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According to the latest announcement from the South Korean government, the visa processing fee waiver policy for group tourists will be officially extended for another six months, until the end of June 2026, instead of ending at the end of 2025 as originally planned.
This move is considered by experts to be a key strategy to maintain the vibrancy of the tourism market, while further strengthening cultural and economic exchanges between South Korea and key countries in the Asian region, especially Vietnam.
Specifically, South Korean Minister of Economy and Finance, Koo Yun-cheol, confirmed the continuation of the free processing of C-3-2 visas. This is a specialized visa for tourists traveling in groups through designated travel agencies.
The list of countries benefiting from this policy includes Vietnam, China, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Cambodia. The selection of these six countries reflects Seoul's strategic vision of focusing on markets with rapid economic growth and a booming demand for overseas travel in the post-pandemic period.
The C-3-2 visa for group visitors will continue to be free of the 18,000 won (approximately 330,000 VND) processing fee until the first half of 2026.
This extension decision is not merely an administrative procedure but also brings direct economic value to tourists. Currently, the processing fee for a C-3-2 group visa is set at 18,000 won, equivalent to approximately 330,000 VND per person. While this amount is not significant compared to the total cost of a trip, for travel agencies organizing large groups of hundreds of people, saving on this fee will significantly reduce the price of package tours. This directly creates a competitive advantage in pricing, stimulating demand for travel to South Korea among families, groups of friends, and especially companies organizing incentive tours (MICE) in the first half of 2026.
Looking back at the tourism industry's recovery journey, the visa-free policy for groups, implemented since the beginning of 2024 as part of a comprehensive tourism stimulus package, has yielded incredibly impressive results after nearly two years. South Korea has become a "national" destination for Vietnamese tourists, offering a diverse range of experiences from the vibrant cherry blossom season and the lively summer in Jeju to the romantic autumn foliage and the snow-capped winter on the high mountain peaks. The stability and consistency in visa policies have given Vietnamese travel businesses more confidence in developing products and promoting destinations in the long term.
Furthermore, tourism relations between Vietnam and South Korea are currently at their peak. According to a report from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the number of Vietnamese visitors to South Korea in 2025 is estimated to reach approximately 550,000, a 9% increase compared to 2024. Leveraging the recently announced extension of visa-free entry, South Korea confidently sets an ambitious target of welcoming around 600,000 Vietnamese visitors in 2026. If this number is achieved, the Vietnamese market will officially surpass the peak of 2019, before the pandemic outbreak, solidifying its position as one of South Korea's most important source markets in Southeast Asia.
Conversely, Vietnam continues to assert its strong appeal to South Koreans. In 2025, Vietnam welcomed over 3.9 million visitors from South Korea. This bustling exchange of tourists has spurred the expansion of numerous new flight routes, connecting major Vietnamese cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, and Nha Trang with Seoul, Busan, and Daegu. Tourism not only brings in significant foreign exchange revenue but also serves as a strong link in the culinary, musical, and lifestyle exchanges between the two nations.
Extending the visa-free policy until mid-2026 is also seen as a smart move by the South Korean government to compete with neighboring countries in the region such as Japan, Thailand, and China – which are also implementing aggressive visa relaxation policies to attract international tourists. According to Mr. Koo Yun-cheol, maintaining growth momentum is a top priority to ensure the tourism industry does not stagnate after the initial boom. Vietnamese tourists, with their preference for destinations with convenient procedures, reasonable costs, and similar culture, will certainly be the target customer group for the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO)'s marketing campaigns in the coming period.
This is a golden opportunity for travel companies to promote tour packages for the spring and summer of 2026, taking full advantage of policy changes to optimize revenue. With favorable policy conditions, South Korea promises to continue maintaining its position as a leading "tourism paradise" for Vietnamese tourists in the coming years.
