South Korea Extends Visa Fee Waiver for Six Countries Until June 2026

South Korea is keeping one small but useful incentive in place for international travellers. The country has extended its visa processing fee waiver for group tourists from six countries for another six months.

The move is aimed at keeping inbound travel strong as visitor numbers continue to climb.

Who Gets the Visa Fee Waiver

The Visa-fee waiver extension applies to group tourists from the following six countries:

• China
• India
• Vietnam
• Philippines
• Indonesia
• Cambodia

Travellers from these countries applying for a C-3-2 group tourist visa will not have to pay the visa processing fee until the end of June next year.

The waiver was due to expire this week, but Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol confirmed the extension, saying the goal is to keep the recovery in inbound tourism on track.

Normally, the visa fee costs 18,000 won, or about USD 12.50.

Understanding the C-3-2 Group Tourist Visa

C-3-2 group tourist visa allows organised tour groups to visit South Korea for short stays. Applications are submitted through approved travel agencies, require group travel plans, and are commonly used by tourists arriving together under a single itinerary basis only.

Why This Matters for Travellers

For group travellers, especially families and tour groups, this saves both time and money. It also makes South Korea slightly easier to choose over other destinations where visa costs are still rising.

What this really means is fewer upfront costs when planning a group trip, which matters more than it sounds.

Foreign Tourist Numbers Are Rising Fast

The timing is not accidental. South Korea’s tourism numbers are already moving past pre-pandemic levels.

According to data from the Korea Tourism Organisation, around 1.6 million foreign visitors arrived in November. That represents a 17.3 per cent increase compared to the same month last year and is almost 10 per cent higher than November 2019.

Where Visitors Are Coming From

China remains South Korea’s largest source market, with 378,000 arrivals in November. Japan followed closely with 363,000 visitors.

Other major sources included:

• Taiwan: 158,000
• United States: 133,000
• Philippines: 60,000

Chinese arrivals are now back to about 75 per cent of 2019 levels, while Japanese tourism has surged, gaining over 40 per cent compared to the same period before the pandemic.

2024 Is Shaping Up to Be a Record Year

From January to November, South Korea welcomed 17.42 million foreign tourists. That is 15.4 per cent more than last year and 8.6 per cent higher than in 2019.

Visitors from China alone made up nearly 30 per cent of all arrivals, with more than 5 million travellers.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism expects total foreign arrivals to cross 18.7 million by the end of the year. That would be a new record and push the country close to the symbolic 20 million visitor mark.

K-ETA Exemption for Visa-Free Travellers

In addition to the visa fee waiver, South Korea recently simplified the entry process for international travellers. It extended the K-ETA exemption for visa-free travellers until the end of 2026. This change removes an important entry step for visitors from 67 countries and regions across Europe, Asia, the Americas, Oceania, the Middle East, and Africa.

• No new steps.
• No extra paperwork.

Visa-free travellers just need to make sure that they still meet all the usual entry requirements, such as having a valid passport and return ticket.

What Travellers Should Know

If you are planning a group trip to South Korea from one of the eligible countries, this extension gives you a clear window to apply without paying the visa fee.

It is a small policy change, but paired with rising flight capacity and strong demand, it shows South Korea is serious about keeping its doors open to international travellers.