How to Apply for a Korea Visa in Seattle

Seattle is the largest city in America’s Pacific Northwest region and is located in the state of Washington.  The Seattle metropolitan area has a population of 4 million people and is the fifteenth-largest metropolis in the United States.  Known as the “Emerald City”, Seattle is situated in a magnificent natural environment along the Puget Sound, surrounded by evergreen forests, mountains, and water.  The Seattle metropolitan area is the headquarters of 11 Fortune 500 companies including famous consumer brands like Nordstrom, Costco, Amazon, Microsoft, and Starbucks.  The Seattle metropolitan area includes the cities of Tacoma, Bellevue, Kent, Everett, Renton, Kirkland, and Redmond.  With over 60,000 Korean people throughout the state of Washington, Seattle and the Puget Sound region has strong connections with South Korea.  Seattle has a sister city with relationship with Daejeon, Korea’s 5th largest city.  Korea is an important market for Seattle area businesses (there are over 1,500 Starbucks locations in Korea and 16 Costco stores) and is a transportation for cargo ships and airlines like Delta and Korean Air.  Korean communities are concentrated in the towns of Lynwood, Federal Way, Shoreline, and Lakewood, but there are Koreans living all throughout the Seattle metro area.

South Korea, officially known as the Republic of Korea, is an East Asian country on the Korean Peninsula between the Yellow Sea and East Sea, wedged between China and Japan.  Although Korea is a small country of only 51 million people, their economy is the 10th largest in the world, a reflection of the hard-working nature of its citizens.  Korean products are an everyday part of our lives, from the Samsung phone in our pockets to the Kia and Hyundai cars driving along the streets of Seattle.  Although Korea is well known as a prodigious exporter, it is also a country that loves American products and should be a focal point for American companies wanting to expand to the Asian Pacific region.  The Korean government even provides services to foreign entrepreneurs trying to do business in their country through the Seoul Global Center.  In recent years Korea has become an increasingly popular destination for college students throughout the state of Washington interested in studying Korean language and culture.  The University of Washington in Seattle is home to one of the oldest Korean Studies programs in the U.S.  In the past decade, Korea has been gaining favor as a tourist destination thanks to growing interest in Korean food, movies, music, and other pop cultural phenomenon.

Obtaining a Korean Visa from Seattle

Visas for South Korea are issued by the Korean government in the United States.  The government of South Korea is represented by their embassy located in Washington, D.C. along with twelve consulates located throughout the United States.  To apply for a visa from Seattle, you will fill out the visa application and bring your original passport and supporting documents to their office on Mercer Street in Lower Queen Anne (Visits to the consulate are by appointment only due to the ongoing virus situation.  Please click on this link for more details: [Important Notice] Visa Service Available on an Appointment Only Basis 상세보기|Visa RequirementsConsulate General of the Republic of Korea in Seattle (mofa.go.kr)). 

You can also send your application by US Mail or courier service using FedEx or UPS.  Here is the address:

Consulate General of the Republic of Korea
115 W Mercer Street
Seattle, WA 98119  

It is important to review the requirements for visas on the Korean consulate website and ensure your application and all supporting documents are accurate.  Here is the link to the consulate website with detailed information: General InformationConsulate General of the Republic of Korea in Seattle (mofa.go.kr)

You should include a self-addressed USPS (US Postal Service Express Mail or Priority Mail), FedEx, or UPS prepaid envelope (please make note of the tracking number) so the consulate can return your passport and visa to your home or office.  The consulate does not accept FedEx or UPS shipping labels where the account or credit card information has been written in -- all return airbills must be prepaid.

The government’s visa fee is $45 for U.S. citizens and the processing time can take up to 3 weeks.  If you need the visa faster, please contact our company to inquire about expedited services.

Other things to consider:

  • U.S. citizens do not require a visa for stays of up to 90 days if they are traveling for tourism, pleasure, short-term business meetings, or visiting family, however, they must apply for the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) on this website: Welcome - K-ETA
  • U.S. citizens must have a valid passport that does not expire within six months of your date of entry into South Korea.
  • All visitors to Korea are currently subject to a 14-day mandatory quarantine at a hotel assigned by the government and a negative COVID-19 test (PCR) result is required for all foreigners entering the country. For more information, please visit the Korean embassy website: Notice 목록Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA (mofa.go.kr)
  • It is recommended to purchase travel insurance before any international trip in case of medical emergencies.  We advise getting the Geo Blue Voyager Single Trip Plan.

Emergency Assistance for Korean Citizens in Seattle

If you are a citizen of South Korea living in the Seattle area with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the Korean consulate in Seattle by calling 206-441-1011.  You can also contact the consulate by email at this address: seattle0404@mofa.go.kr.   

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you live in Seattle or anywhere in the state of Washington and have difficulty applying for a Korean visa or require assistance with any part of the visa process, please give our office a call at 404-682-5445 or schedule an appointment with our company.  We are a private agency in Atlanta providing Korean visa services for Americans and other U.S.-based residents.  Our number one goal is to ensure your application documents for a visa are submitted accurately to the Korean government.  Our services eliminate delays and give you the peace of mind to focus on your travel plans. 

We provide the following Korea visa services for our customers:

  • Korean Tourist Visa
  • Korean Business Visa
  • Korean Official Duty Visa
  • Korean Student Visa
  • Korean Work Visa (English Instructor / University Professor / Specialty Occupation / Religious Worker / Military)
  • Korean Working Holiday Visa
  • Korean Journalist Visa (Temporary News Coverage / Residence Reporter)
  • South Korea Hotel Accommodations