How to Get a Chinese Visa in Seoul

Great Wall of China Dandong

We applied for our Chinese visas in Seoul, South Korea.

You have to apply at the Chinese Visa Application Service Center. You cannot apply directly at the Chinese Embassy.

There are 4 centers in Korea. You can check the center locations at the following website by clicking on the country that you will be applying in: http://www.visaforchina.org/

We applied at the Seoul Square location. The following is the website for this location: http://www.visaforchina.org/SEL1_EN/aboutus/273023.shtml

Click the highlighted boxes on the website to find out all the documents you need and to download the visa application form:

Documents Needed:
-Passport
-Photocopy of passport (main page with picture)
-Visa application form printed and signed
Below is a link to the visa application:
http://www.visaforchina.org/SEL1_EN/System/273014.shtml
-Color photo (size: 48mm x 33mm)
Below is a link detailing the photo requirements:
http://www.visaforchina.org/SEL1_EN/generalinformation/news/283256.shtml
You can take the photo at the photo shop that is in the basement of the Sindorim HomePlus for ₩18,000 (closes at 8:30 PM). However, the required size is very close to the standard photo sizes for UK, US and other countries and the visa center did not check the photo size. Therefore, it is probably not worth you getting new photos if you have passport photos of a similar size.
-ARC card
-Photocopy of ARC card
-Copies of flights booked in and out of China (fake flights work, both photoshopped flight tickets and real flights that you cancel after applying)
-Itinerary (not extensively checked, you’ll only get questions if you have an odd itinerary)
-Copies of accommodation booked and hotel addresses

The office is located near Seoul Station. It is on the 6th Floor of Seoul Square building (416 Hangang-daero,Jung-gu,Seoul).

You can apply for the visa Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

The visa takes only 4 business days to process and costs ₩190,000 for an USA citizen getting a 10 year visa. You pay for the visa when it is ready for pick up.

Comments

  1. Tom

    Hi,

    Can you apply as tourist or only as south korean resident? Do you need to schedule an appointment?

    1. Sarah Chang

      Hi Tom,

      I am not actually sure. I applied, but I had a Korean work visa. You do not need an appointment. You can try calling their number directly and confirming whether you can apply as a tourist: 1670-1888

      Best,
      Sarah

  2. Michael Middleton

    I am an American that is wanting to get a VISA back to China in South Korea due to the USA is not allowing any Chinese Visa’s to be issued at this time! Is it possible for me to fly into South Korea and obtain a Chinese Visa for me to join my Chinese family I have lived in China with for the past 16 years? Thanks for any help you can provide or information!

    1. Apologies, we didn’t see your comment before. I hope you were successful in the end.

  3. Carl Swartz

    Hello, I’m a Canadian can I apply for a tourist visa?

    1. Hi Carl. I would have thought so, but it’s been a couple of years since we got visas and rules change all the time, not least because of COVID-19 – so best to check yourself.

  4. Stephen

    Hello, I am a British national working in South Korea, and have been offered a job in Beijing. I have been told I need to get my criminal background check and university diploma authenticated by the Chinese Embassy in Seoul. However, they have never once picked up the phone when I have called and also never replied to my emails. Should I just turn up at the embassy in person? Also, do these documents need any pre-authentication before the embassy does so? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

    1. Sarah Chang

      Hi Stephen!

      I would just go to the embassy in person, but I am not sure on this as I didn’t deal with the Chinese Embassy. I applied for a tourist visa and not for a work visa, so I am not sure about the work visa process. Tourist visas are strictly dealt with the Chinese Visa Application Service Center and not the Chinese Embassy. I would contact your Beijing employer to see if they can be of any help.

      Best,
      Sarah

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