Overview of the B and C Series Visas for Tourism, Business, and Short-Term Employment

Most people who come to Korea for a short time of 90 days or less fall under the B or C series. B is a visa-free Status of Stay for entering without a visa, and C is a short-term visa for news coverage, visits, tourism, business activity, medical care, and short-term paid activities for 90 days or less. This document explains who B-1, B-2, C-1, C-3, and C-4 are for. It also explains how K-ETA and the electronic arrival card are different. It shows what is allowed on a business trip and where employment begins. Finally, it covers the rights of short-term workers, all in one place.

1. Before You Start

Things to Know First

This document is not legal advice, and it does not guarantee entry or visa issuance. Decisions for the B and C series depend not only on nationality, but also on passport type, purpose of entry, whether you receive pay, actual work tasks, Period of Stay, inviting organization, number of visits, and past stay records. Even for the same "business trip," only attending meetings may fall under C-3-4, but directly installing machinery or providing technical services may require C-4-5 or D-9.

The starting point for checking policies is the latest Integrated Guide Manual on HiKorea. This document was written based on the August 7, 2026 edition of the manual, official websites, and effective laws and regulations as of August 28, 2026. HiKorea also notes that it can take time for new policies to appear in the manual. Before you pay for flight tickets or start work, please check once more with the Immigration Contact Center 1345, the Korean diplomatic mission abroad in charge, or the immigration office in charge.

1-Minute Summary

• B is mainly a Status of Stay for entering for a short period without a visa under a visa exemption agreement or permission for visa-free entry from the Republic of Korea.
• C is a short-term Status of Stay for news coverage, visits, tourism, business activity, medical care, and short-term paid activities for 90 days or less.
• B-1 is under a visa exemption agreement, and B-2 is visa-free entry for tourism or transit. Neither is the same as K-ETA.
• C-1 is for short-term news coverage by foreign media, C-3 is for non-profit short-term visits like tourism, family visits, meetings, and market research, and C-4 is for paid short-term employment for 90 days or less.
• If you provide actual services in Korea under B-1, B-2, or C-3, it can be judged as profit-making activity even if you receive pay from abroad.
• A temporary K-ETA exemption applies to citizens of some countries and regions until the end of 2026. You must check whether you are exempt on the day by scanning your passport during the application process or on the official website.
• K-ETA is not a visa and does not guarantee entry. Its validity period is also different from the actual allowed Period of Stay per entry.
• Starting in 2025, the issuance of C-4-1 through C-4-4 short-term seasonal work visas was suspended. To do seasonal work in agriculture or fisheries, you must now check the E-8 path first.
• People staying for 90 days or less are not subject to foreigner registration in principle. You must leave Korea before your Period of Stay ends, and extensions or changes of short-term status are very limited.
• The 2026 minimum wage is 10,320 KRW per hour. Lawful C-4 workers are not excluded from minimum wage protections simply because they are foreigners.

Overview of the B and C Series

Status	Is a visa required?	Main purpose	Work for pay	General stay limit
B-1 Visa Exemption	No	Tourism, visits, business activity, and similar under an agreement	Not allowed in principle	Agreement period by country
B-2 Tourist or Transit	No	Tourism, visits, transit	Not allowed in principle	Designated period by country
C-1 Temporary News Coverage	Yes	Short-term news coverage and reporting for foreign media	Within the scope of approved news coverage activities	90 days
C-3 Short-Term Visit	Yes	Tourism, family visits, meetings, non-profit events, market research, medical treatment	Not allowed in principle	90 days
C-4 Short-Term Employment	Yes	Performances, modeling, lectures, technical services, short-term professional activities	Allowed within the scope of the approved employment or contract	90 days

Here, "90 days" does not mean everyone automatically gets 90 days. Depending on nationality, agreements, the Period of Stay written on the visa, and the results of immigration inspection, you may receive 15 days, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, or another period.

Visas, Status of Stay, K-ETA, and Arrival Cards Are Different from Each Other

• Visa (사증): This is a document where a Korean diplomatic mission abroad approves a foreigner's entry application. For C-1, C-3, and C-4, you enter by getting the relevant visa in principle. Even if you have a visa, final entry is decided during immigration inspection at the airport or port.
• Status of Stay (체류자격): This is the legal scope of activities you can do inside Korea. Even if there is no visa sticker in your passport, you can be granted B-1 or B-2 Status of Stay upon entry.
• K-ETA: This is an electronic travel authorization that travelers eligible for visa-free entry receive before boarding. K-ETA is not a visa, and it is not a Status of Stay that replaces B-1 or B-2.
• Electronic arrival card (전자입국신고서, e-Arrival card): This is a system to submit a paper arrival card online. It does not replace a visa or K-ETA, and it is not an entry permit.

You can check the basic legal structure in the Immigration Act and the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act.

First Status Selection Test

1. Will you stay for more than 90 days? If so, check long-term statuses like D, E, F, G, or H first, not B or C.
2. Will you provide labor, technology, or services in Korea and receive money or expenses in the nature of pay? If so, there is a high possibility of C-4 or a long-term employment or business status.
3. Will you only attend meetings, do market research, or negotiate contracts? Review the permitted business activity scope of C-3-4 or B-1 and B-2.
4. Is it news coverage for foreign media? Look at the possibility of C-1 for 90 days or less, or D-5 for resident news coverage.
5. Is medical treatment or recuperation your main purpose? Look at the possibility of C-3-3 for 90 days or less, or G-1-10 for long-term treatment.
6. Is it tourism or visiting friends or family? Look at B-1 or B-2 if you are eligible for visa-free entry, or look at the C-3 series if not.
7. Will you leave the airport transit area? If you need to recheck baggage, change airports, or stay overnight in the city, check your eligibility to enter Korea separately.

