Embassy of the Republic of Korea to United Arab Emirates

Overview

In general, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to travel to the Republic of Korea must first have a valid Korean visa called “Visa Grant Notice”. Certain foreign travelers may be eligible to enter the Republic of Korea without a visa if they meet the requirements for Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA). K-ETA is a travel authorization that foreign nationals, who are eligible to travel to the Republic of Korea without a visa up to 90 days, need to obtain by providing personal and travel related information through the K-ETA website in advance.

For more information about restrictions and qualifications is available at www.k-eta.go.kr or contact at +82-2-2666-7102.

Do I need a visa to travel to the Republic of Korea?

If your country is one of the countries listed which may use K-ETA, you can complete your visa application online at www.k-eta.go.kr and you will not have to apply a visa through our consulate of the Embassy. If you are a citizen of a country that is not eligible to K-ETA approval or if your K-ETA application is rejected and still you wish to travel to the Republic of Korea, you may apply for a visa from the consulate of the Embassy in Abu Dhabi. However, if you are a citizen of one of 34 countries, you will need to meet the requirement listed on the linked page.

What type of visa do I have to apply?

It depends on the purpose of your visit to the Republic of Korea. The most commonly applied for visas and their requirements are listed on the Embassy’s website. For information about other visas and their requirments, please visit our government website http://www.visa.go.kr or www.hikorea.go.kr.

What are the steps to apply for a Korean visa?

Step 1: Determine the type of visa you wish to apply and prepare the required documents

Step 2: Make an appointment to visit the Consular Section of the Embassy

Note: Those who only have residence visas from Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Al Dhafra and Al Ruwais can apply for a Korean visa at the Consulate in Abu Dhabi. Those who hold residence visas from other areas of the UAE must apply for a Korean visa at the Consulate in Dubai. 

Step 3: Submit applications in person and make a payment

Note1) Applications submitted by courier service will not be accepted.

        2) The applicant and their representative (with notarized power of attorney) must be able to communicate in 

        Korean or English.

Step 4: Collect the original passport on the day indicated on the receipt

How much are the visa fees?

All visa applicants are required to pay a non-refundable visa processing fee even if visa is denied. The visa fees may change according to the nationality of the applicant and the type of visa. 

Visa fee (Card Only): 40USD (Single-entry), 70USD (Double-entry), 90USD (Multiple-entry)

How long will it take to process my application for a Korean visa?

It usually takes 7 days to process a visa application. This may vary depending on the type of visa or other factors.

How do I check if I have a valid Korean visa without a visa label in my passport?

All Embassies of the Republic of Korea around the world will no longer issue visa labels, as of July 1, 2020. After your Korean visa has been granted, you may visit our official website at www.visa.go.kr to check your visa status and entitlements online.

After I have my visa, will I be able to enter the Republic of Korea?

A visa does not guarantee entry into the Republic of Korea, but allows a foreign citizen coming from abroad to travel to the Republic of Korea port of entry, and request permission to enter the Republic of Korea. The Immigration officials at the port of entry of the Ministry of Justice have authority to permit or deny admission to the Republic of Korea.

Additionally, the Consulate / Embassy reserves the right to cancel any visas which have been granted if the information supplied by the applicant is found to be untrue, false or fraudulent.