South Korea
Apply for a visa for France in South Korea :
Visa applications submitted in Korea are examined by the visa section of Embassy of France in Korea; only the Embassy is authorised to take decisions about visas.
- For short stay visa applications, you must lodge your application 15 days minimum before the scheduled date of departure. The processing time takes minimum 15 days. It can take up to 6 weeks for some nationalities or in some circumstances.
- For long stay visa applications, The processing time takes between 3 weeks to 2 months minimum depending on the nationality, type of visa applied or destination.
Visa section of Embassy of France in Seoul
Contact details
43-12 Seosomun-ro
Seodaemun-gu
Seoul (03741)
Call center
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Website
Submitting applications
(Appointment only)
| Monday | 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. |
| Tuesday | 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. |
| Wednesday | 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. |
| Thursday | 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. |
| Friday | 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Information : from Monday to Friday between 11:20 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.
Long stay student visa : make an appointment
Short stay Schengen visa : make an appointment
Other visas (excluding long stay student visa and excluding Short stay Schengen visa) : make an appointment
Collecting passports
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Set up an appointment
Each applicant must make a personal appointment (1 passport = 1 appointment), including for children, whatever their age. Choose a date and time at your convenience on the online appointment system (appointments cannot be given by email or at the counter) to submit your application at the desk of the visa section. Please make sure that you fill up all your identifying information as it appear on your passport (Surname, First Name, Date of birth, nationality, Passport number) and your contacts (Phone number and Email).
You will have to print out the appointment receipt that will be asked on your arrival at the visa section. Once you have secured your appointment, you will be expected to show up in person at the place and time specified./p>
If you are late, the visa section might not be able to receive you anymore and might therefore ask you to remake a new appointment online.
You can lodge your visa application at least 6 months prior to your arrival date in France for a short stay and 3 months prior to your arrival date in France for a long stay. Anticipate long enough your application by considering a minimum of 3 weeks processing time which may extend according to the type of visa and during the peak use periods.
WARNING : Applicants for a long stay student visa must take mandatorily the appointment for their visa application after attending the Campus France interview and set up a date at least 3 days after the Campus France interview (weekends and holidays excluded).
Links to make an appointment
- Click here for Long stay student visa
- Click here for Short stay Schengen visa
- Click here for Other visas (excluding long stay student visa and excluding Short stay Schengen visa)
Appointment waiting time
Waiting times vary depending on the number of applicants and the season. Applicants are therefore asked to arrange their appointment in advance. The online visas booking system is run on a 60 days period.
When time slots are greyed out, it means that all appointments have been taken for theses dates. When a month is fully booked, it no longer appears and the month selection arrow cannot be activated.
However, cancellations occur on a regular basis and slots are released each week for the following week; so make sure to check the online booking system frequently.
Closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Public holidays in 2024 :
- Monday 1 January : New year's day
- Friday 9 - Monday 12 February : Lunar New Year
- Friday 1 March : Independence Movement day
- Wednesday 10 April : Legislative election day
- Wednesday 1 May : Labor day
- Monday 6 May : Day after Children's day
- Wednesday 15 May : Buddha's Birthday
- Thursday 6 June : Memorial Day
- Thursday 15 August : Independence day
- Monday 16 - Wednesday 18 September : Chuseok
- Thursday 3 October : National Foundation Day
- Wednesday 9 October : Hangeul Day
- Wednesday 25 December : Christmas
Please carry every required documents and copies on the appointment date. Any documents that reach the visa section by another way are not taken into account.
All the applicants must come in person at the visa section on the due appointment date and submit their passport and all original documents with photocopies. The visa section won’t do any photocopies. Only visa applicants are allowed to enter the visa section. Third parties are not allowed to accompany visa applicants and will therefore remain outside unless it is a minor (under 18 years), who must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian with a proof of identity.
The applicants who come with an incomplete file run the risk of seeing their visa refused. Submitting a complete file does not mean inevitably that the consular Authority will issue you the wanted visa.
Collecting of biometric data
All visas issued by France are biometric visas. Any visa applicant aged 12 or older is required to file their first request in person. The following biometric data will be required: a photograph, scanned or taken at the time of application submission, and 10 fingerprints, taken digitally.
Security information
When you visit a French Consulate, you must not bring any weapons or dangerous items with you. Security checks will be performed before you are admitted to the premises.
Tracking your application
You can follow the progress of your request from your France-Visas account, under "My requests". Any information concerning the visa status won't be provided by email or by phone. The visa section does his best to shorten your visa processing time and undertakes to contact you directly if needed.
Collecting your passport
The passport, which is kept by the visa section during all the visa processing time, will be returned to you at your expense by delivery toward the address to be written on the shipment slip available on the spot.
You cannot pick up your passport while processing the visa application.
Particular situations
For holders of diplomatic (official, service) passports :
Holders of diplomatic (official, service) passports must obligatorily contact the visa service beforehand : visas.seoul-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr
Fees
Visa fees (pdf) are charged in Korean Won by the French administration for the processing of your application. The rates are indicated in euros (€), to get the price in local currency (WON), please convert the amount indicated in the table by applying the rate of Chancery : https://www.economie.gouv.fr/dgfip/taux_chancellerie_change_resultat/pays/IN.
Visa fees are payable exclusively in Korean won, by cash (the exact amount must be provided), by credit or debit card mentioning the name of the applicant. (Some credit cards, Hyundai card, Samsung card, American Express, Union pay are not accepted.)
The amount received is kept by the administration, even in the case of refusal of Visa.
Help
If you have any problems with your visa application, please contact the visa section for assistance :
visas.seoul-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr
You will receive a reply if your questions are not already answered on our website.
Any information is given by phone.