2. B Series and K-ETA

B-1 Visa Exemption

Who is this status for?

This status is given to citizens of countries that have signed a visa exemption agreement with the Republic of Korea. It is granted when you enter without a visa for the purpose and period allowed by the agreement.

What can you do?

It is basically similar to the scope of C-3 Short-Term Visit, but restrictions set by each country's agreement come first. Some agreements explicitly exclude study, employment, profit-making, medical care, or sports activities. Therefore, you must not assume your visit purpose is allowed just by believing information like "my nationality gets 90 visa-free days in Korea."

Period of Stay

Depending on the agreement, it varies, such as 30 days, 60 days, 90 days, or 3 months. 90 days and 3 months might not be calculated as completely identical legally, so check the expiration date granted when you actually enter.

What you cannot do

• Working as an employee of a Korean company
• Providing services to Korean customers
• Performing actual work such as machinery installation, maintenance, or production supervision at domestic public institutions or companies
• Activities excluded by the agreement
• Long-term stays exceeding the agreement period

If you want to do paid work or short-term employment, you must get a visa matching your purpose, such as C-4, before entering.

B-2 Tourist or Transit

Who is this status for?

This targets citizens of countries and regions where the Republic of Korea has allowed visa-free entry for international friendship, tourism, transit, and similar purposes. The key difference is that while B-1 is based on an agreement between countries, B-2 is based on visa-free designation and permission by the Republic of Korea.

Permitted activities

Tourism, transit, and similar non-profit short-term visits are the baseline. The scope of activities may vary by country according to the principle of reciprocity (상호주의, where two countries match conditions to each other at the same level). Profit-making activity and employment activity are not allowed in principle.

Period of Stay

The period designated for each country by the Ministry of Justice applies. Check the country or region of your passport on the day at Check countries eligible for K-ETA and their Period of Stay.

Extensions and changes

In principle, B-1 and B-2 do not allow extensions of the Period of Stay or changes to another status inside Korea. Unavoidable circumstances such as unforeseen accidents, illnesses, or flight cancellations can receive exceptional screening, but it is not an automatic extension.

K-ETA: What Visa-Free Travelers Must Check

The standards as of August 28, 2026 on the K-ETA official website are as follows.

• Eligible applicants: Passport holders of countries and regions that can enter the Republic of Korea without a visa
• Application timing: You need approval before boarding your flight or ship.
• General screening time: Usually within 72 hours, but it may take longer.
• Fee: 10,000 KRW plus a 3% online payment fee. It is not refunded even if rejected.
• Validity period: 3 years in principle, or until your passport expires if it expires sooner
• Number of uses: You can use it multiple times within the validity period.
• Actual Period of Stay: This is separate from the 3-year K-ETA validity, and the visa-free Period of Stay for each country applies.
• Reapplication: Required if a new passport is issued or if your criminal record or infectious disease information changes.
• Updating information: You must update travel information if your purpose, address in Korea, contact info, arrival and departure schedule, flight number, or accompanying persons change.
• Benefits: Valid K-ETA holders are exempt from filling out an arrival card.

Temporary Exemption in 2026

The temporary K-ETA exemption to boost tourism is currently extended until December 31, 2026 for designated countries and regions. Do not guess whether you are eligible based only on nationality name; check the exemption notice shown when scanning your passport biographical page during the official K-ETA application process, or check through the official eligibility inquiry.

Even if you are exempt, you can still apply for K-ETA by paying the fee if you want. In this case, you can receive K-ETA benefits such as exemption from the arrival card. You can continue to use the remaining validity period of an existing approval, and fees already paid are not refunded.

Most Common Misunderstandings

• A K-ETA approval does not guarantee entry.
• K-ETA does not allow employment.
• You cannot stay continuously for the 3-year K-ETA validity period.
• A K-ETA exemption does not create a new visa-free entry permission for entering Korea.
• Expensive "expedited K-ETA" agencies are not official services. There is no official expedited screening.

Electronic Arrival Card (e-Arrival card)

You submit it for free on the official Korea e-Arrival card website.

• You can submit it starting from 3 days before arriving in the Republic of Korea.
• It loses effect after 72 hours have passed since submission or once immigration inspection is completed.
• It has the same legal effect as a paper arrival card, and you only need to submit one of the two.
• Information to prepare: Passport, email, arrival date and flight number, address in Korea, and optional departure date and flight number
• You can edit your purpose, address in Korea, departure date, and other details until entry.
• You are not required to print and carry it, but keeping your issuance number is helpful.
• It is a completely different system from K-ETA, and it does not affect whether you need a visa.

Holders of a K-ETA, a valid 외국인등록증 (Residence Card, also called the Alien Registration Card or ARC), or a 국내거소신고증 (Domestic Residence Report Card), and other similar holders, may be exempt from submitting an arrival card. Select your visa, K-ETA, or registration card to check in the eligibility inquiry feature on the official website.

