South Korea is a country that attracts a large number of Russians with amazing opportunities both in the field of leisure, work, and business. For various reasons, people who want to visit this state are often interested in whether a Russian visa is required for South Korea ? It is impossible to give a definite answer to this question, since in some cases its design is not required, and in some it is simply necessary. Let us consider in more detail all the subtleties of this process, as well as those cases when the state in question can be visited without special permission.
General information
As you know, a visa is a permissive document that allows an individual to cross the border of a state for a certain period of time and stay on its territory for a specified period. It should be noted that each country issues this permission in various formats: affixes it in the form of a stamp or sticker in the passport, draws it up in the form of a separate paper, or even provides it in electronic form. As for the visa to South Korea for Russians, it is presented in the form of an insert, which is made on a blank page of a valid passport.
Depending on the purpose of the trip, a tourist can arrange for himself various types of visas that are most often requested. Let us consider in more detail the features of the provision of each of them.
Visa-free entry
Considering the established procedure for issuing a visa to South Korea for Russians, it should be noted, first of all, those cases where the receipt of such a document is not required.
In 2014, an agreement was signed between Russia and the state in question, which states that Russians who are planning a short visit to South Korea can cross the country's border without special permission. The period of stay within the state in this case should not exceed 60 days. Within six months, you can use this opportunity just as much so that the total number of days spent in South Korea is no more than 90 calendar days out of 180. Those people who prefer to make tourist visits to this vibrant country of the East, business trips, and found this regime very convenient also visit relatives and acquaintances who are permanent residents of this state.
However, it should be noted that the visa-free regime of entry into South Korea has some restrictions for Russians. In particular, they do not have the right to carry out official labor activities, as well as to receive education in universities of the country in question - for such purposes, a visa to South Korea for Russians is required. In the event that a person violates the requirements established by law, he can be deported outside the country and, in addition, he will be banned from visiting the state for five years.
Documents required for visa-free entry
In order to visit South Korea without a special permit, you should have with you a certain set of documents issued individually for each tourist. It should be noted that a package consisting of a valid passport, a correctly completed income declaration, and a migration card, which is usually issued at the airport from which the flight departs and is entered on board, is considered a formal set for such a trip. the plane. However, depending on the purpose of the visit, additional documents may also be requested from the tourist, which should also be prepared in advance. These may include letters of guarantee from the host, a copy of the tourist voucher with information about booking a hotel room for the entire planned stay in South Korea, as well as tickets in the opposite direction (or the original), a document certifying financial guarantees, as well as an insurance policy. It should be noted that medical insurance is not a prerequisite, but experienced tourists still recommend it.
In the event that a tourist wants to visit South Korea with a view to transit to another state, then he must certainly present copies of tickets (or their originals) to a third country.
The South Korean Migration Service only asks for documents that are able to fully confirm the true purpose of the trip. In the event that there are insufficient confirming factors, employees of government departments have the right to send a tourist back to Russia. It should be answered that the agreement signed between the countries does not allow Russian citizens to visit South Korea unhindered, but simply substantially facilitates the conditions for crossing the border. That is why it is necessary to do everything possible so that the employees of specialized public services do not have additional opportunities. For this, experienced tourists recommend that you prepare in advance all the documents that may be required to confirm the purpose of the trip, and keep them handy. In addition, it is recommended that all questions be answered confidently and clearly.
Visa F1
One of the options for a permit required to visit South Korea is an F1 visa. It is designed to provide unhindered access to the country of accompanying persons - it can be issued only by Russian citizens who are family members or close relatives of the person who is sent to South Korea on the basis of an H2 visa (for employment). However, it should be noted that a person who goes to South Korea on an F1 visa does not have the right to self-employment or education in the country. In the event that specialized services discover the fact that a person staying in the country on an F1 visa carries out illegal labor activities, he will certainly be deported with certain penalties and a ban on visiting the country for five years. In addition, the same is expected of his relative, who legally works with a permit like F4 or H2.
A visa to South Korea for Russians (F1) provides the right to stay within the country for a period exceeding 91 days. It is often formalized by those people who plan to visit relatives living in the country on a long-term basis, Native Koreans who are citizens of other countries, as well as children who were adopted abroad. In the event that a Russian who has entered into a marriage with a South Korean citizen wants to apply for permission to stay in the country, he needs to apply for a document of type F2.
F1 Visa Documents
The considered visa to Seoul (South Korea) for Russians is issued only after an official application to the representative office of the South Korean diplomatic mission located in Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok). In the course of his visit, the applicant must submit to the commission a certain set of documents, including, in addition to the current passport and its copy, there should be a pair of photographs measuring 3.5 x 4.5 cm, completed in English (or Korean), a sample of which can be downloaded on the official website of the representative office (2 copies), as well as certain documents confirming the true purpose of the visit, which was indicated in one of the sections of the questionnaire.
As for documents confirming the purpose of the visit, those tourists who are going to visit Korean relatives can attach certificates that indicate the degree of relationship with them (birth certificate, marriage, etc.). In the event that it is necessary for a child adopted outside the border of South Korea, a certificate of adoption must be attached to the general package , as well as a copy of a document confirming the fact of birth. In the event that a visa is required for a person accompanying a tourist traveling to South Korea on an F4 visa (for Russians) or H2, a certificate of marriage or any other confirmation of kinship, as well as an income certificate, which may be issued at the place of permanent work (for the last 6 months) or presented in the form of a bank account statement drawn up in the name of the applicant himself.
