Visa policy of North Korea

Not to be confused with Visa policy of South Korea.

Most visitors to North Korea must obtain a visa in advance from one of the North Korean diplomatic missions.^[1]

All visitors holding ordinary passports (except South Korea) must obtain a visa prior to entering North Korea.

All visitors (except citizens of South Korea) who travel to North Korea for tourism purposes require prior authorization from a travel agency registered with the State General Bureau of Tourist Guidance.

Visa requirement

North Korean tourist visas are issued in the form of a tourist card for tourists, or on a separate paper for other types of visas. No stamps are stamped inside one's actual passport.^[2]

Visa exemption

Since 2014, citizens of China holding ordinary passports visiting only the Tongrim County in a tour group can stay there for up to 2 days.^[3] They may also visit Sinuiju for a day trip without a visa.^[4]

Date of visa changes
Kyrgyzstan: Under the agreement between USSR and North Korea on 22 January 1986 9 March 2009: Malaysia[5] December 2013: Singapore Cancelled 1 October 2016: Singapore[6][7] 6 March 2017: Malaysia[8]

Non-ordinary passports

Visa policy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

  North Korea

  Visa not required for diplomatic, official or service category passports

  Visa not required for diplomatic passports

  Visa required

Holders of non-ordinary passports issued to citizens of the following countries can enter North Korea without a visa, for a stay up to the duration listed below:^[1]

Indefinite stay  KyrgyzstanD S 90 days  BelarusD O  BulgariaD S  MongoliaD O  RussiaD S 30 days  CambodiaD O  ChinaD S  CubaD O  IranD  LaosD S  MontenegroD S  MyanmarD S  SerbiaD O  SingaporeD O  TajikistanD S  VietnamD O  ZimbabweD O 14 days  IndonesiaD S

_{D - Diplomatic passports
O - Official passports
S - Service passports}

South Korea

Citizens of South Korea seeking to visit North Korea cannot use South Korean passports to travel to North Korea.

They must instead submit a North/South Korea visitation verification certificate as well as a departure card to the North Korean immigration officer at the port of entry and go through immigration inspection in North Korea.

They must also seek authorization from the South Korean government prior to departure.

Statistics

Visitors with citizenship of the Russian Federation^[9]

Country	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012	2011	2010
Russia	89	437	3,134	2,995	4,359	4,220	4,231	3,819	6,313	6,636	8,314	4,625

See also

• North Korea portal

• Citizenship in North Korea
• North Korean passport
• Nationality Law of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
• Visa requirements for North Korean citizens
• Tourism in North Korea
• Visa policy of South Korea