3. C-1 and C-3 Short-Term Visits

C-1 Temporary News Coverage

Eligible Persons

• News coverage staff dispatched for a short time by foreign newspapers, broadcasters, magazines, or other news organizations
• People who report and cover news for a short time under contract with foreign news organizations
• People preparing to set up a Korean branch of a foreign media outlet

Permitted Scope and Period

Temporary news coverage, reporting, and branch establishment preparations are permitted. The maximum stay per visit is 90 days. If you want to continue resident news coverage after establishing a Korean branch of a foreign media outlet, find out if you can change to D-5 News Coverage status.

Main Documents

• Visa application form, passport, photo, fee
• Dispatch certificate and employment certificate from your media organization, or a foreign press credential
• Materials showing the purpose, schedule, subject, and location of the news coverage
• For citizens of certain countries, a 사증발급인정서 (Confirmation of Visa Issuance, a visa approval confirmation issued in Korea in advance) or a prior approval procedure by the Ministry of Justice may be added.

Just because individual creators, commercial shooting teams, or movie production crews call their work "news coverage" does not make it C-1. Immigration checks the relationship with foreign news organizations and actual activities. Review C-4 or other statuses for advertising, commercial filming, or paid appearances.

Basic Principles of C-3 Short-Term Visit

C-3 covers the following activities for 90 days or less.

• Tourism, transit, recuperation, visiting relatives
• Participating in or observing friendly matches, events, or meetings
• Attending non-profit culture and arts, general training or lessons, and religious ceremonies
• Collecting academic materials
• Business activities such as market research, business communication, consulting, and contracts

The most important limit is that you cannot do employment activities for profit-making purposes. If you provide certain labor, skills, or services and receive pay in return, C-3 does not cover you.

The latest Ministry of Justice manual is clear about this. You may be dispatched to a Korean public institution or company under a contract and provide practical services. You may also perform practical work after winning a project contract. In both cases this is a profit-making activity outside the scope of B-1, B-2, and C-3, even if you receive your pay from abroad.

Complete Table of C-3 Detailed Codes

Detailed Code	Name	Representative Targets	Important Points to Note
C-3-1	Short-Term General	Visits not falling under other detailed types, such as events, meetings, non-profit short-term training, and visiting relatives	Paid labor is not allowed
C-3-2	Group Tourism and Similar	Group tourism and guaranteed individual tourism managed by a designated travel agency, small-scale trade at some airports and seaports	Extension and change are especially strict
C-3-3	Medical Tourism	Patients receiving medical treatment or recuperation for 90 days or less, necessary accompanying family members and caregivers	Must prove treatment, finances, and family relationships
C-3-4	General Business	Market research, business contacts, consulting, contracts, small-scale trade, ABTC users	On-site installation and services are not allowed
C-3-5	Short-Term Business under an Agreement	Business people covered by agreements such as Korea-India CEPA and Korea-Chile FTA	The scope is different for each agreement
C-3-6	Short-Term Business Invited by a Preferred Company	People invited by companies or organizations selected as existing preferred companies	Selection of new preferred companies has ended
C-3-7	Tourism on Arrival	People who receive a visa on arrival through designated procedures at an airport	Not a general visa on arrival for all nationalities
C-3-8	Overseas Korean Visit	Overseas Koreans with foreign nationality who meet Ministry of Justice criteria	Not an employment status
C-3-9	General Tourism	General tourists who are not C-3-2 group tourists	Can prove financial ability and intention to return
C-3-10	Pure Transit	Transit to a third country for regular passport holders of designated countries	No immigration inspection, Period of Stay is 0 days
C-3-11	Crew Replacement	Past temporary crew replacement code	Abolished in June 2022

C-3-1 Short-Term General

This is a status for non-profit short-term visits that do not fall under other C-3 detailed types.

Representative Examples

• Participating in domestic events, meetings, or friendly matches
• Participating in matches or contests where prize money is received only when winning an award
• Short-term technical or skill training received without separate pay beyond living costs during the stay
• Visiting relatives or family, or short-term humanitarian visits
• Non-profit cultural, artistic, or academic activities for 90 days or less

Support for airfare and actual living costs during the stay may be possible, but if there is fixed pay exceeding living costs during the stay or pay that is effectively for labor, review C-4 and other options.

Basic Documents

Submit the visa application form, passport, photo, and fee. Submit them together with materials that explain the purpose of your entry. These can be an invitation letter, event registration, a training schedule, or family relations documents. The diplomatic mission may ask for additional proof of intention to return, financial ability, and accommodation.

C-3-2 Group Tourism and C-3-9 General Tourism

C-3-2

This mainly focuses on group tourism and guaranteed individual tourism. An overseas designated travel agency, appointed by a Korean diplomatic mission abroad, is responsible for managing your stay. A group visa can generally result in a shorter Period of Stay.

An extension or change of status is reviewed only for very exceptional reasons, such as when your transport out of Korea is lost, when an unexpected accident or illness happens, or when you apply for naturalization. If you leave the group or if a travel agency forcibly keeps your passport, ask for help from 1345 or the police immediately.

C-3-9

This is for general tourists who do not belong to group tourism. Basically, the diplomatic mission checks travel plans, accommodation, round-trip or third-country flight tickets, financial ability to bear domestic expenses, and a foundation to return home such as a job or studies. Required documents vary by diplomatic mission in the country where you apply.

Working part-time jobs, delivery, working in factories or farms, modeling photo shoots, or doing paid performances on a tourist visa can become illegal employment.

