Quick answer
What photo do Chinese applicants need for a Korean visa?
One colour passport-style photo, 35 mm wide and 45 mm high, taken within 6 months, full face and without a hat, on a white or off-white background, glued to the application form. In China you lodge it at a Korea Visa Application Centre, yourself or through a designated agency.
PRC passport holders need a visa for most trips to South Korea, lodged at a Korea Visa Application Centre (韩国签证申请中心) in China, yourself or through a designated agency. The application form takes one colour photo, 35 × 45 mm (韩国签证照片), taken within the last 6 months, full face without a hat, on a white or off-white background, glued in the photo box. Jeju and some tour groups have visa-free rules, explained below.
South Korea visa photo size and requirements
| Photo size | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Colour | Colour, passport-style photo |
| Background | White or off-white |
| Pose | Full face, front view, without a hat |
| Photo age | Taken within the last 6 months |
| How it is used | Glued (粘贴) in the photo box of the visa application form |
| Glasses | Not stated on the form |
| The form | Filled in electronically and printed single-sided |
These rules are printed in the photo box of the Korean Embassy's visa application form (签证申请表). The Beijing visa centre also takes photos on site: 40 yuan for 6 prints in the size the Korean consulate requires.
Group visa-free entry: check the current dates
Korea's Ministry of Justice let groups of three or more Chinese tourists, recruited by designated travel agencies, visit visa-free for up to 15 days from 29 September 2025 to 30 June 2026. In late June 2026, Korean media reported that the Prime Minister had promised a six-month extension, but we found no Ministry of Justice or embassy notice confirming it when we checked in October 2026. What is confirmed is a separate measure: the US$15 visa fee for tour groups from China and five other countries is waived until 31 December 2026. Ask your travel agency before you book.
Where to apply in China
Since 25 August 2023, the Korean Embassy in Beijing takes all visa applications through the Beijing Korea Visa Application Centre (5th floor, Tower A, Jiacheng Plaza, 18 Xiaguangli, East Third Ring Road North, Chaoyang District), either in person or through an embassy-designated agency. Only for humanitarian, urgent or diplomatic reasons can you apply in person outside this route, with a personal statement form (个人情况说明书) and supporting evidence. The centre charges a 120 yuan service fee per application on top of the visa fee. There are also Korea Visa Application Centres in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xi'an, Dalian and Shenyang.
Download the form from the embassy website or fill it in on the visa centre's online form (apply.visaforkorea-bj.com), then print it single-sided: double-sided or multi-page prints are not accepted. Fill in every item, including a phone number where you can be reached, and sign it.
Jeju, group tours and K-ETA
- Jeju: Korean Ministry of Justice material says Chinese citizens can visit Jeju visa-free for up to 30 days, individually or in groups. Check with your airline or agency, as this applies to Jeju only.
- Group tours: see the dates above.
- K-ETA: Korea's electronic travel authorisation is for nationals of visa-waiver and visa-free countries, so it does not apply to PRC passports.
- e-Arrival Card: Korea's electronic arrival card is free and can be filled in online from 3 days before you arrive; it does not ask for a photo.
How to get your Korea visa photo right
- Check whether you need a visa. Jeju-only trips and some tour groups can be visa-free, so ask your travel agency. Most other trips need a visa.
- Take a colour photo on white. Face the camera, without a hat, on a white or off-white background, and use a photo taken within the last 6 months.
- Crop it to 35 × 45 mm. Print it on photo paper, or buy prints at the Beijing visa centre for 40 yuan for 6.
- Glue it to the printed form. Fill in the form electronically, print it single-sided, sign it and glue the photo in the photo box.
- Lodge it at a visa centre. Apply at a Korea Visa Application Centre yourself or through a designated agency, and pay the 120 yuan centre fee.
Sample photos
Samples show pose, lighting and background. Crop your own photo to the South Korea visa size.
South Korea visa photo FAQ
35 × 45 mm, in colour, taken within 6 months, full face without a hat, on a white or off-white background, glued to the application form.
Not usually. Since 25 August 2023, applications in Beijing go through the Korea Visa Application Centre, in person or via a designated agency. Only humanitarian, urgent or diplomatic cases can use a different route, with a personal statement form.
The Ministry of Justice scheme for groups of three or more ran from 29 September 2025 to 30 June 2026. An extension was reported in Korean media in June 2026 but not confirmed by an official notice when we checked, so ask your agency.
No. K-ETA is for nationals of visa-waiver and visa-free countries. PRC passport holders use a visa, or a visa-free scheme such as Jeju's.
Yes, in Beijing: 40 yuan for 6 prints in the Korean consulate's size.
Official sources
- Embassy of the Republic of Korea in China: 签证申请及签发程序 (application procedure, July 2026)
- Embassy of the Republic of Korea in China: 签证申请表 (visa application form)
- Korea Visa Application Center, Beijing: fees and services
- Ministry of Justice (Korea): group visa fee waiver extended to the end of 2026
- Ministry of Justice (Korea): group tourist visa-free entry
- Korea e-Arrival Card
Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.