North Korea:Visa Requirements

Consular Visa Application Requirements

• The applicant must fill out all fields of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Entry Visa Application Form correctly and completely. The signature of the applicant or, where permitted, the legal representative must be handwritten and genuine. The form must be filled out and submitted in person at least 15 days before the planned date of entry into the country. Providing false or inaccurate information may result in visa refusal.
• The form requests the applicant's full name in their native language, surname and given name as written in English in the travel document, gender, date of birth, nationality, other nationality if any, place of birth, and religion. Additionally, the local identification number, mobile phone, email address, home address, home phone, occupation, work address, work phone, and work email address must be provided.
• The type, number, date of issue, date of expiry, place of issue, and issuing authority of the travel document must be written. The form includes options for diplomatic passport, service passport, ordinary passport, and other travel document. If another travel document is used, its type must be explained separately.
• The minimum validity required for the passport or travel document is not definitively specified in the central official source. The number of blank pages required in the passport is not definitively specified in the central official source. No general requirement has been published regarding damaged passports, machine-readable passports, or biometric passports. It is also not definitively specified which pages of the passport must be submitted as photocopies or scans.
• The application form contains a space for one 3 × 4 centimeter photograph. The photograph must have been taken within the last six months and show the face directly facing forward. Sunglasses, wigs, or hats must not be used in the photograph. The background color, print standard, digital file format, resolution, and maximum file size of the photograph are not definitively specified in the central official source.
• The applicant must state the purpose of travel. The form includes options for diplomatic or consular mission, international organization staff, official visit, employment, business, tourism, study, press activity, family or friend visit, crew duty, sports, culture, and other purposes. When the “Other” option is used, the purpose must be explained separately.
• The requested number of entries must be marked as single entry, double entry, or multiple entry. The conditions under which single, double, or multiple entry visas are issued; the validity period of each; and the maximum permitted duration of stay are not definitively specified in the central official source. The planned duration of stay must be written in days on the application form.
• The planned date of entry, entry border point, means of transport, and city or province to be visited in the country must be stated. The form includes options for Pyongyang, Sinuiju, Tumangang, and another border point. The means of transport can be selected as airplane, train, ship, or other vehicle. If another entry point or means of transport is used, details must be written. These options do not mean that all border points are open for every applicant.
• The name, address in North Korea, and contact number of the inviting person, company, or organization must be written. It must be stated whether travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by the applicant or by the inviting person, company, or organization. The city and country where the visa is to be collected must also be written on the application form.
• The required format of the invitation letter, the details it must contain, the identity documents of the inviting party, company documents, or financial capability documents are not definitively specified in the central official source. Invitation and supporting document requirements may vary depending on the purpose of travel, the inviting organization, and the diplomatic mission where the application is made.
• Whether the applicant has previously visited North Korea, the date of the last visit, and the previous inviting organization must be stated. If there are family members or relatives living in the country, their name, nationality, address, and relationship to the applicant must be written. Whether a previous North Korean visa or entry into the country was refused must be explained.
• A declaration must be made on the form regarding the presence or absence of a contagious disease or mental disorder. Additionally, countries visited within the last six months must be written. No requirement for a vaccination certificate, medical examination report, or specific health document applicable to all applicants has been published.
• If the applicant is a minor, disabled, or seriously ill, the form may be completed by a parent or another representative. In this case, the reason why the representative filled out the form, the relationship to the applicant, name, telephone number, and email address must be stated. No centralized list of documents valid at all missions has been published for birth certificate, parental consent, custody document, or copy of parent's passport.
• There is no centralized checklist applicable to everyone for round-trip ticket, onward travel ticket, hotel reservation, detailed daily travel itinerary, bank statement, employment certificate, payslip, student certificate, company documents, and proof of legal residence in the country of application.
• The minimum amount required for sufficient financial means is not definitively specified in the central official source. The number of months that the bank statement must cover is also not specified. Whether travel health insurance is mandatory and the minimum coverage amount of the insurance are not definitively specified in the central official source.
• No centralized rule applicable to everyone has been published regarding document translation, notarization, apostille, or legalization. The procedure for fingerprints, biometric data registration, or mandatory interview is also not definitively specified in the central official source.
• The application fee is not definitively specified in the central official source. The official embassy page in Poland shows 70 euros for a regular visa and 10 euros for a tourist visa. Since no visible update date appears on this page, the fee, payment currency, and accepted payment method should be confirmed with the relevant mission before application.
• The fact that the form requires submission at least 15 days before entry does not mean that the visa will definitely be processed within 15 days. The official processing time is not definitively specified in the central official source. The validity period of the visa, the maximum permitted stay, whether the visa is placed in the passport or on a separate document, and expedited processing option are also not explained at the central level.