C-3-3 Medical Tourism

Targets

• Patients receiving medical treatment, surgery, tests, rehabilitation, or recuperation for 90 days or less at Korean medical institutions
• Spouses, immediate family members, and caregivers who are actually necessary for the patient

Two Application Routes

1. A method of applying directly to a Korean diplomatic mission abroad without a foreign patient attraction agency
2. A method where a foreign patient attraction agency (외국인환자 유치기관) applies for a Confirmation of Visa Issuance on the Korea Visa Portal. This is an agency registered under medical laws that helps foreign patients come to Korean hospitals.

If an unregistered broker promises a "guaranteed medical visa," you must check whether it is a registered foreign patient attraction agency.

Key Documents

• Diagnosis certificates or doctor's opinions from domestic or overseas medical institutions
• Materials on reservations, treatment plans, and estimated costs from Korean hospitals
• Financial ability to pay for treatment costs and living costs during the stay
• Family relationships of accompanying family members and the necessity of caregiving
• If using the foreign patient attraction agency route, registration certificate, business details, and invitation materials

If treatment is likely to exceed 90 days, check the possibility of G-1-10 suited for long-term treatment from the start. Receiving C-3-3 does not mean the patient or accompanying person is allowed to work.

C-3-4 General Business: How Far Can Business Travelers Go?

Activities That Are Generally Allowed

• Market research and reviewing business feasibility
• Meetings and business communication with clients
• Consultations, negotiations, and signing contracts
• Visiting exhibitions or fairs and listening to product explanations
• Off-site work needed for small-scale trade
• Approved business visits with an APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC)

Activities You Must Not Do with C-3-4

• Directly installing, maintaining, or test-running imported machinery
• Supervising or working at shipbuilding or industrial equipment production sites
• Providing paid consulting deliverables for Korean clients
• Performing daily tasks on behalf of a Korean company
• Separate paid services such as training, lectures, performances, or shooting

Even if the overseas headquarters continues to pay your salary or a Korean company does not pay wages directly, it may be judged as C-4-5 or D-9 if you provide practical services under a contract in Korea.

Examples for Decision

Activity	Priority Review
Negotiating and signing an equipment purchase contract	Possibility of C-3-4
Providing paid training on equipment operation to on-site staff	Possibility of C-4-5
Directly installing machinery included in a purchase contract	Possibility of C-4-5 or D-9
Only taking a factory tour after a meeting	Possibility of C-3-4
Regularly supervising quality and production on a production line	Possibility of C-4-5 or D-9

C-3-5, C-3-6, C-3-7, C-3-8

C-3-5 Short-Term Business under an Agreement

This applies to short-term business people specified by the relevant agreements, such as the Korea-India CEPA and the Korea-Chile FTA. In addition to nationality, your overseas affiliated corporation, job duties, and visit purpose must match the definitions of the agreement. The Period of Stay and permitted activities differ by agreement, so you must not simplify them with general C-3-4 rules.

C-3-6 Short-Term Business Invited by a Preferred Company

This type is for people invited by companies or organizations selected as existing preferred companies on the Ministry of Justice Visa Portal. According to the latest manual, selection of new preferred companies has ended, so please check whether the inviting company already holds that qualification.

C-3-7 Tourism on Arrival

This is an exceptional type with designated targets and airport procedures. It does not mean "anyone can receive a tourist visa upon arrival in Korea." If you do not check your qualification in writing with a Korean diplomatic mission abroad, your airline, or 1345 before departure, your boarding may be denied.

C-3-8 Overseas Korean Visit

This is a C-series status for short-term homeland visits by overseas Koreans with foreign nationality. Even if a multiple-entry visa usable for several years can be issued, the Period of Stay per visit is separate, and C-3-8 itself is not an employment status. For long-term stay or employment, please check the relevant overseas Korean status separately.

Transit: Distinguishing Between Visa-Free Transit and C-3-10

Staying Inside the Airport Transit Area Only

If your baggage is connected through to your final destination and you do not leave the international transit area of the same airport, you generally do not undergo immigration inspection in Korea. However, you may need a visa depending on nationality, airline, baggage connection, airport operating hours, and terminal or airport changes.

When You Must Enter Korea

The following situations may not be simple transit.

• When you have to pick up your baggage and check it in again
• When you change airports, such as between Incheon Airport and Gimpo Airport
• When a transit hotel or accommodation is outside the immigration inspection counter
• When it is a separate ticket so the airline does not guarantee transit
• When you use Jeju or domestic flights in Korea

C-3-10 Pure Transit

According to the latest Ministry of Justice manual, this is a special visa used by regular passport holders of Syria, Sudan, Yemen, and Egypt. It is for pure transit to a third country through Korea. The Period of Stay is 0 days. You can only stay temporarily in the transit area for up to 72 hours, and it cannot be used for immigration inspection purposes. There are separate exceptions for diplomatic and official passports.

Transit policies can change depending on flights and international situations, so please check with your airline and the Korean diplomatic mission abroad right before departure.

4. C-4 Short-Term Work and Allowed Activities

Basic Principles of C-4 Short-Term Employment

C-4 is the status for a person who does employment activity for profit for 90 days or less. The word "short-term" does not mean the screening is simple or that you can do any job. You must work only under the approved contract, employer, location, and job duties.

