Korea E-6 Arts and Entertainment Visa — Scope, Eligibility and Period

Overview

E-6 covers artistic activity that generates income and performance activity for profit. Non-profit academic or artistic activity falls under D-1 (Culture and Art) instead.

Importantly, the category also includes professional and amateur athletes and coaches, orchestra conductors, and accompanying staff such as make-up artists and managers.

At a Glance

Scope of Activity

• Income-generating artistic activity in music, fine art, literature and the like
• Profit-oriented performance in entertainment, music, theatre, sport, advertising, fashion modelling and similar

Who Qualifies

• Creative artists such as composers, painters, sculptors, craftspeople, writers and photographers
• Persons instructing in artistic activity — music, fine art, literature, photography, performance, dance, film, sport (professional/amateur coaches, orchestra conductors, etc.)
• Persons performing individually or as a group for income, regardless of the form or name of the appearance (professional and amateur athletes, etc.)
• Not only performers themselves but accompanying staff such as make-up artists and managers

Required Documents

• Integrated Application Form (Form No. 34), passport and ARC, fee
• Performance/appearance contract or employment contract
• Copy of the business registration certificate of the inviting body or agency
• Employment or performance recommendation (issued by bodies such as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Korea Media Rating Board, the Korea Communications Commission or a pro sports league)
• Other materials the office asks for (e.g. employment certificate, record of foreign employment, withholding tax record)
• Proof of residence

Application Process

1. Check eligibility — confirm your current status, career, degree and contract type match the requirements.
2. Prepare documents — foreign public documents need a translator's certification plus an apostille (or consular confirmation for non-member states).
3. Book a visit — reserve a slot at your Immigration Office via HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr), or file online where e-Application is available.
4. File and pay — submit the Integrated Application Form (Form No. 34) and pay the screening fee.
5. Review — respond to any request for supplementary documents within the deadline.
6. Result — on approval, the period of stay and status are granted; reissue your ARC if required.

Key Points

• Within E-6, entertainment activity at adult-entertainment venues (E-6-2) is excluded from the D-10 job-seeking route; only fine arts and sport are allowed there.
• E-6-2 is likewise excluded from the fields open to spouses of professional personnel under out-of-status activity permits.
• For E-6-1 and E-6-3, adding or changing a workplace is a post-event report to the Immigration Office within 15 days. For E-6-2, a change of employer needs prior permission, while a venue change under the dispatch-worker procedure without an employer change is an employer report within 15 days.
• 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

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