Can South Korean passport holder temporarily living in Vietnam enter EU countries?
I am a South Korean passport holder who's been in Vietnam since early this year. I am in Vietnam on an extended tourist visa, not as a resident.
I would like to leave Vietnam and enter any EU countries that opened their border to Korean citizens (like Greece, Denmark, for example). However, I found the entry requirement of each country to be quite unclear if me being a Korean passport holder is enough to enter the country or I should have stayed in Korea before coming to these EU countries.
Does anybody have a similar situation or an answer for this?
Best Answer
As of 10.08.2020, as a South Korean citizen and resident flying from Vietnam, you can enter the Schengen Area through the following countries:
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland (if flying directly from Cyprus, Japan, South Korea or Thailand)
- France (if flying directly from Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Ireland, Japan, Morocco, Romania, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia or the UK)
- Germany
- Hungary (if flying directly from Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Japan, Romania, Russia, Serbia, South Korea the UK or the US)
- Italy (if not having spent the past 14 days in Algeria, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, Dominican Republic, Kuwait, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Oman, Panama, Peru or Serbia)
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta (if flying directly from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Jordan, Morocco, Romania, Tunisia, Turkey, the UAE or the UK)
- Netherlands
- Poland (if flying directly from Albania, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Georgia, Ireland, Japan, Montenegro, Romania, South Korea or the UK)
- Portugal (if flying directly from Algeria, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Morocco, Romania, Tunisia or the UK)
- Slovakia (if flying directly from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Montenegro, or the UK)
- Slovenia
- Spain (if flying directly from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania or the UK)
- Sweden
- Switzerland (if flying directly from Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Japan, Morocco, Romania, South Korea, Thailand Tunisia or the UK)
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Do Koreans need visa for EU?
Will South Korea citizens need visa for Europe? No, South Koreans will not require a visa to visit any country in the Schengen Area. Nationals of South Korea enjoy exemption from visa requirements for the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries that make up Schengen.What countries can you go to with a South Korean passport?
South Korean passport holders have visa-free access and visas on arrival to countries such as Brazil, the European Union, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and United States allowing instant travel worldwide.Can South Koreans go to other countries?
South Korean citizens can enter visa-free into 118 countries* and can enter the rest of the countries with only an eVisa or a visa on arrival. According to the Henley Passport Index, this ranks the South Korean passport as the third most powerful passport globally.How many countries can a South Korean citizen travel to without a visa?
As of 13 April 2021, South Korean citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 190 countries and territories, ranking the South Korean passport 3rd in the world (tied with Germany) according to the Henley Passport Index.How Foreigners can Obtain Vietnamese Passport/Citizenship | Living In Vietnam | DR Wilson
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Answer 2
However, I found the entry requirement of each country to be quite unclear if me being a Korean passport holder is enough to enter the country or I should have stayed in Korea before coming to these EU countries.
Each EU country has its own policy, but looking at the case of France for example, being a Korean passport holder is not enough (quote from IATA and echoed by https://reopen.europa.eu/en/map/FRA):
- passengers arriving from Andorra, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Monaco, Morocco, New-Zealand, Rwanda, San Marino, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vatican City (Holy See) or an EEA Member State;
which needless to say, makes the most sense.
Full IATA information for France:
France Published 01.08.2020
- Passengers are not allowed to enter.
- This does not apply to:
- nationals of France, if not arriving from French Guiana or Mayotte, and their spouses and children;
- British nationals and nationals of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland, Vatican City (Holy See) and an EEA Member State if not arriving from French Guiana or Mayotte; and their spouses and children;
- passengers arriving from Andorra, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Monaco, Morocco, New-Zealand, Rwanda, San Marino, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vatican City (Holy See) or an EEA Member State;
- passengers with a residence permit issued by Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City (Holy See) or an EEA Member State if not arriving from French Guiana or Mayotte;
- merchant seamen if not arriving from French Guiana or Mayotte;
- students if not arriving from French Guiana or Mayotte.
- Passengers arriving from Bahrain, Panama, USA or United Arab Emirates must have a medical certificate with a negative Coronavirus (COVID-19) PCR test result issued at most 72 hours before departure.
- This does not apply to passengers younger than 11 years.
- Passengers arriving from Algeria, Brazil, India, Israel, Kuwait, Madagascar, Oman, Peru, Qatar, Serbia, South Africa or Turkey must have a medical certificate with a negative Coronavirus (COVID-19) PCR test result issued at most 72 hours before departure. Passengers without a medical certificate must take the test on arrival.
- This does not apply to passengers younger than 11 years.
- A completed International Travel Certificate must be presented prior to boarding and to immigration upon arrival or when transiting France. The certificate can be obtained at consulates or at https://www.interieur.gouv.fr.
- This does not apply to passengers arriving from Andorra, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Korea (Rep.), Monaco, Morocco, New-Zealand, Rwanda, San Marino, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vatican City (Holy See) or an EEA Member State.
- Passengers must complete a declaration on honor to state that they do not have symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19).
- Passengers are subject to quarantine or isolation.
Answer 3
I successfully entered Greece from Vietnam without any problem. (the immigration officer didn't ask anything where I am coming from)
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Son Tung Tran, Q. Hưng Phạm, Pew Nguyen, Min An