Current Detailed Codes

Detailed Code	Past Use	As of 2026-08-28
C-4-1	Agricultural seasonal work recommended by foreign local government MOU	Issuance suspended from 2025
C-4-2	Agricultural seasonal work recommended by marriage migrants	Issuance suspended from 2025
C-4-3	Fisheries seasonal work recommended by foreign local government MOU	Issuance suspended from 2025
C-4-4	Fisheries seasonal work recommended by marriage migrants	Issuance suspended from 2025
C-4-5	Short-Term Employment other than Seasonal Work	General short-term employment type currently in use

Application procedures for C-4-1 to C-4-4 may remain in past documents. However, the latest Ministry of Justice manual dated August 7, 2026 clearly states that issuance was suspended from 2025. If you want agricultural or fisheries seasonal work, check the E-8 program operated by local governments.

Representative Activities Possible with C-4-5

• Paid performance, entertainment, advertisement, and fashion modeling activities for a short period
• Participation in sports competitions, Baduk (Go), and contests where you receive pay or allowances exceeding living costs during the stay
• Short-term lecturing, speech giving, and research under a contract
• Research, technical guidance, and designated professional activities
• Installation and repair of imported machinery, and shipbuilding or industrial facility production and supervision
• Short-term technical services under service, purchase, or project order contracts
• English conversation teaching at an English camp for 90 days or less
• Short-term professional activities in information technology, e-commerce, bio, nano, advanced materials, transport machinery, digital electronics, environment and energy, and technology management

Simple manual labor jobs are not eligible for C-4-5. Individuals cannot freely apply for factory packing, construction assistance, restaurant dishwashing, or simple farm work as "90-day short-term employment."

Key Documents by Job Type for C-4-5

Common

• Visa application form, passport, photo, and fee
• Employment, lecturing, performance, or service contract
• Business registration, corporate registration, or institutional establishment documents of the Korean inviting organization
• Degrees, career experience, qualifications, and portfolio that prove the necessity and expertise of the job
• Relevant recommendation letter or official cooperation letter from the competent administrative agency for job types that require it

Machinery Installation and Technical Services

• Service contract, purchase contract, or project order contract
• Documents showing that installation and repair obligations are included in the contract
• Dispatch order or business trip order
• Proof that the applicant has the necessary skills for the work

English Conversation Teaching at an English Camp

• Degree documents with an Apostille (아포스티유), which proves internationally that a document is genuine, or consular confirmation
• Criminal history record certificate with an Apostille or consular confirmation
• Employment contract
• Establishment and registration documents of the educational institution
• Camp schedule and lecture timetable

If the camp is operated in a place that is not an authorized educational facility, the visa may be denied.

Performance, Entertainment, and Sports

• Recommendation from the Korea Media Rating Board for performances that require a performance recommendation
• Performance plan and performance contract
• Career experience, qualifications, invitation letter, and activity plan
• Consent of legal representative for minors
• Contract or participation confirmation stating pay and allowances for sports competitions or contests

Advertisement and Fashion Modeling

• Business registration and registration of popular culture and arts planning business of the inviting company
• Documents on the business soundness of the company, such as taxes, sales, and employment
• Contract structure among the advertiser, agency, inviting company, and model
• Contract including payment method, copyright, and signatures of the parties
• Activity plan, portfolio, identity guarantee, and consent of guardian for minors
• Consular interview

The advertisement and entertainment fields have a high risk of fake contracts, wage exploitation, and sexual exploitation. Write the actual shooting location, hours, duties, pay, copyright, accommodation, and return travel costs in the contract, and do not leave your original passport with a company or broker.

Special Exceptions for Short-Term Lecturing and Speeches

If a one-time lecture, speech, or consultation is not employment under an employment contract, it may be possible with B-1, B-2, or C-3 instead of C-4-5 when all of the following conditions are met.

• A non-profit institution, such as the government, a local government, a university, or a government-funded research institute, invites you for academic or public interest purposes
• You engage in activities at 5 or fewer domestic organizations during your stay
• The total activity days for lectures, speeches, and consultations are 7 days or fewer

If a private company invites you for profit purposes or the work is based on an employment contract, it is subject to C-4-5. You cannot bypass the status requirement by saying "the lecture fee will be paid into an overseas account."

How to Distinguish Pay, Prize Money, and Actual Expenses

Payment Type	General Assessment Direction
Reimbursing only living costs during the stay, such as actual airfare, accommodation, and meals	Possibility of C-3
Prize money received only when winning a prize in a competition	Possibility of C-3-1
Guaranteed appearance fee or allowance paid separately from prize money	Possibility of C-4
Compensation for lecturing, installation, performance, or filming	Possibility of C-4
Overseas company pays compensation for services provided to Korean customers	Possibility of C-4 or a long-term status
Only purchasing goods or negotiating contracts while salary continues to be paid by overseas headquarters	Possibility of C-3-4

Regardless of what name is used, immigration looks at the actual contract and activity. Even if it is written as "pocket money," "honorarium," "expenses," or "freelance fee," it can be judged as pay if it is compensation for labor.

Remote Work, Digital Nomads, and B and C Statuses

B-1, B-2, and C-3 are not general permits for remote work. In particular, if you provide services to Korean customers, operate a Korean business, or perform work for a Korean company, it can be viewed as profit-making activity even if you receive salary from abroad.

