Hongkongers can apply for tourist visas to South Korea once again starting June 1, the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Hong Kong announced on Wednesday.
This comes after the country said it would resume issuing short-term travel visas for foreign tourists next month after suspending them for more than two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The consulate general said in a notice on its website that from June 1, its visa section will be open from Monday to Thursday from 9am to 11:30am.
It added that it would restrict the number of visa applicants to 30 people a day and the number of people waiting inside the visa section to 10 a day due to the limited space within the waiting area and efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
It noted that travelers should complete the e-Form (Visa) online in advance and they will not be allowed to enter the office if they fail to do so.
Travelers should only apply in person.
Visas will take at least seven working days to process and they can be collected from Monday to Friday from 1:30pm to 4:30pm.
Applicants will be informed of the collection date during application or by SMS.
The consulate general added that visa-free entry for Hong Kong passport holders is still suspended, hence valid visas are required to visit South Korea.
Those who have received three doses of a World Health Organization-approved COVID-19 vaccine or two shots within 14 to 180 days are exempt from quarantine.
Travelers’ vaccination record must be registered via the Q-CODE webpage.
For any queries, please contact the consulate general at hkg-visa@mofa.go.kr.
