# South Korea Tourist Visa for Sponsored Indian Travellers: Papers

> Which papers a parent or relative must add when they fund your South Korea tourist visa, by jurisdiction, with fees, timelines and the mistakes to avoid.

_Published: 2026-11-03 · Reading time: 6 min · Words: 1395_

## TL;DR

A sponsored Indian tourist submits the normal Korean tourist file plus proof of relationship with the sponsor. In the Mumbai jurisdiction, parents funding a student under 30 also give their letter of support, employment certificate, 2 years' ITR and 6 months' bank statement. The visa fee is INR 3,600.

## Key takeaways

- Sponsored tourists file the normal tourist checklist plus proof of relationship with the sponsor.
- Mumbai jurisdiction: parents funding a student under 30 submit their original letter of support, employment certificate, 2 years' ITR and 6 months' bank statement.
- A relative living in Korea who invites you puts you on the C-3-1 Visiting Visa, with an invitation letter and the inviter's ID.
- Visa fee INR 3,600 from 1 August 2026; service charge Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1600 depending on the centre.
- Mumbai-jurisdiction centres accept applications only for travel within one month of submission (since 21 September 2026).

**According to the Korean Visa Application Centres run by VFS Global, a sponsored Indian tourist files the normal tourist checklist plus proof of relationship with the sponsor. In the Mumbai jurisdiction, students under 30 supported by parents add the parents' letter of support, employment certificate, 2 years' ITR and 6 months' bank statement. The visa fee is INR 3,600.**

## Article

The lists below are the 2026 checklists published by Korea's missions in India and the VFS Global-run Korean Visa Application Centres (KVACs), as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. Korea uses different checklists in different parts of India, so start by finding your jurisdiction. Our South Korea visa hub for Indian applicants covers the rest of the process.

### Which checklist applies to you: Chennai, Mumbai or New Delhi?
You apply where you live, and each office publishes its own sponsor rules.

OfficeStates and UTs coveredWhere you submitWhat the tourist checklist says about sponsorsConsulate General, ChennaiAndhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Lakshadweep, PuducherryKVAC Chennai, KVAC BengaluruRelation proof between applicant and sponsor (if sponsored)Consulate General, MumbaiMaharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Daman & Diu, Dadra & Nagar HaveliVFS Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa, HyderabadParents' documents for minors and for students under 30 supported by parentsEmbassy, New DelhiDelhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, the North-Eastern states and other northern and eastern states and UTsKVAC New Delhi, KVAC KolkataThe Embassy page lists general documents; no separate tourist checklist was located for these two centresOne overlap to watch: the Embassy's page gives Kerala and Lakshadweep to the Chennai consulate, while the Chennai/Bengaluru KVAC page names only Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. If you live in Kerala, confirm with the KVAC before you travel to submit.

### What does the parent or relative paying for the trip need to submit?
The only official itemised list of sponsor papers for a Korean tourist visa is in the Mumbai-jurisdiction C-3-9 tourist visa checklist, in force since 16 June 2025. For minors and students, it asks for:

- A copy of the parent's passport or ID
- Proof of relationship, for example a birth certificate
- The parents' NOC if the minor or student travels without them
Students under 30 who are supported by their parents also submit the parents' original financial documents:

- The parent's letter of financial support
- The parent's employment certificate on letterhead
- The parent's income tax returns for 2 years
- The parent's bank statement for 6 months, with the bank's original seal and signature
Because the checklist asks for originals, carry them and keep copies ready.

At the Chennai and Bengaluru KVACs, the 2026 short-term tourist checklist adds one line for sponsored applicants: relation proof between applicant and sponsor (if sponsored). It does not itemise the sponsor's financial papers. If a parent, spouse or sibling is funding a working adult's trip, ask the KVAC which of the sponsor's ITR and bank papers it wants on top of your own instead of guessing.

### What if the relative who pays lives in Korea?
A relative or friend living in Korea who invites you changes the visa category. In the Mumbai jurisdiction, visiting family or friends falls under the C-3-1 Visiting Visa, not the C-3-9 tourist visa. Its checklist asks for:

- An invitation letter signed by the inviter
- A copy of the inviter's ID card, passport or driver's licence; foreign residents of Korea give their Korean visa or residence card instead
- Your own 2 years' ITR, 6 months' bank statement with the bank's seal and signature, and an employment certificate or business registration / GST certificate
The Embassy in New Delhi lists a similar inviter set: an invitation letter with both parties' details and the inviter's seal or signature (a photo or scanned copy is allowed, with no attestation), plus an employee certificate if the inviter is an individual. In every jurisdiction the invitation sits on top of your own papers; the applicant's ITR and bank statements stay on the list.

### What do you still submit in your own name?
Sponsorship adds papers; it does not remove the applicant's own. On the Mumbai-jurisdiction C-3-9 list, every applicant gives:

- An original passport valid for at least 6 months from the travel date with at least 2 blank pages, and a copy of the first and last page
- One 3.5 x 4.5 cm photo with a white background, affixed to the form, and the Declaration Form
- The printed online application form, signed on the last page, with your Aadhaar number in the National Identity No. field, plus an Aadhaar copy
- A covering letter with your full name, date of birth, passport number, mobile number, purpose and length of stay
- A day-by-day itinerary with a refundable hotel booking, and a confirmed, refundable flight e-ticket
Chennai and Bengaluru ask working applicants for occupation proof (a company letter with the employer's contact number and e-mail), 1 year of salary slips, ITR acknowledgements for 2 years with PAN, a 6-month bank statement with the bank's original stamp and sign, and a Health Condition Form. Business owners give 3 years of company ITR. Travel insurance is not on any 2026 tourist checklist, and no official minimum bank balance is published.

