Job Discussion Forums

[killian]

hi. my company wants to send me off on a visa run to seoul. anyone been there, done that and care to share a quick run down?

thanks.

[Anda]

Um, sounds like you might have problems!

...................................................................................................

08-Apr-2008 19:58
by: traveler37

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1585596&start=45&tstart=0

Posts: 2
Registered: 08/04/08

45
US passport holder.

I was in Seoul, South Korea on March 24th and wanted to get a next day double-entry visa to China (I had tickets to fly to Beijing that saturday). This is the process there:

1.) Go to the Chinese embassy (which is surrounded by South Korean heavy riot police), where I was told to go to the Chinese consulate (across town).

2.) Go to the Chinese consulate where there is a sign saying they no longer process individual visas and that you have to go through a travel agent (and that mine will be 150,000 won since I wanted next day and I'm American). Travel agent fee should be less than 20,000 won. List of travel agents is in Korean only.

3.) Most tourist offices in Seoul rip you off for this (mostly Hanatour affiliated, they charge 50,000 won for the 'service'). **Go to Apple tours in the USO office of Camp Kim. They only charge 10,000 won for it.**

I got a L visa in Seoul, South Korea on March 25th for 160,000 won. I was told though that they no longer offer anything but the 30 day single entry visa (which is good for 90 days after issue).

Here in China now and dmajinindia I'm afraid you might want to buy plane tickets for that one. All foreigners are not allowed west of Chengdu (the stop off point to get to Lhasa), including Xinjiang. I was originally going to go to Lhasa and then on to Kathmandu and when things started to heat up I figured that I would see Xinjiang instead. No luck...


.....................................................................................................

Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Korea



Ambassador: Mr. Ning Fukui
Minister Counselor: Mr. Liu Shaobin
Address: 54, Hyoja-Dong, Jongno-GU, Seoul, 110033, Korea
Tel: +82-2-7381038
Fax: +82-2-7381059
Office Hours: 09:00-12:00, 13:30-17:30, Monday-Friday (except holidays)
Email: [email protected]
Website:
http://kr.china-embassy.org
http://kr.chineseembassy.org

Consular Office
Address: 50-7, No.2 Street, Namsan-dong, Chung-gu, Seoul
Tel: +82-2-060-6045004 (Inquiry for Passport, Visa, Notarization & Authentication)
+82-2-7567300, 7550453, 7550456 (for Consular Protection & Overseas Chinese Affairs)

Office Hours:
Application for Visa: 09:00-11:30, Monday-Friday (except holidays)
Application for Passport, Travel Document, Notarization & Authentication: 13:30-16:00, Monday-Thursday (except holidays)
Pick-up and Payment: 09:00-11:30, Monday-Friday (except holidays)
For Overseas Chinese Affairs & Consular Protection:
09:00-11:30, Monday-Friday
13:30-17:00, Monday-Thursday

Visa Application Form of the People's Republic of China

Consular Districts: Seoul, Inchon, Taejon, Kyonggido, Kangwondo, Chungchong Puktodo, Chungchong Namdo

Consular Districts of Chinese Consulate in Korea:

[North China Laowei]

First, what kind of a visa are you on now?

And second, if I can ask, of what country are you a citizen?

Third, if you are obtaining a "Z" visa, the Shengyang - Shenzhen flight (about RMB 1500 on a good day plus taxes) through elong is still cheaper than a return Shengyang - Seoul (on elong.net about RMB 2500 on a good day plus taxes) flight I think.

Next, if you go to Hong Kong either for the purpose of obtaining an L visa or an F visa, you need to read some of the threads about the visa situation in the China Off-Topic forum. It has become quite difficult. If you are going to Hong Kong to obtain a Z visa, that is still quite doable but the processing period will be longer than in the past.

Next, to answer your question, in South Korea, they have stopped processing individual visa requests for non-resident foreigners (meaning L and/or F). If you require an individual visa, you will have to allow yourself to be scalped, excuse the choice of words, by one of the authorized travel agents in Seoul who will include your individual request in a packet of supposedly-group tour visa. Hanatours is one agent that comes to mind. Nonetheless, if you are applying for a tourist visa, you will only be granted a 30-day double-entry visa at the most, non-renewable.

It's not shaping up great for many but that is simply how it is.

On the other hand, if you are applying for a Z visa, I personally would still opt for Hong Kong, with the right papers in hand, they have processed many, many more Z visas in Hong Kong for foreigners in the course of the year than Seoul probably has processed in twice the amount of time.

Just pay a great, great deal of attention to what you are doing.

And please read the threads on Off-Topic China section.

[Anda]

More bad info on Seoul:

http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=86458