Korea extends visa-free entry for Chinese tour groups to end of 2026

Korea's temporary visa-free entry for Chinese tour groups​was due to end on 30 June 2026. It has now beenextended to 31 December 2026.

The Ministry of Justice says the period is matched to China's own visa-free window for Korean citizens, which was also extended.

The numbers (29 Sep 2025 to 21 Jun 2026):

• About 104,000 group tourists entered visa-free
• About 513,000 came in on e-visas, roughly 4.9 times more
• Only 21 people overstayed, about 0.02%

So most groups still book e-visas well ahead; visa-free entry mostly helps last-minute groups.

Worth knowing:

• It only covers groups run by designated travel agencies
• Independent travellers are not included

Have you noticed more tour groups in Seoul's shopping streets this year?

#KoreaTravel #VisaFree #ChineseTourists

Source: Travel Times (여행신문) — Visa-free for Chinese tour groups runs to year end