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EN
Recently, the Korean Visa Center in Ho Chi Minh City announced that, starting from October 18th, the Korean Consulate General in Vietnam will change the regulations regarding the application for a 5-year visa for citizens residing in major cities of Vietnam.
Accordingly, the visa application process remains the same, but some additional conditions are required: For first-time visa applicants residing in major cities, only short-term tourist visas are permitted. Applicants with no prior short-term tourist visa history cannot apply for a multiple-entry visa under the major city category. However, applicants who have traveled to OECD countries (South Korea, the USA, Canada, Australia, etc., and European countries) two or more times may be eligible to apply for a multiple-entry visa under the major city category.
In addition, applicants for a 5-year visa must also submit documents proving their current employment (employment contract, employee/student certificate, etc.). Business owners must provide a business registration certificate.
Thousands of people waited in line to apply for South Korean visas in late April. (Photo: Internet)
Previously, since December 2018, South Korea had implemented a policy of granting multiple-entry visas valid for 5 years to Vietnamese citizens with permanent or temporary residence permits in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. However, this has given rise to many problems such as queuing disputes and the buying and selling of application forms.
The most recent tightening of regulations for 5-year visa applications occurred last June. Accordingly, Vietnamese citizens without permanent residency in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City are prohibited from applying for a 5-year visa to South Korea.
