A Mongolian couple visited our office a few days ago.
Their situation is as follows
They recently visited Korea after received an invitation from a medical referral institution, a domestic hospital, to come to South Korea for medical treatment. However, they are in a situation where it is difficult to complete the treatment process within the permitted duration of stay (90 days) on their medical tourism visa (C-3-3). They inquired about the possibility of extending their visa or changing it to another type. The Mongolian couple faced infertility issues and had received an infertility diagnosis in Mongolia. In pursuit of receiving advanced medical treatments such as in-vitro fertilization or assisted reproductive technology in South Korea, they deposited a guarantee of 10 million KRW with a medical referral institution (hospital) and entered South Korea with a C-3-3 medical tourism visa, which is a short-term visa valid for 90 days.
※ You can check the requirements for the C-3-3 medical tourism visa at the link below ↓
The hospital informed them that the treatment process alone would take more than two months, and even after becoming pregnant, they would need to continue monitoring at the hospital for a minimum of three months.
※ C-3 visas cannot be extended for more than 90 days unless there are special reasons. Special reasons may include situations such as having no available flight, pregnancy (20 weeks or more), childbirth, natural disasters, or similar circumstances.
Even in these cases, exceeding 90 days is not an extension but rather a postponement of departure. C-3 visa extensions are granted within 90 days. For example, if you entered with a C-3 visa for two months and applied for an extension due to valid reasons, even if the extension is granted, the maximum permitted period remains one month. In other words, the total stay period within 90 days is what is extended.
In the current situation, it seems that extending the C-3-3 medical tourism visa is not possible. Therefore, it was suggested that they gather as much documentation as possible from the hospital, including medical opinions, treatment and examination schedules, hospital payment records, and test results, to demonstrate the necessity of treatment. With this documentation, they can consider applying for a long-term treatment visa, specifically the G-1-10 visa.
Let's now look into the eligibility criteria and required documents for the G-1-10 long-term treatment visa for foreign patients.
Foreign Patient Long-Term Treatment Visa (G-1-10)
◆ Eligibility
- Individuals who have entered with B-1, B-2, C-3 (including C-3-3) visas and are recognized as requiring long-term treatment or care due to medical examinations at medical institutions.
- Family members and caregivers whose necessity for accompanying patients requiring long-term stay is recognized.
◆ Required Documents
① Integrated Application Form, Passport, 1 Standard Passport-sized Photo, Fee
② Documents proving the necessity of long-term treatment, such as medical opinions issued by medical institutions
③ Documents proving the ability to cover treatment and stay expenses
※ Submission is waived when the guarantee institution or guarantor verifies the patient's identity
④ Documents proving family relationships and caregiver