Visas for travel to Seoul, Korea IETF meeting.
Perhaps I can settle this.
A U.S. citizen does NOT need a visa to visit Korea for a meeting
by a non-profit group such as the Internet Engineering Task Force.
I just confirmed this with the head of the visa section in the
Korean Consulate in Washington DC.
But don't take my word for it. If anyone requests, I will be glad
to get an official letter faxed from the Korean Consulate-General.
I would carry that letter with your current U.S. passport.
More precise statement:
- U.S. citizens traveling to Korean to attend the IETF meeting
do not need a visa, as they are traveling to attend a
non-profit conference. They can stay in Korea up to 30 days
for such purposes and for tourism.
- If you travel to Korea for business purposes, such as meeting
customers or other business purposes, then a visa is required.
- There also is confusion about government employees. U.S.
government employees going to Korea just for tourism or a non-
profit conference such as IETF do not need a visa because they
are going a private citizens. However, government employees
going to Korea for official purposes do need an official visa.
I won't request an official letter unless someone asks me to do
so. I could post on a neutral web site or email to you.
Gene Gaines
gene(_dot_)gaines(_at_)gainesgroup(_dot_)com
Sterling, Virginia
On Wednesday, January 28, 2004, 3:54:12 PM, Eric wrote:
On 1/28/2004 12:46 PM, Kevin C. Almeroth wrote:
Seems to me to pretty clear that a visa is not needed.
These are the future possibilities:
1) You got the visa, the guard on duty that day deems it unnecessary,
and you curse the effort you spent to get it.
2) You don't get the visa, the trainee on duty that day deems it is
necessary, and you curse the ~30 hour round-trip flight, the
money, and the effort you spent avoiding the visa fetch.
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