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Currently, citizens with permanent residency in Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City will be granted a visa by South Korea for a period of 5 years with unlimited entries. To apply for a South Korea tourist visa more easily and quickly, we should refer to the process of applying for a South Korea visa below.
Independent Procedure for South Korea Visa Application
1. Applying for 5-Year South Korea Visa for Ho Chi Minh City Residents
Those with a Multiple Entry 5-year Visa are allowed to enter South Korea within 5 years with unlimited entries, but each stay is limited to a maximum of 30 days. For example, if you were granted a Visa on January 22, 2019, the Visa validity would be from January 22, 2019, to January 22, 2024. During this period, you can enter South Korea anytime with unlimited entries, but each stay is limited to a maximum of 30 days.
* Eligibility for South Korea Visa
Citizens with permanent residency or temporary residence permits in Ho Chi Minh City for at least 1 year will be granted this 5-year South Korea Visa.
* Applying for 5-Year Visa
- Complete the South Korea Visa application form with a recent passport-sized photo attached. The photo must meet the requirements of having a white background, dimensions of 3.5 x 4.5 cm, and taken within the last 3 months.
- Original passport with at least 2 blank pages and a validity of at least 6 months.
- Original and photocopy of ID card/citizen ID card.
- Original and legally notarized translated copy of household registration/temporary residence book. The minimum residency period in Ho Chi Minh City is 1 year.
2. Applying for 10-Year South Korea Visa
The 10-year South Korea Visa is a Multiple Entry Visa valid for 10 years, with each stay up to 90 days. This means the Visa holder can enter South Korea multiple times within the 10-year period from the Visa issuance date, with each stay allowed up to 90 days. For example, if your Visa is issued on January 22, 2019, its validity period would be from January 22, 2019, to January 22, 2029. During this period, you can enter South Korea multiple times with each stay limited to a maximum of 90 days.
3. How to submit applications for 5 or 10-year South Korean Visas
a. Address of South Korean Consulate
For citizens traveling from Da Nang to the North, Visa applications should be submitted at the consulate in Hanoi. For citizens from Quang Nam traveling to the South, applications should be submitted at the South Korean consulate in Ho Chi Minh City.
South Korean Consulate
* Consulate in Hanoi
- Embassy Address: 28th Floor, Lotte Center Hanoi Building, 54 Lieu Giai Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi City
- Consulate Section: 7th Floor, Charmvit Building, 117 Tran Duy Hung Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi City
- Website: overseas.mofa.go.kr
- Hotline: 024.3771.0404 (For Visa inquiries, press 715)
* Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City
- Address: 107 Nguyen Du Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
- Hotline: 028.3824.8531 (Press 4)
- Website: overseas.mofa.go.kr
- Office Hours: 09:00 - 12:00, 13:30 - 17:00 (Monday - Friday)
- Visa collection time: 15:00 - 17:00
For Visa applications to South Korea, the consulate only accepts submissions in the morning from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. During peak times, the consulate may stop issuing queue numbers early.
b. Steps to submit a South Korean Visa application
Step 1 (Parking): When submitting a Visa application, since the consulate does not have parking facilities, remember to park your vehicle nearby for convenience.
Step 2 (Queueing at the gate): Security guards begin opening the gate at 8:30 AM for Visa applicants, so people start queuing from 8:00 AM. During peak periods, the gate may open earlier from 7:30 AM to 8:00 AM. Typically, travel agencies are given priority for document processing before individuals. After that, proceed to the security counter to check personal documents. Move on to the gate, where your documents will be examined by security before entry.
Affixing stamps on Visa applications
Step 3 (Obtaining queue number to purchase stamps): At this point, security will organize the queue. You line up and wait for your turn to purchase stamps and pay the fee of $80, equivalent to about 1,848,000 VND. Currently, the South Korean consulate only accepts Vietnamese currency, so you should check the exchange rate to ensure appropriate fee payment. Additionally, prepare exact change for convenience. Then, you affix the stamps to the blank corner on the top-right of the first page of the South Korean Visa application form.
Visa applicants waiting for their turn
Step 4 (Submitting Visa application and fee payment): Next, you return to obtain your queue number for application submission. Sit and wait until your turn is called at the display counter. Remember your queue number and listen carefully for announcements. The staff at the submission counter will ask you a few questions for verification. Afterwards, you will receive an appointment slip. For independent travelers applying for a South Korean tourist Visa, you typically proceed to counter number 2.
Regarding receiving the results, specific appointment times will be indicated on the appointment slip. On the appointed day, bring your identification documents and appointment slip to the consulate to collect the results. The process for collecting results is similar to submitting applications: queueing, obtaining a queue number, then placing the appointment slip face down in the designated basket and waiting for your name to be called.
South Korea is currently easing Visa restrictions for Vietnamese citizens, resulting in a high approval rate for South Korean Visas. With proper documentation, you can confidently apply for a Visa.