Checking email briefly for a foreign employer and doing regular remote work every day with Korea as your living base have different risk levels. If you plan to work remotely in Korea for a long time, check the separate long-term status requirements for remote workers before departure. If it is unclear, organize your activity description, employer location, customers, salary payment location, and Period of Stay, and ask 1345.

Study, Training, and Volunteer Activities

• Non-degree training, general training, and cultural classes of 90 days or less may fall within the scope of C-3.
• For university degree programs or language training exceeding 90 days, check D-2 and D-4.
• If an employee of an overseas company effectively works while learning at a Korean production site, it may be judged as technical training or employment rather than short-term training.
• Even for pure volunteer work, if there is pay other than room and board, or if it replaces regular labor, it can be viewed as employment.
• "Work exchanges," where tourists work regularly at a farm or guesthouse in exchange for room and board, cannot be considered safe activities under visa-free entry or C-3.

5. Application and Entry

This Is How Applications Proceed

B-1 and B-2

1. Check your visa-free status and Period of Stay by the country or region of your passport and your passport type.
2. Check whether you are subject to mandatory K-ETA or eligible for the temporary exemption in 2026.
3. Apply for K-ETA before boarding if necessary.
4. Prepare an electronic or paper arrival card if you do not have K-ETA and are not exempt from arrival reporting.
5. Prepare your round-trip or third-country flight ticket, accommodation, visit schedule, inviter contact information, and travel funds.
6. Explain your purpose of visit and Period of Stay accurately during immigration inspection.

C-1, C-3, and C-4

1. Select your nationality, purpose, and 90 days or less in Visa Navigator on the Korea Visa Portal.
2. Check the latest checklist from the Korean embassy or consulate general in charge of your country of residence or the official visa application center.
3. Prepare documents for each status, such as an invitation letter, contract, business documents, financial records, family relations, medical records, and career experience.
4. Apply through the route that applies to you among electronic visa, Confirmation of Visa Issuance, or direct application at a Korean diplomatic mission abroad.
5. Comply with requests for additional documents, interviews, or biometric information.
6. Check your status, Period of Stay, entry validity period, and single-entry or multiple-entry type on the result.
7. Enter Korea according to the purpose written on your visa, and for C-4, start only the approved work.

Electronic visas are not open to all C statuses and all nationalities. Use it only when the official portal provides the relevant application menu or the inviting organization meets the qualifications.

Common Documents Frequently Checked by Korean Diplomatic Missions Abroad

• Passport with sufficient remaining validity and a copy of the passport
• Standard-size photo and visa application form
• Application fee
• Specific schedule for visit, news coverage, medical treatment, or work
• Invitation letter and identity and business documents of the inviting organization
• Accommodation and travel plans for round-trip or onward travel to a third country
• Financial ability to bear travel costs, medical expenses, and living costs during the stay
• Ties to return home, such as a job, school, or family in your home country
• Past immigration history and whether there are any law violations
• Employment, service, or performance contract, and degrees, career experience, and recommendation letters for C-4

The head of the Korean diplomatic mission may request additional documents or waive some documents depending on the situation in the host country and the applicant's risk level. You must not apply the document list of one diplomatic mission directly to an application in another country. Foreign public documents may require translation and an Apostille or consular confirmation.

Four Things You Must Distinguish on the Visa Result Sheet

• Status of stay (자격): Activities you can do, such as B-2, C-3-9, and C-4-5
• Validity (비자 유효기간): The period during which you can enter Korea using that visa
• Period of stay (체류기간): The length of time you can stay after entering once
• Entries (입국횟수): Single, double, or multiple

For example, a 5-year multiple-entry C-3 visa is not the right to reside in Korea for 5 consecutive years. You can only apply for entry multiple times within the validity period, and you must follow the designated single-stay Period of Stay each time. You undergo immigration inspection every time you enter again. If repeated or long-term stays do not match your actual purpose, your entry may be denied.

Preparing for Immigration Inspection

It is a good idea to prepare the following documents so that they can be checked offline as well as on your mobile phone.

• Passport and visa issuance confirmation or K-ETA result
• Round-trip or third-country flight ticket
• Address and contact information of the hotel or accommodation
• Inviter's name, phone number, and address
• Event registration, news coverage plan, medical appointment, business trip order, or employment or service contract
• Cards, cash, and bank balance records to explain your stay expenses
• For C-4, activity location and contact information of the person in charge

Answer questions briefly and consistently with your actual purpose. If work tools, a long-term employment contract, or invoices sent to Korean customers are found while entering for tourism, you may be suspected of having a false purpose of entry.

Calculating Period of Stay and Foreigner Registration

• In principle, the B and C series are short-term stays of 90 days or less, so you do not make a 외국인등록증 (Residence Card).
• Check your actual expiration date, including the date of entry, through your entry permit information or the stay expiration date check on HiKorea.
• You must not assume that the visa validity period, the return date on your flight ticket, and the end date of your employment contract are the same as your stay expiration date.
• If you depart the day after expiration past midnight, it can become illegal stay even for a short period.
• Considering the possibility of flight cancellations, depart with time to spare rather than on the exact expiration date.

Extensions and Change of Status of Stay

Common Principles

B-1, B-2, and short-term C statuses are not "entry bypass routes" to change to long-term stay or employment status in Korea. In principle, you must depart and obtain a visa that matches your purpose at the Korean diplomatic mission abroad in charge of your country of residence before entering again.