### How much does a sponsored application cost, and how long does it take?
ItemChennai / Bengaluru KVACMumbai-jurisdiction VFS centresVisa fee, single entry up to 90 days (normal)INR 3,600INR 3,600Express, single entryRs. 6300Not open to first-time tourist applicantsService charge per personRs. 1600 (centre page) or Rs. 1380 (2026 checklists)Rs. 1000Normal processing (minimum)25 working days in Chennai; 27 in Bengaluru10 working days in Mumbai; 12 in Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and GoaThe INR 3,600 fee applies from 1 August 2026 under the Embassy's notice of 13 July 2026; an older Chennai consulate notice from June 2025 showed INR 3,400. Chennai and Bengaluru also offer optional courier return at Rs. 550 per person. Fee and processing pages for the New Delhi and Kolkata KVACs were not located, so ask those centres directly.

### Which mistakes trip up sponsored applicants?
- Applying too early in the Mumbai jurisdiction. Since 21 September 2026, the Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa and Hyderabad centres accept applications only if your travel date is within one month of submission, according to the VFS submission update.
- Submitting an incomplete file. Korea's missions state that incomplete applications are not accepted at the counter.
- Bank statements without the bank's original seal and signature, whether yours or the sponsoring parent's.
- Booking non-refundable travel. The Mumbai checklist asks for a refundable hotel booking and a refundable flight ticket.
- Using a tourist visa for a business purpose. The C-3-9 checklist tells business visitors not to apply as tourists.
If the visa is refused, the Chennai consulate's KVAC page says no reason is disclosed, and you may reapply only after three months. Getting the sponsor paperwork right the first time is cheaper than a second fee.

Korean tourist files also need a day-by-day itinerary, hotel booking and covering letter. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares itineraries, hotel bookings, flight reservations and cover letters for visa files, from INR 1,000 for a flight reservation to INR 3,000 for the full set; check whether your centre wants a reservation or a confirmed refundable ticket. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

### Frequently asked questions

#### Do I need an appointment at a Korean visa centre in India?
No appointment is needed at the Korea visa centres in Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa and Hyderabad, according to VFS Global. You walk in during submission hours; at the Chennai and Bengaluru KVACs that is Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 13:00.

#### Can a sponsored applicant use the Korean express visa service?
At the Chennai and Bengaluru KVACs, express needs a confirmed air ticket and accommodation, and travel within 10-12 calendar days (Chennai) or 12-14 days (Bengaluru) of submission; the express fee is Rs. 6300 and is not returned on rejection. In the Mumbai jurisdiction, first-time tourist visa applicants are not eligible for express.

#### How do I track a Korean tourist visa application?
Use the Korea Visa Portal with the 14-digit reference number from the centre (it starts with 170 for Chennai and 171 for Bengaluru), plus your passport number, date of birth and name. VFS also e-mails you when the decision returns to the centre.

#### Is travel insurance needed for a sponsored South Korea tourist visa?
No. Travel insurance is not among the documents on the 2026 tourist checklists published by the Chennai/Bengaluru KVAC or the Mumbai-jurisdiction VFS centres. The exception is the F-1-D digital nomad visa, which is a different category.

## FAQ

### Do I need an appointment at a Korean visa centre in India?

No appointment is needed at the Korea visa centres in Chennai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa and Hyderabad, according to VFS Global. You walk in during submission hours; at the Chennai and Bengaluru KVACs that is Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 13:00.

### Can a sponsored applicant use the Korean express visa service?

At the Chennai and Bengaluru KVACs, express needs a confirmed air ticket and accommodation, and travel within 10-12 calendar days (Chennai) or 12-14 days (Bengaluru) of submission; the express fee is Rs. 6300 and is not returned on rejection. In the Mumbai jurisdiction, first-time tourist visa applicants are not eligible for express.

### How do I track a Korean tourist visa application?

Use the Korea Visa Portal with the 14-digit reference number from the centre (it starts with 170 for Chennai and 171 for Bengaluru), plus your passport number, date of birth and name. VFS also e-mails you when the decision returns to the centre.

### Is travel insurance needed for a sponsored South Korea tourist visa?

No. Travel insurance is not among the documents on the 2026 tourist checklists published by the Chennai/Bengaluru KVAC or the Mumbai-jurisdiction VFS centres. The exception is the F-1-D digital nomad visa, which is a different category.

## Sources

1. [C-3-9 Tourist visa checklist (Mumbai jurisdiction, w.e.f. 16.06.2025)](https://assets.ctfassets.net/xxg4p8gt3sg6/6lXuH9aiKMFvPdjyYd4ymi/81d972a0ff0b626671e570bae30ad2e1/C-3-9-Tourist-Visa.pdf) — VFS Global for the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, Mumbai
2. [KVAC Checklist Short Term Tourist Visa (2026)](https://www.visaforkorea-ce.com/assets/pdfs/Tourist-visa-sightseeing-new-1_2026.pdf) — VFS Global Korean Visa Application Centre (Chennai/Bengaluru)
3. [C-3-1 Visiting visa checklist (Mumbai jurisdiction)](https://assets.ctfassets.net/xxg4p8gt3sg6/3LuLDGxGep7OJTLVjCjl20/b0daf1ba29ba1557e387d3736d8e6498/C-3-1-Visiting-Visa.pdf) — VFS Global for the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, Mumbai
4. [Notice for revised visa fee (with effect from 2026.8.1)](https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/in-en/brd/m_20446/view.do?seq=748829) — Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India