New Delhi: The Indian Embassy in Seoul on Tuesday issued a formal travel advisory urging Indian nationals to exercise caution before visiting Jeju Island, South Korea. The advisory follows the widely reported detention of Indian content creator Sachin Awasthi, who was held for 38 hours at Jeju International Airport after being denied entry along with his wife.
The Embassy noted that it periodically receives reports of inconveniences faced by Indian travellers at Jeju, including denial of entry and repatriation upon arrival under the island’s visa waiver scheme. To help travellers avoid such situations, it has outlined a set of entry requirements and precautions.
Visa Waiver Does Not Guarantee Entry
The Embassy made clear that the Jeju visa-free facility is meant strictly for short-term tourism purposes. “Final admission into the Republic of Korea is determined solely by the immigration authorities at Jeju International Airport in accordance with Korean law. The visa waiver scheme does not guarantee entry,” the advisory stated.
Documents Travellers Must Carry
Indian nationals travelling to Jeju under the visa-free scheme are advised to carry confirmed return air tickets, hotel reservations covering their entire stay, a detailed day-wise travel itinerary, proof of sufficient funds, a passport valid for at least six months, travel insurance, and accommodation contact details. The advisory cautioned that passengers unable to clearly explain their travel plans risk being denied entry.
On financial preparedness, the Embassy stated that “travellers should be able to demonstrate adequate financial capacity for the duration of stay including for daily expenses, accommodation payment and transport arrangements.”
Immigration officers may conduct interviews upon arrival, and travellers are advised to respond truthfully and consistently while remaining calm.
Jeju Waiver Does Not Cover Mainland Korea
The Embassy also reminded Indian nationals that the Jeju visa waiver does not permit onward travel to mainland South Korea. Attempting to leave Jeju for the mainland without a valid visa is illegal. Overstays or any unauthorised activity could result in future travel bans. In cases where entry is refused, the passenger will be returned on the next available flight and may be required to stay temporarily in a holding facility.
Jeju Island is one of South Korea’s three self-governing provinces and operates a special visa-free entry programme for foreign nationals. Indian travellers can enter Jeju without a visa only if arriving directly from outside South Korea entry via mainland South Korea requires a separate visa.
What Happened to Sachin Awasthi
The advisory was prompted by the ordeal of Sachin Awasthi, a travel vlogger, who along with his wife was denied entry at Jeju, detained for 38 hours, and compelled to purchase an expensive return ticket. Awasthi later spoke about the experience publicly, saying, “I am not sharing this for sympathy or drama. Immigration decisions are their authority. But they did not have any right to treat us like criminals.”