AIAIG观点
2025年11月20日
In-depth Research on South Korea's Visa and Visa-Free Policies for China in 2025: Comprehensive Analysis of Tourism, Study Abroad, and Shopping Tax-Free
Systematically organizes South Korea's visa and visa-free policies for Chinese citizens in 2025, focusing on tourist visas, study visas, work and business visas, as well as the latest arrangements for group visa-free, Jeju visa-free, and transit visa-free, combined with South Korea's shopping tax refund and duty-free shop rules, providing one-stop strategies and practical advice for Chinese tourists and students.
Question
Overall, what is the general framework of South Korea's entry and visa policies for Chinese citizens in 2025? What are the key changes?
AIAIGAnswer
As of the second half of 2025, South Korea still classifies Chinese citizens as "visa-required nationals," meaning:
- The vast majority of Chinese citizens traveling to South Korea for tourism, business, study, or work still need to obtain the appropriate visa in advance (such as C-3, D-2, E-class, etc.), and are not eligible for direct entry via the online K-ETA application.
- On this basis, South Korea has introduced a series of "targeted relaxations" for Chinese tourists to boost tourism and consumption, mainly including:
- A time-limited visa-free pilot for Chinese group tourists (from September 29, 2025, to June 30, 2026), applicable to groups of three or more Chinese tourists organized by designated travel agencies, with a maximum stay of 15 days;
- Maintaining the 30-day visa-free policy for individual and group Chinese tourists to Jeju Island;
- Visa-free transit for some Chinese travelers with third-country visas under specific conditions when passing through designated airports.
Therefore, the overall landscape in 2025 can be summarized as:
1. Standard rules:
- Chinese citizens generally still require visas, with short-term visit visas like C-3 for tourism/business; study and work correspond to D-class and E-class visas, respectively.
- China is not on the K-ETA exemption or applicable country list, so Chinese tourists cannot enter with just a passport and K-ETA.
2. Additional benefits:
- Group visa-free entry, individual visa-free entry to Jeju, and visa-free transit under specific conditions provide "visa-free entry points" for Chinese tourists in scenarios like short-term sightseeing, shopping, and cruise tours.
- South Korea has also relaxed shopping tax refunds and increased instant refund limits to encourage spending by Chinese tourists.
For most individual free travelers, long-term students, and workers, visas remain the main route; however, for those in "group short-term tours with a focus on shopping," the combination of visa-free policies and tax refunds significantly increases appeal.
- The vast majority of Chinese citizens traveling to South Korea for tourism, business, study, or work still need to obtain the appropriate visa in advance (such as C-3, D-2, E-class, etc.), and are not eligible for direct entry via the online K-ETA application.
- On this basis, South Korea has introduced a series of "targeted relaxations" for Chinese tourists to boost tourism and consumption, mainly including:
- A time-limited visa-free pilot for Chinese group tourists (from September 29, 2025, to June 30, 2026), applicable to groups of three or more Chinese tourists organized by designated travel agencies, with a maximum stay of 15 days;
- Maintaining the 30-day visa-free policy for individual and group Chinese tourists to Jeju Island;
- Visa-free transit for some Chinese travelers with third-country visas under specific conditions when passing through designated airports.
Therefore, the overall landscape in 2025 can be summarized as:
1. Standard rules:
- Chinese citizens generally still require visas, with short-term visit visas like C-3 for tourism/business; study and work correspond to D-class and E-class visas, respectively.
- China is not on the K-ETA exemption or applicable country list, so Chinese tourists cannot enter with just a passport and K-ETA.
2. Additional benefits:
- Group visa-free entry, individual visa-free entry to Jeju, and visa-free transit under specific conditions provide "visa-free entry points" for Chinese tourists in scenarios like short-term sightseeing, shopping, and cruise tours.
- South Korea has also relaxed shopping tax refunds and increased instant refund limits to encourage spending by Chinese tourists.
For most individual free travelers, long-term students, and workers, visas remain the main route; however, for those in "group short-term tours with a focus on shopping," the combination of visa-free policies and tax refunds significantly increases appeal.
