What is the Korean C3-91 Visa?

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South Korea is an attractive destination for Vietnamese travelers thanks to its rich culture and diverse cuisine. If you are planning to travel, go on a business trip, or visit relatives, the C3-91 visa is a suitable option that allows multiple entries over a period of five years. However, many people are still unsure about what the Korean C3-91 visa is and what conditions are required to apply for it. Let iVISA provide you with a detailed guide on this visa type.

Understanding the Korean C3-91 Visa from the Start

Are you preparing for a trip to South Korea but do not want to apply for a new visa every time you travel? This is when the Korean C3-91 visa becomes a very convenient solution.

What is the Korean C3-91 Visa?

It is a short-term visa that allows multiple entries within five years, with a maximum stay of 30 days per entry. This visa is suitable for tourism, business trips, or visiting relatives. You only need to apply once, and traveling to Korea during the next five years will be much easier.

Key features of the C3-91 visa

Suitable for people who travel to South Korea frequently, from urgent business trips to short weekend holidays.
Fewer procedures compared to regular short-term visas, helping you save time.
Convenient for businesspeople, office workers, or families who want to combine travel and business purposes.

How is the C3-91 Visa Different from Other C-3 Visas?

If you have ever looked into Korean visas, you may already be familiar with C-3 visa types. However, what are the differences between C-3-1, C-3-9, and C3-91? Let’s compare them with iVISA:

Visa type	Validity	Number of entries	Maximum stay	Description
C-3-1	3 months	Single entry	30 days	A short-term visa for travelers who visit South Korea for tourism or short-term business purposes.
C-3-9	1 year	Multiple entries	30 days	It is a short-term visa intended for tourism or visiting relatives, and it is valid for a period of three months.
C-3-9	1 year	Multiple entries	30 days	Similarly, this visa is intended for those who travel to South Korea for tourism or visiting relatives. However, with this visa, travelers are allowed multiple entries into South Korea, with each stay not exceeding 30 days, and the visa is valid for up to five years.
C3-91	5 years	Multiple entries	30 days	It is a visa specifically for applicants with permanent residence in major cities such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, or Da Nang, and for those who need to travel between Vietnam and South Korea multiple times.

The C3-91 visa is suitable for Vietnamese citizens who frequently travel between South Korea and Vietnam, such as:

People with permanent household registration in major cities like Hanoi, Da Nang, or Ho Chi Minh City, where there are many convenient direct flights to Korea.
People who plan to travel to South Korea multiple times within five years for tourism, visiting relatives, or business purposes.
People who want to save time and enjoy flexibility in travel, without having to apply for a visa each time, making it easier to arrange personal schedules.

In other words, if you travel to South Korea quite often, the C3-91 visa works like a priority pass that makes traveling to Korea much more convenient.

Why Does South Korea Grant the C3-91 Visa to Applicants with Permanent Residence in Major Cities?

The C3-91 visa is not easy for everyone to obtain, and South Korea has clear reasons for prioritizing applicants with permanent residence in major metropolitan areas. The country focuses on economically strong regions, where applicants usually have transparent, stable backgrounds and lower risk. This helps South Korea manage immigration more effectively while ensuring safety and social order for both foreign visitors and local society.

Conditions for Applying for the Korean C3-91 Visa for Vietnamese Applicants

The C3-91 visa is a preferred option for Vietnamese citizens who frequently travel to South Korea independently or go on business trips multiple times. However, to be granted this visa, you must meet the following conditions:

Household Registration Requirements

As you may know, the Korean C3-91 visa prioritizes applicants with permanent household registration in major cities such as Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City. This is because these cities have convenient transportation systems and strong international connections, making travel planning much easier, especially if you plan to travel independently or make multiple trips.

To be eligible, you must have lived in that city for at least one year. This helps the consular office assess your application more confidently, as it shows that you have a stable living environment, are easy to contact, and present lower risk. You can prove your length of residence with a household registration book or a residence confirmation letter.

If you are in a special situation, such as recently changing household registration, separating household records, or living under temporary residence, there is no need to worry. You can still apply for the C3-91 visa, but you must prepare valid documents to prove your residence.

Personal Background and Travel History Requirements

If you have previously traveled to developed countries such as Japan, Singapore, the United States, or Australia, your C3-91 visa application will have a stronger advantage. These trips show that you comply with immigration laws, return on time, and have experience managing overseas travel. This is a factor that consular officers pay close attention to, as it reflects the applicant’s reliability and reduces the risk of overstaying or violating immigration rules.

Travel experience in developed countries not only strengthens your application but also provides a solid foundation if you plan to travel independently to South Korea multiple times over the next five years.

Financial and Employment Requirements

When preparing a C3-91 visa application, the first thing to consider is financial capacity. The consular office wants to see that you can afford your trip, including transportation, accommodation, daily expenses, shopping, and experiences in South Korea. A savings account with a balance of around 100 million VND is generally considered reasonable. You can also submit additional documents such as bank statements or certificates of property or vehicle ownership to further prove your financial capability.

In addition, having a stable job strengthens your application. Office workers, civil servants, and business owners are often given priority because their occupations indicate stable income and strong ties to Vietnam. When submitting your application, you should include an employment confirmation letter, labor contract, or salary statements from recent months so the consular office can clearly understand your income source.

