🇰🇷 Official document list for the South Korea Working Holiday

Volare Editorial | October 10, 2026

Preparing the application file for the South Korea H-1 visa program requires extreme attention to detail. Although there is a common core of documents required for almost everyone, bilateral treaties impose specific non-negotiable conditions, such as the minimum academic level required or the exact type of legalization for your criminal records. Presenting a document with the incorrect format is grounds for automatic rejection. Below, we break down the official list grouped by the current consular criteria so you can prepare a flawless folder.

Summary Board Group 1: Standard General Rule

Applies to the vast majority of nations with an agreement, including: Germany, Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Spain, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, and Sweden.

Required Document	Consular Specification
📝 Form and Photo	Official visa form printed and completed, accompanied by a standard passport-size photograph (3.5 x 4.5 cm).
🛂 Original Passport	Must have a minimum validity of 6 months from the time of application.
📅 Activity Plan	The Activity Plan must be written in English or Korean, detailing your itinerary.
💰 Bank Statement	In your own name, demonstrating a minimum of 3,000,000 KRW (or its equivalent in local currency).
🏥 Medical Insurance	Policy with a minimum coverage of 40,000,000 KRW, covering hospitalization and repatriation expenses for the 12 months of the stay.
🩺 Medical Certificate	Document signed by a registered doctor endorsing your general good health.
⚖️ Criminal Records	National-level certificate, obligatorily legalized with the Hague Apostille.
🎓 Academic Degree	Minimum high school diploma or higher education degree, duly apostilled.
✈️ Flight Ticket	Confirmed round-trip ticket, or alternatively, proof of sufficient extra funds to purchase it.

Summary Board Group 2: Mandatory University Requirement

Applies exclusively to citizens of the United States and Israel. These countries share the Group 1 base list, but face higher academic and legal demands imposed by their respective bilateral agreements.

Affected Country	Academic and Legal Requirement
🇮🇱 Israel	Higher Academic Level: It is not accepted to apply only with a high school diploma. It is strictly mandatory to present a Certificate of an active regular university student or an already completed Bachelor's Degree.
🇺🇸 United States	WEST Program and FBI: Besides the university level, they require an official letter of sponsorship from the WEST Program. Criminal records require an "FBI Check" with Federal Apostille (state apostilles are rejected).

Summary Board Groups 3 and 4: Asian Exceptions and United Kingdom

For applicants applying from certain Asian jurisdictions or under a British passport, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and KVAC centers apply very particular legalization regulations.

Region or Country	Particular Legalization Rule
🌏 Japan and Hong Kong	Local Authentication: They share the documentary base, but their criminal records and public documents require local or consular authentication instead of the traditional Hague system.
🇹🇼 Taiwan	Consular Legalization: Because Taiwan is not a signatory to the Apostille convention, all official documents (including background checks) require strict Consular Legalization at the diplomatic mission.
🇬🇧 United Kingdom	Apostille Exemption: The bank statement must demonstrate the equivalent of 3,000,000 KRW in British pounds (GBP). For background checks, the original ACRO Police Certificate is required, which, by official exception, is accepted without an Apostille.

Master your checklist with Working Holiday Visa Quest

Knowing if your country requires a federal apostille, consular legalization, or if you must present your university degree can be very confusing. That is why we invite you to register for Working Holiday Visa Quest, our interactive platform that transforms this process into a gamified adventure. With the help of Avi, your virtual copilot, you will have an exact and personalized consular checklist according to your nationality, ensuring you do not miss a single stamp before your appointment.

More Information at Volare

A document without the correct legalization is the direct path to consular rejection. To download templates of what the Activity Plan should look like and learn step by step how to manage your apostilles, we invite you to consult our Official South Korea Working Holiday Visa Guide on our web portal.