Do You Need a Medical Visa for Surgery in Korea?
Americans get 90 days visa-free in Korea and Canadians six months, which covers almost any cosmetic trip. When the C-3-3 and G-1-10 medical visas actually matter, and what they ask for.
Short answer: Usually not. US citizens can stay in Korea visa-free for up to 90 days, and Canadians for up to six months. A facelift, breast surgery or checkup trip runs two to three weeks. The medical visas (C-3-3 for under 90 days, G-1-10 for longer) are for people whose passport needs a visa anyway, or whose treatment runs past the visa-free limit. We checked this on Korean government pages on October 24, 2026.
Clinic sites love the phrase "medical visa support." For a North American passport, it's paperwork you'll almost never touch.
How long can Americans and Canadians stay in Korea without a visa?
Ninety days for US citizens, six months for Canadians. Those figures come from Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs consulate pages.
The Los Angeles consulate adds a line worth reading twice: visa-free stays can't be extended. Your 90 days are your 90 days.
Our recovery timeline guide puts most surgical stays at 10 to 21 days, well inside the window.
What are the C-3-3 and G-1-10 visas?
They're Korea's two medical visa categories.
| C-3-3 | G-1-10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Korean name | 의료관광 (medical tourism) | 치료요양 (treatment and recuperation) |
| Stay | Under 90 days | Over 90 days, up to about a year on approval |
| Typical patient | Short treatment, needs a visa to enter | Cancer treatment, rehab, staged procedures |
Both are issued through a hospital or agency registered with the Ministry of Health and Welfare to treat foreign patients. The registered institution can apply for a visa issuance confirmation (사증발급인정서) on the patient's behalf.
What does a medical visa application ask for?
More than most people expect. The Korean embassy in the UK lists, for C-3-3: proof of your job, school or marriage, the hospital's business registration, and a doctor's letter with your reservation.
Some applicants also have to show they can pay. A Korean business magazine reported in August 2026 that issuance criteria include prepaying ₩10 million (about $7,100) in treatment costs, which the industry calls a barrier for first visits and mid-priced procedures.
Processing takes one to four weeks depending on the consulate, per the same report, and patients have lost surgery dates waiting. None of that applies if you're entering visa-free.
So who actually needs one?
Three kinds of reader:
- Someone whose passport isn't visa-free for Korea. A green-card holder with a passport from a country that needs a visa is the common case in North America.
- Anyone planning treatment past 90 days. Long cancer care or rehab moves you to G-1-10, arranged before you fly.
- A caregiver on a passport that needs a visa. Medical Korea's visa page says a spouse or children coming to help with care can apply too.
A US citizen having a breast augmentation isn't on the list.
What happens if recovery runs past 90 days?
It's rare after cosmetic surgery. Status changes from a short visit to a long-term stay are generally not allowed inside Korea, so a G-1-10 can't simply be swapped in later.
If a complication is pushing you toward day 90, call the Immigration Contact Center (1345, or +82-2-1345 from a foreign phone) well before the date, with a doctor's note from the clinic in hand.
What do you still need, even without a visa?
A passport valid for your whole stay, a return ticket, and one of two online forms. The K-ETA travel permit is waived for US and Canadian passports through December 31, 2026. Without it you file the free e-Arrival Card in the three days before landing. Our K-ETA post covers the January 2027 change.
How we help with entry paperwork
- We check the current rule for your passport and travel dates before you book a surgery date.
- If you do need a medical visa, we ask the clinics quoting you whether they're registered to issue the supporting documents.
- Our quotes from 2–3 specialist clinics are free and itemized.
Ask for free quotes from the form below.
Frequently asked questions
Do Americans need a visa for plastic surgery in Korea?
No, for stays up to 90 days. US citizens enter visa-free, and a typical surgery trip is two to three weeks.
How long can Canadians stay in Korea without a visa?
Up to six months, according to Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
What is the C-3-3 visa?
Korea's short-term medical tourism visa, for treatment stays under 90 days. It's issued with documents from a registered Korean hospital or agency.
Can you extend a visa-free stay for medical reasons?
The LA consulate says visa-free stays can't be extended. If a complication is pushing you toward day 90, call the 1345 Immigration Contact Center early.
Get free, itemized quotes from 2–3 specialist clinics
Two taps and an email address. We ask clinics run by board-certified specialists for line-by-line quotes and the dates they can take you, and email them to you, usually within two business days. Free, and no obligation.
Keep reading
- What Happens If You Get a Complication After Flying Home From Korea?
Who you call first, when to skip the Korean clinic and go to a US emergency room, what Korea's 2026 foreign-patient telemedicine law changes, and what US surgeons say about treating patients who had surgery abroad.
- How Do You Buy Medicine at a Korean Pharmacy After Surgery?
How Korean clinic prescriptions work (you fill them at a pharmacy, usually downstairs), what you can buy without one, which Seoul pharmacies open until 1 a.m., and how to carry Korean pills home to the US.
This guide is general information for people researching treatment abroad. It is not medical advice and does not establish a patient relationship. Only a licensed surgeon who has examined you can say whether a procedure is appropriate for you.