South Korea has extended its popular visa-fee waiver for organised tour groups from six Asian countries—China, India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia and Cambodia—through 30 June 2026. The policy, first introduced in mid-2024, eliminates the KRW 15,000 (≈USD 11.50) processing charge per applicant when itineraries are booked through accredited travel agencies.
For Chinese travellers, the extension could not be better timed. According to Korea Tourism Organization data, China reclaimed its position as South Korea’s largest inbound market in October 2025, contributing 29 percent of all arrivals. Tour operators on both sides of the Yellow Sea expect the fee waiver to accelerate bookings for spring conferences, incentive trips and school excursions that were postponed during the pandemic.
Seoul’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the measure aims to “solidify the recovery momentum” of the visitor economy, which still lags 2019 revenue levels by about 12 percent. The ministry projects a 40 percent jump in Chinese package-tour arrivals for 2026 if air-capacity growth stays on schedule. Airlines have already filed for added frequencies on the Beijing–Seoul, Shanghai–Busan and Chengdu–Jeju routes for the summer timetable.
![South Korea Waives Visa Processing Fees for Chinese Group Tourists Until June 2026]()
For travel planners looking to simplify the paperwork, VisaHQ offers an efficient workaround. Its China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) consolidates group applications, liaises directly with Korean consulates and ensures documentation meets the latest waiver criteria—helping companies and tour operators secure the cost savings without administrative delays.
Corporate mobility teams should note that the waiver applies only to group (C-3-2) tourist visas. Individual short-term business (C-2) and long-term work (E-type) visas continue to incur standard fees. Nonetheless, companies often bundle market-visit executives into registered “inspection groups” to leverage cost savings; such practices remain permissible provided itineraries include at least one tourism element.
From a practical standpoint, HR managers arranging off-sites or incentive travel in South Korea should confirm that their travel providers appear on the Korean consular roster of approved agencies and build in time for authentication of group manifests. Travellers must still submit biometric data on arrival, but Korean officials have pledged to staff all major ports fully during peak windows to keep processing times under 15 minutes.
For Chinese travellers, the extension could not be better timed. According to Korea Tourism Organization data, China reclaimed its position as South Korea’s largest inbound market in October 2025, contributing 29 percent of all arrivals. Tour operators on both sides of the Yellow Sea expect the fee waiver to accelerate bookings for spring conferences, incentive trips and school excursions that were postponed during the pandemic.
Seoul’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the measure aims to “solidify the recovery momentum” of the visitor economy, which still lags 2019 revenue levels by about 12 percent. The ministry projects a 40 percent jump in Chinese package-tour arrivals for 2026 if air-capacity growth stays on schedule. Airlines have already filed for added frequencies on the Beijing–Seoul, Shanghai–Busan and Chengdu–Jeju routes for the summer timetable.
For travel planners looking to simplify the paperwork, VisaHQ offers an efficient workaround. Its China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) consolidates group applications, liaises directly with Korean consulates and ensures documentation meets the latest waiver criteria—helping companies and tour operators secure the cost savings without administrative delays.
Corporate mobility teams should note that the waiver applies only to group (C-3-2) tourist visas. Individual short-term business (C-2) and long-term work (E-type) visas continue to incur standard fees. Nonetheless, companies often bundle market-visit executives into registered “inspection groups” to leverage cost savings; such practices remain permissible provided itineraries include at least one tourism element.
From a practical standpoint, HR managers arranging off-sites or incentive travel in South Korea should confirm that their travel providers appear on the Korean consular roster of approved agencies and build in time for authentication of group manifests. Travellers must still submit biometric data on arrival, but Korean officials have pledged to staff all major ports fully during peak windows to keep processing times under 15 minutes.