It should be noted that the commission considering the application for a visa to South Korea for Russians, as well as the package of documents attached to it, draws particular attention to how accurately the data presented in the questionnaire are indicated. All corrections and inaccuracies made during the filling process can become a reason for refusal, so it is advisable to approach this point as responsibly as possible.
Visa F4
Often, missions of the diplomatic mission located in the Russian Federation request F4 visas. This permit may only be issued to ethnic Koreans who have official citizenship of another country. A prerequisite for obtaining it is the presence of ancestors who are native Koreans or citizens of South Korea.
An F4 visa to South Korea for Russians can be issued for up to three years (until 2012 this period was 5 years). This document is an official permit to engage in labor activities in the territorial boundaries of South Korea. However, it should be noted that Russians with F4 permission to enter and stay in the country are prohibited from working in offices, as well as from conducting entrepreneurial activities within the country.
F4 visa to South Korea for Russians can be granted exclusively to those who have already crossed the age barrier at 25 years. Since 2014, it has been denied to those who do not have citizenship of any country.
Group H visas
Permits to cross the border of South Korea and stay on its type H territory have the status of work visas. It should be noted that H2 visas to South Korea for Russians are requested at the state diplomatic missions more often. They allow the Russian migrant to stay in South Korea for five years. In addition, the main feature of this category visa is the possibility of acquiring land by a migrant, as well as conducting business or labor activities in such areas where a special license is not required.
During the validity period of a visa, a Russian has the right to leave South Korea and then return to the country again, without burdening himself with unnecessary procedures associated with filling out documents and various declarations again.
It should be noted that in order to obtain a work visa to South Korea for Russians, it is necessary to provide the commission at the Embassy with documents that confirm the person has a higher education. It is desirable that specialization be as demanded as possible in South Korea - this significantly increases the applicant's chances of receiving a positive response given by the commission. Subsequently, a Russian with an H2-type visa to South Korea has the right to invite his relatives to stay in the country, who, for a long stay in the country (more than 91 days), can apply for F1 type permits.
Type D visa
To get an education in South Korea, Russians need a certain type of visa - D. It should be noted that in reality there are two types of it: D2 and D4. In some cases, for this purpose it is possible to apply for a special tourist visa to South Korea for Russians - C3. Let us further consider what situations require their design.
In the event that a Russian tourist is planning a short-term education in South Korea (for example, attending certain courses, lectures or seminars), then it is advisable for him to request a visa of type C3 from the representative office of the country’s diplomatic mission in the Russian Federation, which by type is tourist, but grants the right to get an education. However, when preparing it, it should be remembered that this type of authorization provides the opportunity to stay in the territorial borders of the state for no more than 90 calendar days. Subject to the need for a longer stay, tourists can issue type D permits, the features of which we will consider in more detail below.
D2 is a visa to South Korea for Russians, allowing you to stay in the country for a long period. It provides the migrant with the right to study at schools and technical schools, as well as at the university and in graduate school, in the magistracy. It should be noted that it is provided for the entire period that will be required to obtain a long education. In case you need a visit to South Korea in order to participate in a short-term educational program, it is recommended that you apply for a D4 visa. As a rule, such a document is requested by those Russians who plan to undergo short-term internships in the country (most often linguistic).
Documents required to obtain a visa type D (D2 or D4) or C3
In order to obtain permission to stay in South Korea for the purpose of getting an education, a Russian must submit a special request to the representative office of the country's diplomatic mission located in the Russian Federation, to which a certain list of documents must be attached. Among them, in addition to the passport with a copy of it, there should also be a pair of color photos of the established sample and high quality, a well-filled questionnaire indicating the appropriate purpose of the visit, as well as a certificate regarding the financial viability of the future student or student (it can be replaced with a guarantee letter).
In addition to all the mentioned positions, the general package must contain documents proving the applicant’s education (notarized copies of the diploma and certificate), as well as an official confirmation letter sent by the South Korean university, which states that the person is enrolled in the list of students or applicants. In parallel with all this, a general package must necessarily contain a certificate confirming the full payment of the cost of training.
If we talk about documents confirming the financial viability of a student, entrant or student, then it should be noted that they can be information-extracts from the applicant’s personal settlement or bank accounts drawn up in his name, as well as certificates from the place of work indicating the size salaries for the last six months. A certain amount of funds must necessarily be available on the bank account, which, by the standards of the subsistence minimum established in South Korea, should be sufficient for living during the entire period of study. So, for students who enter Seoul’s universities, for living for six months, according to the country's migration service, at least $ 20,000 (approximately 180,000 rubles) will be required. In the event that a person is a student of any university located in another city, the estimated amount may be reduced by $ 2,000 (about 18,000 rubles).
Price
A visa to South Korea for Russians is issued exclusively on a paid basis, and its price directly depends on the type of document requested. So, the lowest cost is set for a tourist visa - only 3,000 rubles. In the event that it is necessary to apply for a working visa to South Korea for Russians, the size of the consular fee will be from 4800 to 7500 rubles. Determining the exact value directly depends on the period during which the implementation of labor activity is planned. A visa for Russians to South Korea and Seoul, which allows you to get an education at any university in the country, will cost 4,800 rubles. In the event that a Russian citizen is an ethnic Korean and plans to receive a document granting the right to a long stay in the country, then its cost will be 7500 rubles.
As for the term for applying for a visa to South Korea for Russians, it usually amounts to more than 10 days. Provided that an application for a permit of type C3 is submitted, the period for consideration will be about 3-5 days.