Consular Directory — E-2 Visa
Korean Consulates & Embassies for the E-2 Visa (2026)
- Missions listed
- 25
- Countries
- 7 E-2 eligible
- Visa centres
- UK only
You cannot pick your consulate. Korean missions have territorial jurisdiction, and you apply to the one covering where you legally live — which is also why "visa runs" to a convenient third country generally do not work.
A directory of Korean diplomatic missions in the seven E-2-eligible countries, from OK Recruiting, a Korea-based recruiter (since 2006). Current as of 2026 — fees, processing times and document lists differ by mission, so always open the visa page of the mission you will actually apply to.
Read this first if you are in the UK
The Korean Embassy in London no longer takes visa applications
Since 17 January 2022, Korean visa applications from the UK are handled by the Korea Visa Application Centre (KVAC) in London, run by the IOM — not by the embassy. This covers UK nationals and third-country nationals lawfully resident in the UK. Applying at the embassy will get you turned away; start from the embassy's visa information page, which routes you to KVAC.
How to choose the right mission
Jurisdiction, not convenience. Each consulate covers specific states, provinces or regions. Applying outside your jurisdiction is the most common reason an application is refused at the counter. If you are not certain which post covers your address, the mission's own site will say — check before you book anything.
The UK is the only one of the seven that routes applications through a visa application centre. Everywhere else, you apply to the embassy or consulate directly.
The directory
- Embassy of Korea, Washington DCEmbassy
- Consulate General, Atlanta
- Consulate General, Boston
- Consulate General, Chicago
- Consulate General, Houston
- Consulate General, Los Angeles
- Consulate General, New York
- Consulate General, San Francisco
- Consulate General, Seattle
- Consulate General, Honolulu
- Consulate, Anchorage
- Consulate, Dallas
- Consulate, Hagatna (Guam)
- Visa applications → Korea Visa Application Centre (KVAC), LondonVisa centre
- Embassy of Korea, London — consular services, but not visa intakeEmbassy
- Embassy of Korea, DublinEmbassy
- Embassy of Korea, PretoriaEmbassy
Smaller consulates do not always process every visa type. The consulates in Anchorage, Dallas, Hagatna, Melbourne and Auckland are listed here because they serve those regions — but confirm on the mission's own page that it accepts E-2 applications before you travel to it.
Before you go to the counter
- Use your own mission's checklist. Document lists, photo specifications and fees are set locally. A checklist copied from another consulate — or from a third-party site — is how people end up making the trip twice.
- Expect roughly two to three weeks. The Consulate General in New York publishes 14 days for E-2; the Korean Embassy in the US says two to three weeks. Apply with a buffer.
- You need the visa issuance number first. Your school obtains it from Korean immigration before you apply. How that works: the E-2 visa process.
- Bring one photo, not four — and note that US consulates specify 2×2 inches, not the Korean 3.5×4.5 cm. Full list: E-2 document requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Which Korean consulate should I apply to for my E-2 visa?
The one with jurisdiction over where you legally live. Korean missions divide their country into territories, and applying outside your jurisdiction is a common reason for being refused at the counter. Each mission's website states which states, provinces or regions it covers.
Can I apply for a Korean E-2 visa in a different country?
Generally no. Korean missions expect applicants to apply where they are a national or a legal resident, and they ask for proof of local residence. This is why flying to a nearby country to pick up an E-2 usually does not work — the mission there will ask for residence documents you do not have.
Where do UK applicants apply for a Korean visa?
At the Korea Visa Application Centre (KVAC) in London, operated by the IOM. The Korean Embassy in London stopped accepting visa applications on 17 January 2022. KVAC handles UK nationals and third-country nationals lawfully resident in the UK.
How long does the consulate take to issue an E-2 visa?
Roughly two to three weeks, though it varies by mission. The Korean Consulate General in New York publishes 14 days for E-2, and the Korean Embassy in the USA advises allowing two to three weeks and applying with a buffer in case supplementary documents are requested.
Sources: mission list and contact pages — the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' overseas missions portal (overseas.mofa.go.kr); the transfer of UK visa intake to KVAC London on 17 January 2022 — the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the United Kingdom, visa information page; E-2 processing time — the Korean Consulate General in New York and the Korean Embassy in the USA. As of 2026.
Note: missions change their procedures, fees and opening hours without much notice. This directory is a starting point — the mission's own page is the authority. Next: what actually happens at the consulate.