South Korea Visa-Free for Indians with a US Visa? 30-Day Transit Rule

The word that matters is transit. A US visa does not make you visa-free for Korea in general; it lets you break a journey to or from the US in Korea for up to 30 days. If Korea is your only destination, you still need a Korean visa. This page explains the rule, the Jeju Island exception and what a regular visa costs if you need one. Details are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For all Korean visa types from India, see our South Korea visa guide for Indians.

Who qualifies for Korea's 30-day visa-free transit entry?

The Embassy's notice on visa-free entry for transfer passengers covers Indians who meet all of these conditions:

• A valid third-country status. A valid visa, or permanent residency or a re-entry permit, for the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or one of 32 European countries.
• A transit itinerary. You are travelling to or from that country via Korea.
• A confirmed onward ticket leaving Korea within 30 days.

If you qualify, you can stay up to 30 days under B-2 status. The KVAC run by VFS Global and Korea's missions in India otherwise state that Indian nationals must obtain a visa before travel; there is no visa on arrival.

Which trips count as transit, and which do not?

The examples are illustrations of the rule as the Embassy states it; the immigration officer at entry makes the final decision. Carry your passport with the valid US visa, the confirmed onward booking and the rest of your itinerary in printed form.

What about flying straight to Jeju Island?

Jeju has its own visa-free scheme, and it does not need a US visa at all. Indians flying directly from abroad to Jeju Island, with no stop elsewhere in Korea, can enter without a visa or K-ETA, because India is not among the 23 countries excluded from the scheme. The KVAC says the stay is up to 30 days for tourism or visits.

Two limits apply. First, the flight must land on Jeju directly from outside Korea. Second, Indian ordinary passport holders need permission from the Jeju Immigration Office to travel on to other parts of Korea. A Seoul–Jeju combined holiday therefore needs either a regular visa or a qualifying transit itinerary.

When do you still need a Korean visa, and what does it cost?

For any trip that is not a qualifying transit or a direct Jeju arrival, Indians apply through the Korea Visa Portal e-Form and submit at a Korean Visa Application Centre run by VFS Global. Fees from 1 August 2026, per the Embassy's notice of 13 July 2026:

VFS adds a service charge: Rs 1,000 per person at the Mumbai-jurisdiction centres (Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa, Hyderabad), and Rs 1,600 on the Chennai/Bengaluru centre pages (their 2026 checklists show Rs 1,380). No appointment is needed at those centres.

Where you submit depends on your state. The Embassy in New Delhi covers northern and eastern India, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal, through the VFS centres in New Delhi and Kolkata. The Consulate General in Mumbai covers Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. The Consulate General in Chennai covers Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, through the Chennai and Bengaluru centres.

Minimum normal processing is 10 working days in Mumbai, 12 in Pune, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Goa, 25 in Chennai and 27 in Bengaluru, excluding the day of submission. Express runs from 5 working days in Mumbai to 9 in Bengaluru. Since 21 September 2026 the Mumbai-jurisdiction centres accept applications only if your travel date is within one month of submission, and first-time tourist visa applicants there are not eligible for express. After a refusal you can reapply only after three months.

What can go wrong with the transit rule?

• An expired US visa. The rule needs a valid visa. If your US visa has expired, the transit entry does not apply.
• No onward ticket within 30 days. An open-dated return or a flight beyond 30 days does not meet the condition.
• A trip that starts and ends in India. Without a leg to or from a listed country, it is not transit.
• Assuming Jeju opens the mainland. Jeju entry covers Jeju; the rest of Korea needs Jeju Immigration Office permission.
• Planning work. Visa-free transit entry is for a short visit, not employment.

If you do need a regular visa, the Mumbai-jurisdiction tourist checklist asks for a day-by-day itinerary with a refundable hotel booking and a confirmed, refundable flight ticket. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, itineraries and cover letters, from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or visit our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Do Indians with a US green card get visa-free transit in Korea?

Yes, if they are transiting. The Embassy's rule covers Indians holding a valid visa or permanent residency or a re-entry permit for the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or one of 32 European countries, travelling to or from that country with a confirmed onward ticket within 30 days.

Do I need a K-ETA for visa-free transit in Korea as an Indian?

The Jeju scheme states explicitly that no visa or K-ETA is needed for Indians flying directly to Jeju. For transit entry with a US visa, the Embassy's conditions are the valid third-country visa and a confirmed onward ticket within 30 days.

How early can I apply for a Korean visa from India?

The Chennai-jurisdiction VFS site says applications can be made no earlier than 89 days before travel. The Mumbai-jurisdiction centres currently accept applications only if travel is within one month of submission.

Is travel insurance required for a Korean tourist visa from India?

Travel insurance is not on the 2026 tourist checklists published by the Chennai/Bengaluru KVAC or the Mumbai-jurisdiction VFS centres. It is required for the F-1-D digital nomad visa.