, can enter Jeju without a visa or K-ETA; the KVAC gives the stay as up to 30 days. Travelling on to other parts of Korea needs permission from the Jeju Immigration Office. ### How do I get a Korean multiple-entry visa? Frequent visitors who went to Korea more than 4 times in the 2 years before applying, or more than 10 times in total with one visit in the last 2 years, can get a 5-year C-3-1 multiple-entry visa. Business applicants can also request multiple entry; the normal fee is Rs 8,100. ## Sources 1. [Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India — New Delhi VFS Global Korean Visa Application Centre](https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/in-en/wpge/m_2660/contents.do) — Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India 2. [Consulate General of Korea in Chennai — Warning about counterfeit Korea Visa Portal websites (locations of visa submission)](https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/in-chennai-en/brd/m_2785/view.do?seq=750162) — Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, Chennai 3. [VFS Global KVAC (Chennai/Bengaluru) — Visa Information / Visa Types](https://www.visaforkorea-ce.com/visa-type.html) — VFS Global 4. [VFS Global — South Korea Visa Submission Update (21 September 2026)](https://visa.vfsglobal.com/ind/en/kor/news/south-korea-visa-submission-update) — VFS Global