●●🟧 Pre-Arrival Preparation Checklist
▶ A visa is “permission to enter,” not a “guarantee of stay”
▶ At immigration, your purpose of stay will be reviewed again
▶ Your visa type must match your actual purpose of entry
▶ Minimum items to prepare before arrival
▶ A round-trip ticket or a clear departure plan
▶ The address of your first place of stay (dorm, temporary housing, etc.)
▶ Basic information to explain your purpose of study/stay
▶ At immigration, your purpose of stay will be reviewed again
▶ Your visa type must match your actual purpose of entry
▶ Minimum items to prepare before arrival
▶ A round-trip ticket or a clear departure plan
▶ The address of your first place of stay (dorm, temporary housing, etc.)
▶ Basic information to explain your purpose of study/stay
💊 Caution
▶ “I’m planning to stay at a friend’s place”
▶ “I’ll figure it out after I arrive”
Answers like these can work against you at immigration
ⓒ Korea Tourism Organization Photo Korea – Incheon Airport Tourist Information Center / Lee Beom-su
●●🟧 How to Pack
●🟦✓ Baggage allowances vary slightly by airline, but on most international flights, one checked bag up to 23 kg per person is included at no extra charge. In many cases, one laptop bag or small backpack is also allowed as a carry-on.💊 Baggage rules can vary depending on the airline, flight, and ticket type, so it is essential to check the specific airline’s policy before departure.
●🟦✓ Bring enough clothes and shoes, but for any extra items you end up needing, it’s often cheaper to have your family send them by international mail after you arrive in Korea.
●🟦✓ It’s fine to bring small appliances you already use (hair dryer, razor, massager, etc.).
However, some countries—such as the U.S., Japan, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and Venezuela—use 100V power, so devices used in those countries may require a small voltage transformer.
(A small transformer can be easily purchased in Korea at stores like Daiso (a popular low-cost household goods store) for around 2,000 KRW.)
▶ Most laptop and phone chargers are multi-voltage and can be used as-is, but it’s still a good idea to double-check the voltage label before you travel.
●🟦✓ Items to watch out for
▶ Sharp objects (knives, scissors, box cutters, etc.)
→ Not allowed in carry-on luggage and must go in your checked bag.
→ Even small nail clippers can sometimes get flagged in carry-on screening.
→ If an item is questionable, the safest option is not to bring it at all.
▶ Liquids (cosmetics, shampoo, lotion, etc.)
→ Carry-on liquids are restricted.
→ Each container must be 100 ml or less; items over the limit will be discarded at the airport.
→ Liquids over 100 ml must go in checked luggage only.
▶ Fruits, meat, and plants
→ Banned in most countries.
→ One of the most common reasons for airport fines worldwide is bringing fruit—either as a gift or purchased to eat on the plane.
→ As a rule, do not take them overseas.
💊 Whether purchased at duty-free or leftover from an in-flight meal, if you have fruit with you at entry, it will not be allowed in.
→ If you brought it by mistake, do not hide it—declare it and submit it at the quarantine/inspection counter. (In most cases, it will be disposed of.)
●●🟧 Important Things to Know at the Airport Upon Entry
▶ When you get your visa, pack your bags, and prepare to enter Korea,many people think the process is completely finished once they have the visa.
However, a visa is only a pre-approval that allows you to request entry,
and your final entry is confirmed only after you pass immigration inspection at the airport.
▶ In Korea, if your visa was issued properly,
it is relatively common to pass immigration as well.
▶ In the U.S., however, even if you already have a visa,
if immigration officers determine that your purpose of stay is unclear,
there are relatively many cases where entry is denied immediately at the airport.
→ The U.S. does not typically publish detailed statistics on entry denials, but in reality, cases where people are denied entry at the airport and sent back right away happen very often.
→ Especially if an entry denial is recorded, re-entry or future visa issuance can become practically difficult in many cases.
💊 Answer rules you must follow at Incheon Airport immigration
During immigration, you should clearly communicate only that:
▶ you came to study,
▶ you have been accepted by your school, and
▶ your place to stay has already been decided.
❌ Part-time work
❌ Employment
❌ Starting a business
❌ Plans to make money
Do not mention these topics first under any circumstances.
Immigration inspection is a process to confirm
“whether your purpose of entry matches your visa purpose,”
so answering strictly for academic purposes is the safest approach.
This principle applies not only in Korea,
but is a basic rule that applies when entering any country.
●🟦✓How to Get a Mobile SIM (USIM) at the Airport
▶ Benefits of an airport SIM
→ You can use it immediately upon arrival
→ Activation is simple
→ You can get help from staff even if you’re not comfortable with Korean
▶ Recommended approach
→ Short-term stay (tourists): prepaid SIM / eSIM
→ Long-term stay: start with a prepaid SIM, then switch to a Korean carrier SIM after you receive your Alien Registration Card
💊 Since getting an Alien Registration Card usually takes about 20–30 days,
it’s safest to set your prepaid SIM plan for about 2 months.
●🟦✓ Things to watch out for if you arrive early in the morning
▶ Phone SIM
→ Buy an eSIM from the Incheon Airport SIM vending machine, then
→ scan the QR code and install it on your phone to start using it right away.
▶ Transportation
→ In Korea, the Airport Railroad and subway do not operate during early morning hours.
During this time, taking a taxi is the standard option.
→ If taxi fare feels expensive, you can
use the sleeping rooms inside Incheon Airport to rest for a while, or
take a taxi from Incheon Airport to a nearby jjimjilbang (a Korean sauna/spa that operates 24 hours and allows you to rest),
then travel once the first train/subway starts running. This is also a realistic option.
▶ Motel (a budget lodging option; often used for short stays, but overnight stays are also common)
→ Korea has many motels, which are a relatively unique type of accommodation.
→ They were originally designed for short stays, but overnight stays are also available.
→ A one-night stay is usually around KRW 60,000–80,000
(about USD 41–55, based on an exchange rate of 1 USD = 1,450 KRW),
and they typically have private bathrooms and heating/air conditioning, so they’re sufficient as temporary lodging.
→ Depending on the interior quality, rooms in the KRW 30,000–50,000 range are also common.
(about USD 21–34, based on an exchange rate of 1 USD = 1,450 KRW)
→ They are widely available in most major city entertainment districts and suburban areas,
so even without a reservation, it’s not difficult to walk in and choose one by the sign.
→ Some motels (about 20–30%) may not accept overnight stays,
but in that case you can simply use another motel nearby, so it’s usually not a serious problem.
💊 Many motels are cheaper than hotels while offering hotel-level facilities,
so they can actually be more convenient for foreigners as temporary lodging. (They provide towels and toiletries.)
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💊💊This post is the first of a 6-part guide
that summarizes essential precautions foreigners must know
from entering Korea to settling in.
▶In this section, we covered what to prepare before entering Korea,
airport immigration screening, packing, and what to watch out for right after arrival.
▶In the next section, we will cover the first things you should do right after entering Korea,
and what foreigners should watch out for when looking for housing,
so please keep following along.
▶If you want more practical information about life in Korea overall
and more guides related to Korean visas and residency,
you can check them through the links below.
→ Go to the Korea Public Transportation Guide
→ Go to the Korea Visa Information Guide