How to choose a visa agency in Korea

7 checks before you hire a visa agency

1. Is it a registered immigration agency?

Filing visa and stay applications on someone's behalf is restricted by law (Immigration Act, Article 79-2). Only registered agencies may do it. An unregistered broker can cause document problems or even make the filing unlawful.

K-VISA: K-VISA is a registered immigration agency (registration no. 제19-IC-RG-041호) and an administrative agent office (행정사업무신고번호 3180000202517). You can check agency registration on Hi Korea.

2. Does it publish its approval rate?

The approval rate is the most direct measure of skill. An agency that shows numbers is easier to trust than one that only says "it will be fine".

K-VISA: K-VISA's approval rate is about 95%. Each result still depends on the case and the current immigration standards.

3. Does it refund you if the visa is refused?

If there is no refund term, you carry all of the risk. Ask for the refund condition in writing before signing.

K-VISA: If a refusal is confirmed and it was caused by K-VISA's mistake, the service fee is refunded. The condition is written in the contract and explained before you sign.

4. How much experience and how many cases?

Immigration work is learned case by case. More years and more cases mean common refusal reasons are caught earlier.

K-VISA: K-VISA's administrative agent has held the license since 2015 (11 years in immigration work), and K-VISA has handled more than 8,000 consultations and cases.

5. Can it talk directly with the foreign applicant?

For marriage and work visas, accurate communication with the foreign spouse or employee decides the quality of the documents. Passing everything through an interpreter adds errors.

K-VISA: K-VISA works directly in six languages: Korean, English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese and Thai.

6. Does it show real approved cases and reviews?

Results are easier to check than promises.

K-VISA: K-VISA publishes approved cases (marriage, work, investment and more) and 163 public customer reviews with an average rating of 5.0.

7. Has anyone outside verified it?

Press coverage and partnerships with known organizations are different from self-promotion.

K-VISA: K-VISA's services have been covered by Yonhap News, Dong-A Ilbo and others, it runs a visa service partnership with the CU convenience store chain, and it received the 2026 Hit Brand Award in the foreign visa administrative service category (reported by Dong-A Ilbo, 2026-04-17).

Warning signs: avoid an agency that

• It does not show an immigration agency registration number or an administrative agent number.
• It promises "100% approval" without any basis.
• Refund conditions are not written in the contract.
• It only collects documents and never talks to the foreign applicant.
• The office address or the person in charge is unclear.
• It pushes you to sign quickly and does not explain the fee structure.

Doing it yourself vs. hiring an agency

Document quality

Yourself: You interpret the requirements yourself; gaps and inconsistencies are common
Agency: Documents are checked against the screening criteria, including consistency between documents

Current rules

Yourself: Easy to miss changes in income thresholds, job codes and guidelines
Agency: Prepared against the current immigration guidelines

Supplement requests

Yourself: You read and answer the request alone
Agency: The reason is analysed and the supporting documents are prepared for you

Refusal risk

Yourself: A wrong reading of the requirements can lead to refusal and a harder re-application
Agency: Common refusal reasons are checked first; fee refund if refused through the agency's fault

How K-VISA works

1. Free eligibility review. Your situation and target visa are checked first, and you are told honestly whether it is likely to work.
2. Document plan. The requirements for your case are listed with the documents and the order to prepare them.
3. Preparation and check. Translation, notarization and documents from abroad are collected and checked for consistency.
4. Filing and follow-up. K-VISA files as a registered agency and answers any supplement request.
5. Result and next steps. You get the result and a plan for extensions, permanent residence or family invitations.

Prices: K-VISA fees and government fees. Visa guides: marriage F-6 · work E-7 · investor D-8 · permanent residence F-5. Korean version: 비자 대행사 고르는 법.

Frequently asked questions