Entered Jeju Visa-Free? You Must Stay on the Island for Up to 30 Days

Foreign travelers who enter South Korea visa-free through Jeju International Airport or Jeju's seaport, under a program that lets certain nationalities skip getting a visa in advance, are in principle allowed to stay only within Jeju Island for up to 30 days, and must obtain separate approval before traveling to Seoul or anywhere else on the mainland. With Chinese group and individual tourists expected to visit Jeju visa-free in larger numbers ahead of China's National Day holiday, travelers who plan a mainland side trip without knowing this rule risk being turned back at the airport, so it pays to check the rule before you go.

According to data the Ministry of Justice submitted to the National Assembly, 10,738 people were staying illegally in Jeju under the visa-waiver program as of August last year, of whom 9,100, or 85 percent, were Chinese nationals. Against this backdrop, a public petition calling for the abolition of visa-free entry for Chinese nationals and stronger entry screening (petitions that draw more than 50,000 signatures must be reviewed by the National Assembly) had gathered 78,800 signatures as of September 18 and was referred to the Legislation and Judiciary Committee, with the endorsement period open through September 30. The petition does not affect the separate, nationwide visa-waiver program for Chinese group tourists, which the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already extended through December 31, 2026. Travelers who enter Jeju visa-free and want to visit Seoul or other regions on the mainland must apply for and receive separate permission to expand their area of stay from the Jeju Immigration and Foreign Affairs Office or a similar authority.