South Korea: Removal of Re-entry Permit Requirement Forthcoming
March 31, 2022
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At a Glance
- Effective April 1, 2022, long-term visa holders who have completed their alien registration process will be able to travel abroad without obtaining a re-entry permit.
- Currently, the government cancels the visas of foreign nationals who depart South Korea without obtaining a re-entry permit.
- Foreign nationals who have already obtained a re-entry permit before April 1, 2022 to travel abroad after this date will be bound by the expiry date of their re-entry permit.
The situation
Effective April 1, 2022, registered long-term visa holders (including D-7, D-8, D-9, E-7, F-2, F-3 and F-5 visa holders) who have completed their alien registration process will be able to travel abroad without obtaining a re-entry permit, as currently required.
A closer look
- Termination of visa for noncompliance. Currently, the government cancels the visas of foreign nationals who depart South Korea without obtaining a re-entry permit.
- Existing re-entry permits. Foreign nationals who have already obtained a re-entry permit before April 1, 2022 to travel abroad on or after April 1, 2022 will be required to return by the expiry date of the re-entry permit obtained before April 1, 2022; otherwise, their visas will be cancelled.
- Cases requiring re-entry permits. Generally, beginning April 1, 2022, a re-entry permit will be required only if the registered long-term visa holders are seeking to re-enter South Korea after one year (from departure date) of being outside of the country, with some exceptions.
Impact
Long-term visa holders who will travel abroad beginning April 1, 2022 will benefit from a relaxed exit requirement which will allow them to travel abroad on a multiple-entry basis without obtaining a re-entry permit, as currently required.
Background
The re-entry permit requirement was introduced June 2020 as a tool for the Korean government to control the exit and entry of foreign national long-term visa holders, as the country dealt with the spread of COVID-19.
Looking ahead
The government is likely to gradually ease the entry and exit requirements further for business travelers and visa holders as the country reopens to international travel in the next coming months.
For up-to-date information on COVID-19-related travel bans, restrictions and concessions, among other information, check Fragomen’s dedicated website.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