Documents Required for the Korean C3-91 Visa Application

When applying for the Korean C3-91 visa, many people worry about financial proof or complicated paperwork. In reality, this is one of the visa types with relatively simple documentation requirements.

Required Personal Documents

First, applicants must prepare all basic personal documents. This section helps the consular office verify your identity and legal residence in Vietnam. You need to complete the Korean visa application form and attach one white-background photo measuring 3.5 x 4.5 cm directly onto the form. The photo must clearly show your face, be recently taken, and not heavily edited.

Household registration is the most important document for the C3-91 visa. The household book must be issued in Hanoi, Da Nang, or Ho Chi Minh City and have been valid for at least one year at the time of application. Applicants must submit a notarized translation and bring the original household book for comparison. In addition, you should prepare photocopies of your ID card/Citizen ID and passport. These copies do not need notarization, as long as they are clear and complete.

Employment-Related Documents

If you are employed by a company, your application must include a labor contract or an appointment decision. These documents must be translated into English or Korean and notarized. If the contract is bilingual, only a photocopy is required.

If you are a student, the consular office requires an original school enrollment confirmation letter with an official stamp. Student applications are usually considered together with family members or sponsors. For school students applying with their parents, you can use your parents’ employment documents. If a student applies separately and the parents are the legal representatives, a photocopy of the parents’ visa pages (if available) must be added.

Important Notes When Submitting the Application

The C3-91 visa requires applicants to book an online appointment before visiting the visa application center. Based on iVISA’s experience with Korean travel, booking early and preparing documents correctly from the beginning will help avoid long waiting times or repeated visits. For family applications, only members listed in the same household registration book are allowed to submit together. For children without a Citizen ID, a notarized translation of the birth certificate is required as a substitute.

If a family submits applications at the same time, only one notarized translation of the household book is needed for the representative. Other members can use photocopies of this translation, which meets consular requirements while saving time and costs.

Application Process for the Korean C3-91 Visa in Vietnam

After preparing all required documents, the next important step is submitting the application following the correct procedure. In practice, many applicants with strong profiles still lose time because they choose the wrong visa type, submit documents to the wrong office, or do not fully understand the process.

Step 1: Assess and Choose the Correct Visa Type

Before submitting your application, you should clearly assess whether you truly belong to the eligible group for this visa. If your profile is still new, your travel history is limited, or you only plan a short trip, choosing another C-3 visa type may be safer and more suitable than applying directly for the five-year visa.

Step 2: Prepare Documents According to the Checklist

Once you have confirmed the correct visa type, prepare your documents based on the checklist provided by iVISA. At this stage, documents should be neatly arranged, photocopies must be clear, and all information on the visa application form must be consistent. Even small details can affect the acceptance and review process.

Step 3: Book an Appointment and Submit the Application at KVAC

As shared by iVISA, this visa must be submitted at the Korea Visa Application Center (KVAC) in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, depending on your household registration. Before visiting, you are required to book an online appointment according to KVAC guidelines.

On the submission day, you should arrive earlier than your appointment time, take a queue number, and submit your documents at the counter. During peak seasons, the number of applicants is quite high, so careful preparation and punctuality will significantly reduce waiting time.

Step 4: Pay Visa Fees and Track the Application

After your application is accepted, you will pay the required fees. For the C3-91 visa, these include:

Visa fee charged by the Korean Consulate: As the C3-91 is a multiple-entry visa, the current fee is 80 USD. This fee is non-refundable in all cases, even if the visa is refused.
KVAC service fee: The application processing fee at KVAC is 390,000 VND per application, payable in cash at the time of submission.

Additional minor costs may apply, such as notarized translations, photo services, photocopying, or passport delivery fees if you choose home delivery.

Step 5: Receive the Visa Result

After submission and payment, you will receive the visa result within approximately 16 working days, excluding weekends and public holidays. Once the result is available, you can collect your passport at KVAC or receive it by courier if you registered for delivery.

For busy applicants, first-time visa applicants, or those who do not want to spend time handling paperwork, contact iVISA for full support with this visa type.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Korean C3-91 Visa

Can the Korean C3-91 Visa Be Extended

The answer is no. According to Article 18 of the Korean Immigration and Nationality Act (2023), the C3-91 visa cannot be directly extended. Only in force majeure cases may an application be considered, and approval from the Korean Ministry of Justice is required.

Common Reasons Why C3-91 Visa Applications Are Refused

Although the C3-91 visa has more favorable criteria than other visa types, it can still be refused if the conditions are not met. Common reasons include unclear employment information or poor travel history. In addition, inconsistent information across documents can make the application appear risky and lead to refusal.

Can I Apply If I Do Not Have Permanent Residence in Ho Chi Minh City and Only Have Temporary Residence?

If you do not yet have permanent household registration in a major city and only hold temporary residence, you may still apply if you can prove continuous legal residence in that area for at least 12 months, in accordance with current regulations.

We hope the information above has helped you gain a clearer and more complete understanding of the Korean C3-91 visa. If you encounter any difficulties while preparing your application for a Korean tourist visa, do not hesitate to contact iVISA for full A-Z support. iVISA will accompany you throughout the entire process, from document preparation to visa approval, so you can be fully ready for your upcoming trip.

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