South Korea Tourist Visa Validity: How Long Indians Can Stay

Two different clocks run on every Korean visa, and Indian travellers often confuse them. The details below are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026.

Validity or length of stay: which number limits your trip?

Validity is the window in which you may enter Korea. On a single-entry visa it is 90 days from the date of issue. If you do not enter within that window, the visa is used up and you must apply again.

Length of stay is how long you may remain once you land. Korea's fee table and checklists describe the short-term single-entry category as covering stays of less than 90 days. The period of stay on the visa you receive is what binds you, so read the sticker before you fix a return flight.

Keep the two apart when you plan. The validity decides your latest entry date; the period of stay decides your latest exit date.

How long can you stay on each Korean visitor visa?

The single-entry and multiple-entry fees come from the Embassy of Korea notice for fees effective 1 August 2026. The double-entry visa is listed only on the VFS page for the Mumbai-jurisdiction centres. The KVAC adds that it is not available to medical-tourism applicants. VFS charges a service fee on top: Rs. 1000 per person in the Mumbai jurisdiction, and Rs. 1600 on the Chennai and Bengaluru centre pages.

Do you qualify for the five-year frequent-visitor visa?

Korea publishes a separate guideline for people who visit often. It is issued as a C-3-1 visa, valid 5 years, with a maximum stay of 30 days per visit. You qualify if you have:

• visited Korea more than 4 times within the 2 years before applying, or
• visited more than 10 times in total, with at least one visit in the last 2 years.

Visa-free entries count towards the total. Entries on non-professional work status (E-9, E-10, seasonal worker), crew or landing-permit status do not. You are excluded if you were fined more than KRW 5 million, or received a deportation or departure order, within the last 3 years. The documents are short: application form, passport and one photo.

This guideline took effect on 1 March 2017 and is still linked on the KVAC site. Ask at the centre whether it is applied as written before you count on it.

Can Indians stay in Korea without any visa?

Only in two narrow situations. Korea's missions state that there is no visa on arrival for Indians.

• Jeju Island. Indians flying directly from abroad to Jeju, with no stop elsewhere in Korea, can enter without a visa or K-ETA. The KVAC says the stay is up to 30 days for tourism or visits. To travel on to mainland Korea, Indian ordinary passport holders need permission from the Jeju Immigration Office.
• Transit to a third country. If you hold a valid visa, permanent residency or re-entry permit for the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or one of 32 European countries, you can enter visa-free for up to 30 days (B-2) when transiting Korea to or from those countries. You need a confirmed onward ticket within 30 days.

When should you apply so the 90 days are not wasted?

Because validity starts on the issue date, applying too early eats into your window. Applying too late risks missing your flight. These are the published minimum processing times:

Two timing rules apply on top. The Chennai-jurisdiction VFS site says you can apply no earlier than 89 days before travel. In the Mumbai jurisdiction, a VFS update dated 21 September 2026 says applications are accepted only if the travel date is within one month of submission. First-time tourist applicants there are not eligible for express.

The Mumbai-jurisdiction tourist checklist asks for a day-by-day itinerary with visit dates, a refundable hotel booking and a confirmed, refundable e-ticket. Keep bookings refundable until the visa is issued. A clear day-by-day itinerary helps the officer match your dates to the stay you request.

What can cost you future Korean visas?

• Overstaying. A departure or deportation order, for example for illegal stay, rules you out of the five-year frequent-visitor visa for 3 years.
• A refusal. You can reapply only after three months. The Chennai consulate says grant or refusal is at its sole discretion and no reason is given.
• An incomplete file. Incomplete applications are not accepted at the counter.
• Skipping the e-Arrival card. Travellers entering with a visa can submit it online from 3 days before arrival.

For fees, jurisdiction and every other visa category, see our South Korea visa guide for Indians.

Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files. Packages run from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Does the South Korea visa validity start from the issue date or my travel date?

From the issue date. A single-entry Korean visa is valid for 90 days from issue, so you must enter Korea within that period. Plan your submission so the visa is not issued too far ahead of your trip.

How much is a South Korea tourist visa for Indians in 2026?

The normal single-entry fee for stays up to 90 days is INR 3,600 from 1 August 2026, per the Embassy of Korea's notice. VFS adds a service fee, which is Rs. 1000 per person in the Mumbai jurisdiction and Rs. 1600 on the Chennai and Bengaluru centre pages.

Does South Korea offer visa on arrival to Indians?

No. Korea's missions in India say Indian nationals must obtain a visa through the Korea Visa Portal e-Form and a VFS-run Korean Visa Application Centre before travel. The only exceptions are direct entry to Jeju and the qualifying transit rule.

Can I use a double-entry Korean visa for medical treatment?

No. The KVAC visa-type page says the double-entry visa is not for medical-tourism applicants. It is meant for visiting Korea twice within six months, with a 30-day stay within the 6-month validity.