Reasons That May Be Reviewed Exceptionally

• Serious accident or illness and inability to travel
• Cancellation or service suspension of flights or ships
• Unpredictable humanitarian reasons such as legal proceedings
• Specific changes permitted by the Ministry of Justice, such as changing to D-5 after completing the establishment of a branch under C-1
• Review of a separate status according to a C-3-3 patient's need for long-term treatment

If an exceptional reason arises, ask 1345 before your Period of Stay expires. Prepare medical certificates, flight cancellation confirmation, a new flight ticket, financial records, and proof of residence. Then apply at the immigration office in charge. Simply submitting an application does not make all activities legal before permission is granted.

6. Rights and Safety

Wages and Labor Rights of C-4 Workers

If you work lawfully under C-4, basic protections of labor laws do not disappear just because you are a foreigner staying for a short time. However, even if you use the title of sole proprietor or freelancer, whether you are a worker is judged based on actual direction, supervision, and how you work.

2026 Minimum Wage

According to the Minimum Wage Commission, minimum wage by year, the standards for 2026 are as follows.

• Hourly wage: 10,320 KRW
• Daily pay for 8 hours: 82,560 KRW
• Converted to 209 hours per month: 2,156,880 KRW

Check your contract for the minimum wage, pay date, working hours, break times, deductions for room and board and transportation, and return travel costs. For exceptions based on industry and work type or how to calculate allowances, ask the Ministry of Employment and Labor at 1350.

When Problems Occur

• Unpaid wages, working conditions: Ministry of Employment and Labor Customer Support Center 1350
• Visas, scope of activities: Immigration Contact Center 1345
• Assault, confinement, passport seizure, sexual exploitation: Police 112
• Emergency patients, ambulance: 119

Keep your contract, attendance records, messages, filming and performance schedules, pay slips, and bank statements. The claim that an employer must keep your passport to maintain your visa is not true.

Taxes, Insurance, and Medical Care

• Pay for C-4 may be taxed in Korea, and the payer may withhold tax at source.
• Tax rates and filing rules differ based on resident or non-resident status, income type, and tax treaties, so ask the National Tax Service or a tax expert.
• Short-term visitors must not assume that National Health Insurance applies automatically. Check coverage period, paid activities, pre-existing conditions, and coverage for accidents and workplace injuries in your travel or medical insurance.
• For C-3-3 for medical treatment, prepare for expected medical costs, complications, the possibility of extending your stay, and costs for accompanying persons.

Family and Accompanying Persons

The B and C categories do not have a system where family members automatically follow, unlike the "accompanying family status" for long-term residents. Spouses, children, and parents must also prepare their own passport, visa-free status, K-ETA, or C visa.

People who are needed for the purpose, such as accompanying family members or caregivers of C-3-3 patients, can apply together, but they must prove their family relationship and the need for caregiving. Accompanying persons are not allowed to work.

Risks of Illegal Employment and Repeated Entry

Examples That Can Be Illegal Employment

• A tourist working at a restaurant, factory, farm, or construction site
• A C-3-4 business traveler directly installing machinery or performing the role of a Korean employee
• A visa-free entrant working as a commercial model, performing, or giving paid lectures
• A C-4 worker working at an unauthorized company, event, or filming location
• Working regularly in exchange for room and board
• Claiming it is not employment because you receive pay into an overseas bank account

The worker may receive a departure order, a penalty fine, entry restrictions, and disadvantages for future visas, and employers and brokers may also face punishment and hiring restrictions.

The So-Called "Visa Run"

There is no right that leaving Korea and immediately re-entering will definitely give you a new Period of Stay. If there are repeated entries, de facto residence in Korea, signs of remote work or illegal employment, or unclear living costs during the stay, you may face additional inspection or entry denial.

Preventing Fraud and Broker Damage

• Use only www.k-eta.go.kr for K-ETA and www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr for the electronic arrival card (e-Arrival card).
• Do not believe "Expedited K-ETA" or "Enter on a tourist visa first, then 100% change to a work visa."
• Separate application fees from agency service fees, and get an official receipt.
• Check the employer name, business registration number, work location, and actual job duties.
• Do not sign blank contracts or Korean documents whose contents you do not understand.
• Do not leave your original passport, mobile phone, or bank cards with a broker.
• For advertising, performance, and modeling contracts, check especially for clauses about bodily exposure, entertainment services, changes of the business establishment, and copyright usage scope.
• Avoid brokers who suggest leaving group tours or filing false refugee applications.

7. Wrapping Up

Preparation Checklist by Purpose

Tourism and Family Visits

• Did you check if you are eligible for visa-free entry and your Period of Stay?
• Did you check if K-ETA is mandatory or temporarily exempted?
• Did you check if you are subject to the electronic arrival card (e-Arrival card)?
• Did you prepare a round-trip ticket, accommodation, itinerary, and travel funds?
• If it is a family visit, did you prepare the inviter's address, contact information, and documents proving the relationship?

Business Trips and Business Activities

• Did you distinguish whether it is meetings and negotiations or actual services?
• Did you prepare the invitation letter and overseas employment and business trip order?
• Did you check obligations for installation, training, and delivery in the contract with the Korean company?
• If you have tools, work clothes, or on-site schedules, did you double-check whether you need C-4 or D-9?
• Did you judge based on your actual activities rather than the country paying your pay?

