Entry Ban (입국금지) — Duration, Grounds & How to Lift It

An entry ban (입국금지) is an administrative measure prohibiting a foreign national from entering Korea. It may be automatically imposed after forced deportation, or independently applied at the visa screening stage based on grounds in the Immigration Control Act.

Entry Ban Duration and Grounds

Article 11 of the Immigration Control Act lists the grounds for entry ban. The ban duration depends on the type and severity of the violation.

• Short-term (1–3 years): Overstay, minor violations with voluntary departure
• Mid-term (3–5 years): Unauthorized employment, moderate criminal history
• Long-term (5–10 years): Drug offenses, sexual crimes, gang-related offenses
• Permanent ban: National security threat, serious repeated violations
• Statutory grounds (Art. 11): Mental illness, drug addiction, terrorism-related, etc.

Checking and Lifting an Entry Ban

The process for checking entry ban status and applying to lift it is as follows.

1. Check entry ban status: Inquiry to Korean embassy/consulate or immigration authority
2. Prepare entry ban lifting application and supporting documents
3. Submit application to embassy/consulate or Immigration Office
4. Ministry of Justice review (typically several weeks to months)
5. Notification of approval or rejection

How Vision Can Help

Our office provides the following support for those seeking to lift an entry ban:

• Checking entry ban status and ban duration
• Preparation and translation of supporting documents for the lifting application
• Document preparation and representation for embassy/immigration submissions
• Strategy for reapplication after rejection

Frequently Asked Questions