'Overdue Overseas Researcher Visa Reviews Due to COVID-19 to Accelerate'

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Junho] Despite the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), a fast-track visa issuance review process will be opened for overseas researchers participating in national research and development projects.

The Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Justice announced on the 19th that they plan to provide expedited visa issuance reviews for overseas researchers invited by government-funded research institutes and others to conduct national research projects.

This measure comes as a response to the recent strengthening of visa issuance reviews in South Korea due to COVID-19, which caused delays of over a month when national research institutes invited overseas researchers. Previously, the process took about one week.

The government will also simplify the required documents to support the quick entry of researchers in cases where visa reissuance is needed due to unexpected flight cancellations, etc.

For expedited visa issuance reviews, domestic research institutions such as government-funded research institutes, national public research institutes, and universities that have a demand for fast-track visa reviews to conduct national research projects can submit a completed expedited review request form to the relevant specialized agency or ministry.

The expedited review targets are overseas researchers entering with professor (E-1) and research (E-3) visas, as well as their accompanying family members (F-3).

Invited researchers can submit the expedited review request letter received from the relevant ministry along with the necessary visa issuance documents to overseas diplomatic missions to receive a fast visa issuance review. In the case of reapplication, only simplified documents need to be submitted. However, invited researchers, like other entrants, will undergo COVID-19 infection checks during visa review and entry and must self-quarantine for two weeks.

Choi Ki-young, Minister of Science and ICT, stated, "We hope this expedited visa review for researchers will help alleviate difficulties in the research field caused by COVID-19, and the Ministry of Science and ICT will continue to do its best to secure future growth engines through active support of research and development activities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.