How to Apply for a South Korea Visa From India

South Korea is a popular trip for Indian travellers, for Seoul, Busan, Jeju, K-culture and business. Unlike many nationalities, Indian citizens cannot use the visa-free K-ETA route and must hold a visa issued through a Korean diplomatic mission in India. The process is split by region: the Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulates General in Mumbai and Chennai each handle the states in their jurisdiction, through their own visa application centres, fees and timelines.

This guide covers the visa types Indians use most, which mission and centre handles your state, the step-by-step application, the documents on the official checklists, fees in INR where the missions publish them, processing times and what happens after the decision. For the flight document question, it links to our existing Seoul guide rather than repeating it.

Facts come from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in India, the Consulates General in Mumbai and Chennai, and the official visa application centres they name. Rules differ by jurisdiction and change often, so confirm on your centre's page before you apply.

Do Indians Need a Visa for South Korea or Can They Use K-ETA?

Indians need a visa. K-ETA, the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization, is for nationals of visa-waiver countries, and Korea has temporarily exempted eligible nationals from it until 31 December 2026. India is not on that list. The Consulate General in Mumbai states plainly that India is not eligible for K-ETA and that all Indian nationals must obtain a visa through the Korean diplomatic mission.

Do not apply on a K-ETA site, and be careful with look-alike portals. The official e-Form for Indians is on the Korea Visa Portal, visa.go.kr, and it is submitted through the visa centre for your jurisdiction.

Jeju Island

Jeju has its own visa-free entry programme for some travellers who fly directly to the island, and the Chennai visa centre lists Jeju Island visa information on its visa types page. The conditions are narrow, and it does not let you travel on to the mainland without permission, so read the official Jeju information on the visa centre site before relying on it. For Seoul or anywhere else on the mainland, apply for a visa.

Which South Korea Visa Type Do You Need?

Most Indian visitors apply for a short-term visa in the C-3 family. The Embassy in New Delhi publishes separate checklists for each purpose.

Single-entry visas are standard. The Mumbai jurisdiction centre notes that multiple-entry visas go only to applicants who have visited Korea at least four times on a business visa in the last two years, or at least ten times overall. Once submitted, an application cannot be switched to another category.

Which Korean Mission and Visa Centre Handles Your State?

Korean visas in India are handled by jurisdiction. The Embassy in New Delhi lists the states as follows in its 2026 notice, and says you can check your jurisdiction from the place of issue on your passport or the address on its last page. The Mumbai jurisdiction centre says it accepts applicants who prove current residence in its area, so carry address proof if your passport shows another state.

Two details need care. Telangana residents apply through the Mumbai jurisdiction, at the Hyderabad centre, not Chennai. And the Chennai visa centre page lists Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, while the Embassy notice lists Kerala and Lakshadweep for Chennai, so applicants from Kerala, Lakshadweep or Puducherry should confirm with the Chennai consulate or centre before travelling.

The Embassy in New Delhi does not accept visa applications at its own building; all files go through the visa centres. Applications filed outside your jurisdiction can be refused.

How Do You Apply for a South Korea Visa From India?

1. Confirm your visa type and your jurisdiction from the tables above.
2. Fill in the e-Form on the Korea Visa Portal (visa.go.kr). Print it, and sign and write your name on the last page, as the Mumbai consulate requires.
3. Collect documents from the checklist for your visa type and centre.
4. Submit the file in person, through a registered travel agent, or through a representative with an authority letter, at the centre for your jurisdiction, and pay the visa fee and service charge.
5. Track the application on the Korea Visa Portal.
6. When approved, download and print the visa grant notice from the Visa Portal. The Mumbai jurisdiction centre notes that sticker visas are no longer placed in passports.

In the Chennai jurisdiction you can apply no earlier than 89 days before travel. In the Embassy jurisdiction, centres take files Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 13:00 in New Delhi and from 10:00 to 13:00 in Kolkata. Check holiday closures on your centre's news page before you go.

What Documents Do You Need for a Korea Tourist Visa From India?

The Chennai centre's short-term tourist checklist, effective 2026, asks for:

• Original passport with more than 6 months' validity.
• Two recent passport-size colour photographs.
• The completed online visa application form.
• Occupation or employment proof; any company letter must include the employer's contact number and email.
• One year of salary slips.
• Income tax return acknowledgements for the last 2 years and a PAN card copy, or a letter explaining why you cannot submit them.
• For business owners, 3 years of company ITR, the company registration and a business profile in the centre's format.
• A bank statement for the last 6 months, stamped and signed by the bank.
• Proof of relationship with your sponsor if someone else pays for the trip.

The Embassy in New Delhi lists the same core set for invitations: employment or business registration proof, 2 years of ITR, 6 months of bank statements and a business profile for self-employed applicants, plus an invitation letter and business registration from the Korean host for visit and business visas. A consular officer can ask for more documents or an interview. Our guide on how embassies cross-check your bank statement against your travel plan explains why the numbers need to match.

Travel and accommodation proof

Your e-Form asks for your travel plans and where you will stay in Korea, so a plan that matches your leave and funds helps. A verifiable flight itinerary for visa purposes, with a real PNR and dates that match your hotel nights, shows that plan without paying full airfare before the decision; a BookForVisa flight or hotel reservation is a flat $15 per person, valid 48-72 hours, with free date changes on the booking day only.

Some travellers search for a dummy ticket for this step; what helps is a real, checkable reservation rather than a template. For the flight question in detail, see our Seoul visa flight reservation guide, and for the hotel side, our guide to hotel reservation formats embassies expect.

How Much Does a South Korea Visa Cost for Indians?

Fees differ by jurisdiction and change during the year. The Chennai jurisdiction centres published these visa fees from 1 August 2026:

On top of the visa fee, the Chennai and Bengaluru centres charge a service fee of INR 1,600 per application from 25 August 2026, and an optional courier charge of INR 550. The Embassy lists a visa centre service fee of INR 1,380 including tax for New Delhi and Kolkata. The Mumbai jurisdiction publishes its fees in its own checklist, so check the current figure with your centre before you go. Fees are paid at submission and are not returned if the visa is refused or the file is withdrawn.

How Long Does a South Korea Visa Take From India?

Express in the Chennai jurisdiction is only for applicants whose travel date falls within 15 to 17 calendar days of submission in Chennai, or 17 to 19 days in Bengaluru. The Chennai consulate has also warned that higher demand can make processing take longer. All missions say a request for more documents adds time, so apply as early as your centre allows.

What Happens After Your Korea Visa Is Approved?

Approved visas are recorded electronically. Check your status on the Korea Visa Portal, then print the visa grant notice and carry it with your passport. Check that your name, passport number, visa type and validity are correct; the Mumbai jurisdiction centre warns that an error found later may need a fresh application with the full fee.

Before you fly, check whether you need to fill in Korea's arrival card online, and carry the documents that supported your application, such as your hotel and return plans, in case immigration asks. A visa allows you to seek entry; the final decision is made at the border.

Frequently Asked Questions

Friendly reminder: BookForVisa prepares flight and hotel reservations to support visa applications and onward-travel proof. Requirements vary by destination, consulate, visa category and applicant situation. A reservation supports your file; it is not a paid ticket for travel and does not guarantee visa approval or entry.