Overview
C-3 (Short-term Visit) covers stays of no more than 90 days for business activities such as market research, business liaison, consultation and contracting, as well as tourism, transit, recuperation, visiting relatives, friendly matches, attending events or conferences, culture and art, general training, lectures, religious ceremonies and academic data collection.
Short-term business (C-2) was merged into C-3 on 15 December 2011, and the status cannot be issued to persons pursuing profit.
At a Glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Status | Short-term Visit (C-3) |
| Max period per grant | 90 days |
| Restriction | Cannot be issued to persons pursuing profit |
| Extension | Possible within 90 days from entry where the activity is within scope, there is no suspicion of illegal employment and the need is recognised |
Scope of Activity
- Business activity such as market research, business liaison, consultation and contracting
- Tourism, transit, recuperation, visiting relatives, friendly matches
- Participating in or observing events and conferences
- Culture and art, general training, lectures, attending religious ceremonies, academic data collection and similar purposes
Who Qualifies
- C-3-1 General: anyone within the scope except the sub-codes below
- C-3-2 Group tourism: guaranteed individual or group tourism where the travel agency is liable for overstays, small-scale port trading, etc.
- C-3-3 Medical tourism: short-term visitors covered by the guidelines on visas for foreign patients
- C-3-4 Short-term business: market research, liaison, consultation, contracting, small-scale trade, and APEC card holders entering without a visa
- C-3-5 Treaty-based short-term business: entry for short-term business under agreements (CEPA, FTA — India, Chile)
- C-3-6 Preferred-company invitation: persons invited by companies or bodies designated as preferred enterprises
- C-3-7 Tourism on arrival: persons entering with an arrival visa at the airport
- C-3-8 Overseas Korean visit: those eligible for an overseas Korean visit visa
- C-3-9 General tourism: general tourists not covered by C-3-2
- C-3-10 Pure transit: persons transiting Korea to a third country (not usable for immigration inspection purposes)
C-3-4 Short-term Business Visa (Business Trips, Meetings, Contracts)
C-3-4 is the sub-code for people who stay for a short period for business activities such as market research, business contacts, consultations, contract signing and small-scale trade. The residence manual calls it "short-term business" and the visa manual calls it "general business (C-3-4)"; holders of an APEC Business Travel Card who enter without a visa are also classed as C-3-4.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who | People staying briefly for business purposes such as market research, business contacts, consultations, contracts and small-scale trade |
| Visa application documents | Visa application form, passport, photo, fee, and an invitation letter or other proof of business purpose, including a copy of the inviting company's business registration or corporate registry extract |
| APEC card | Business people from APEC economies that take part in the card scheme may enter on the card instead of a visa and are screened at a dedicated lane; the period of stay depends on the member economy |
| Caution | Working for a Korean public or private body on dispatch to install or maintain imported machinery, or to supervise shipbuilding or industrial plant manufacture, is a profit-making activity outside the short-term statuses (B-1, B-2, C-3); a short-term employment (C-4) or Trade Management (D-9) visa applies |
C-3-4 cannot be used for profit-making employment, and the maximum period of stay per grant is 90 days for C-3 as a whole (see At a Glance). If you are unsure whether your trip is within the business activities above or is closer to installation or supervision work, confirm with the immigration office or the Korean mission before applying.
Required Documents
- Integrated Application Form (Form No. 34), passport, fee
- Invitation letter or evidence of the purpose of visit
- For extensions: documents explaining the need for the extension
Application Process
- Check eligibility — confirm your current status, career, degree and contract type match the requirements.
- Prepare documents — foreign public documents need a translator's certification plus an apostille (or consular confirmation for non-member states).
- Book a visit — reserve a slot at your Immigration Office via HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr), or file online where e-Application is available.
- File and pay — submit the Integrated Application Form (Form No. 34) and pay the screening fee.
- Review — respond to any request for supplementary documents within the deadline.
- Result — on approval, the period of stay and status are granted; reissue your ARC if required.
Key Points
- Examples of extension grounds: (1) no vessel available for departure, or unforeseen accident or illness evidenced; (2) entry for visiting relatives or language training with no suspicion of illegal employment (ethnic Koreans, families of marriage migrants, etc.); (3) business visitors affected by shipment or sailing delays; (4) multiple-entry visa holders with circumstances requiring more than the granted period.
- C-3 cannot be issued to persons pursuing profit.
- Documents issued in Korea must normally be dated within 3 months unless another validity period applies.
- Documents already on file in your alien registration record need not be resubmitted.
- Health certificates, drug test results and pre-employment medical reports must be submitted sealed by the issuing hospital (do not open).
- You must be in Korea when applying; leaving the country after filing may result in refusal.
- Screening fees are non-refundable once the application is accepted.
- The head of the Immigration Office may add or waive documents where necessary for review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can I stay beyond 90 days on C-3?
A. An extension is possible within 90 days from entry where the activity is within scope, there is no suspicion of illegal employment and the need is recognised.
Q. Which sub-code covers a business trip?
A. Market research, business liaison, consultation, contracting and small-scale trade fall under C-3-4 short-term business.
Q. Can I work on C-3?
A. No. C-3 cannot be issued to persons pursuing profit; employment requires the corresponding work status.
Q. What can I do on a C-3-4 short-term business visa (business trip visa)?
A. You may stay briefly for business activities such as market research, business contacts, consultations, contract signing and small-scale trade. C-3 cannot be used for profit-making employment, and anyone dispatched to a Korean organisation to install or maintain imported machinery or supervise shipbuilding or industrial plant manufacture falls under short-term employment (C-4) or Trade Management (D-9).
Q. Which documents does a C-3-4 visa application need?
A. The visa application form, passport, photo and fee, together with an invitation letter or other proof of business purpose that includes a copy of the inviting company's business registration or corporate registry extract. This article states no fee amount, so check the Korean mission's notice. APEC Business Travel Card holders can enter without a visa, and the period of stay depends on the member economy.