Travel and Tourism
The JJC’s Guide to Planning a Trip to South Korea!
I am now planning my trip to Japan (don’t worry, this is still a South Korea travel guide) and pulling out my hair at every turn! It has taken me months of reading hundreds of online blogs and forums to finally settle on a first-timer itinerary for my 15-day trip. And after that, I have spent countless hours trying to figure out the best ways to get to these places!
Yes, Japan has an efficient transportation system but it can be oh-so confusing trying to navigate it as a foreigner planning a trip from outside the country. Should I buy the JR pass or not? Should I book my tickets when I arrive or risk them being sold out? Which trains can get me to the places I need to go? Where should I stay?… The questions, they never stop!
Whenever I start to get overwhelmed, I remember that I felt this exact same way planning my trip to South Korea! And guess what? I did not need to stress that much because everything was so seamless as soon as I figured out my basic itinerary.
I also had questions about whether I needed to buy the Korail Rail pass or not, how to get to Jeonju from the airport, the best places to visit as a first-time traveller, how to get to certain places (like the Boseong tea plantation) independently and on and on it went!
So I am putting together this South Korea travel guide so you don’t have to stress about all these details! This guide will mainly focus on the places I visited but do feel free to leave your draft itineraries or ask me any questions below. I will be happy to take a look and give you some recommendations – as a “Senior Novice!” haha!
Reasons:
An application may be denied because the consular officer does not have all of the information required to determine if the applicant is eligible to receive a visa, because the applicant does not qualify for the visa category for which he or she applied, or because the information reviewed indicates the applicant falls …
1. Hiding any previous visa refusals
2. Falsified/forged documents
3. Suspicious account statement or insufficient proof of funds
4. Criminal records
5. Irregular signatures
6. Unclear reason for travelling
7. Sounding like you are running away from your home country, and you have no intention of returning (during your interview).
How To Avoid It:
Provide all required documents: Make sure you follow the application guidelines and provide all the required documents.
Have sufficient funds: You should be able to show that you have enough money to support yourself during your stay and to return to your home country.
Have travel health insurance: If you’re applying for a Schengen visa, you’ll need to provide proof of travel health insurance for the duration of your stay.
Disclose any convictions: Failing to disclose any past or current criminal convictions could result in your application being refused.
Have a valid passport: Your passport shouldn’t be expired, damaged, or missing any blank pages. Many countries also have specific passport requirements.
Have a crime-free history: A clean criminal record can be a positive factor in your application.
Be confident during the interview: Lack of confidence during the interview could lead to a visa denial.
Always Start your visa application early. Rushing might lead to mistakes
Provide accurate and complete information
Double check for errors, including spelling mistakes
Don’t leave everything to your travel agent. Anything you don’t understand, ask questions. Increase your chances by playing your part.
Don’t leave everything to chance. Pray about it. I believe God has the final say in everything, and He can give you favour when you pray about it.
Write a detailed cover letter
It’s normal to feel frustrated and angry when your visa gets denied ..i know how it feels, but it’s not the end of the world. You can apply again,
If your application is refused, you can carefully read the refusal letter to understand the reasons for the rejection. this time, more carefully. You can also make an appeal. If the issue is resolved, your visa status may change from Refused to Issued.
Anyway, let’s get into it! In this South Korea travel guide, I will tell you everything you need to know about planning your first trip to South Korea, the apps you should download, whether or not you need a rail or city pass and how far in advance you need to request them.
We will explore some sample itineraries and places worth visiting on your trip.
South Korea Travel Guide – Before Your Trip
Before you travel to South Korea, you should figure out these three things:
Continue reading to find out!
South Korea Travel Guide – Do I Need a Visa or K-ETA?
If you are visiting South Korea for the first time, you need to check whether you are visa-exempt or if you need a visa or the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA). Most countries can apply for the K-ETA in minutes, however, if you are Nigerian, you will need to apply for a visa at the embassy or consulate beforehand.
I have written an extensive post on how to apply for a South Korean tourist visa as a Nigerian and you can find that information here. The process is pretty straightforward once you have all the required documents. I recommend applying for your visa at least one month before your trip to give enough buffer for the processing time.