News Coverage

• Did you check your dispatch or contract relationship with the foreign media company?
• Did you prepare the coverage schedule, subjects, and locations?
• Did you distinguish whether it is advertising, documentaries, or commercial filming?
• If it is resident news coverage for more than 90 days, did you check D-5?

Medical Care

• Did you prepare your hospital appointment, diagnosis, treatment plan, and costs?
• Did you check if it is a registered foreign patient attraction agency?
• Can you prove the need for accompanying family or caregiving and your relationship?
• Did you check the possibility of staying more than 90 days and your insurance?

Short-Term Paid Activities

• Did you check if the job is eligible for C-4-5?
• Are the duties, location, period, pay, and payment date stated in the contract?
• Did you prepare documents for your specific occupation, such as recommendation letters, career records, degrees, and criminal background checks?
• Did you check the registration and business reality of the inviting company and the broker?
• Did you decide not to start work, filming, performances, or installation before approval?

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Leaving

• What are my nationality and passport type?
• In which country do I legally live now?
• When are my arrival date in Korea and my planned departure date?
• Among tourism, family, transit, news coverage, medical care, business trips, and paid activities, what is my real purpose?
• Can I explain what I will do in Korea in one sentence?
• Who pays my pay, allowances, prize money, airfare, and accommodation costs, and from where?
• Do I have an inviting organization, employer, or client in Korea?
• Is there a transit method like baggage re-checking or changing airports?
• Do I have records of past stays in Korea, law violations, or visa refusals?

Judging "visa-free entry is possible" based on nationality alone is not enough. Even with the same nationality, the outcome changes based on passport type and actual activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I have 90 days visa-free, can I work in Korea for 90 days?

No. The visa-free Period of Stay is only a period you can stay, not a work permit.

If an overseas company pays my salary instead of a Korean company, can I work under C-3?

It is not decided only by where the payment is made. If you provide actual services to a Korean organization or perform contractual work, it can be judged as a profit-making activity.

Can I fix a customer's equipment for just one hour after a meeting?

Machine installation and maintenance are typical activities reviewed under C-4-5 or D-9. It is not automatically included in C-3-4 simply because it is for a short time.

If I receive a job offer after entering on a tourist visa, can I start working immediately?

No. You must not work before you get the right Status of Stay for employment and your activities are permitted. In most cases, you must leave Korea and enter again after getting an appropriate visa.

If I am exempt from K-ETA, am I also exempt from the electronic arrival card (e-Arrival card)?

Being exempt from K-ETA is different from holding a K-ETA approval. If you did not apply for K-ETA due to a temporary exemption, you may need an electronic or paper arrival card unless you have another reason for exemption from the arrival card.

If I have a multiple-entry C-3 visa, can I enter at any time?

You can only apply for entry. It is not guaranteed. Each time, your purpose, living costs during the stay, and stay records are inspected.

Can I work at a restaurant or factory for 3 months under C-4?

C-4-5 is not for simple manual labor jobs. You must look for another Status of Stay for employment that matches your job duties, nationality, and hiring procedures.

I saw C-4 seasonal work in older materials.

The latest Ministry of Justice manual clearly states that issuance of C-4-1 to C-4-4 stopped starting in 2025. For seasonal work now, check local government programs under E-8.

Can I leave on the 90th day and come right back in?

Re-entering is a new immigration inspection. If repeated stays look like residence or work, your entry can be denied.

Official Verification Channels

What to Check	Official Organization / Page	How to Use
B and C Statuses, documents, and changes	HiKorea Integrated Guide Manual, 2026-08-07	Top practical standard for this document
Current laws	Immigration Act, Korean Law Information Center	Legal basis for entry, stay, and employment
Status of Stay table	Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act	Check scope of activities for B and C
Visa-free entry and K-ETA by country	K-ETA official website	Temporary exemptions, applications, results, information edits
Electronic arrival report	e-Arrival card official website	Free submission starting 3 days before arrival
Visa types, applications, results	Korea Visa Portal	Use navigator by nationality and purpose
Korean diplomatic mission in charge	Korean Diplomatic Missions, Ministry of Foreign Affairs	Check local checklists, appointments, and fees
Minimum wage	Minimum Wage Commission	Check 2026 hourly wage of 10,320 KRW
Immigration consultation	Immigration Contact Center 1345	Domestic 1345, overseas +82-2-1345
Labor consultation	Ministry of Employment and Labor 1350	Consultation on wages, contracts, working conditions

In Closing

First write down what you will do in Korea, who pays you, and where and for whom you provide actual services. For tourism or meetings, check B-1, B-2, or C-3. For paid work of 90 days or less, check C-4. For work exceeding 90 days or regular employment, check long-term statuses. Your actual activities decide your Status of Stay rather than names. Some information changes often, such as the list of visa-free countries or K-ETA exemptions. For those items, the official websites and the announcements of Korean diplomatic missions abroad on the day you apply take priority over the fixed information in this document.

Official Sources

This document was written based on the following official materials.

• Guide Manual for Visa and Stay Applications by Status of Stay (2026-08-07 edition) · Ministry of Justice, HiKorea
• Immigration Act · Korean Law Information Center
• Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act · Korean Law Information Center
• K-ETA Korea Electronic Travel Authorization · Ministry of Justice
• Electronic Arrival Report (e-Arrival card) · Ministry of Justice
• Korea Visa Portal · Ministry of Justice
• Guide to Korean Diplomatic Missions Abroad · Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Status of the Minimum Wage for 2026 · Minimum Wage Commission