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From YVR Canada to PVG Shanghai, I am planning to transit at ICN, Seoul for 17 hours.

Do you know if I can do this without a visa?

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    Same question as always: are both flights on the same ticket?
    – jcaron
    Commented Dec 16, 2022 at 20:36
  • Yes, one payment , one ticket @jcaron
    – Kushinada
    Commented Dec 16, 2022 at 22:41

1 Answer 1

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Generally, if you stayed in Canada and are now returning home, you don't need a transit visa to Korea:

Nationals of countries, except for the 24 xecluded countries (Syria, Sudan, Iran, Macedonia, Cuba, Republic Of Kosovo, Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Ghana, Yemen, Gambia, Senegal, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Somalia, Uzbekistan, Nepal, Cameron, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Egypt) that are not granted visa free entry into Korea. (a) Persons who hold a visa to the United States(including Guam and Saipan), Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, who transit through Korea to enter the abovementioned countries; or (b) persons who stayed in and departed from one of the abovementioned countries and transit through Korea bound for the country of origin or a third country.

However that same source (Korean MoFA) states that the rule is suspended due to COVID.

You might be fine if you're traveling on the same ticket and don't have to or need to leave the air-side since there are no immigration checks on the way. But you may run into difficulties if your YVR->ICN and ICN->PVG trips are on separate tickets, or if you stay in Korea overnight or need to leave the airport for other reasons (ICN transit tours are great, by the way), or if the airline has to confirm your eligibility before letting you board.

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    My YVR->ICN and ICN->PVG is on same air Canada itenery, is that ok?
    – Kushinada
    Commented Dec 16, 2022 at 22:41
  • @Kushinada the only thing it means is that you may not need to leave airside. You mentioned 17hr connection, my experience with East->West connections at ICN is that it's overnight, so you may need to leave anyway. Check with the Korean consulate and the airline to know the exact answer.
    – littleadv
    Commented Dec 16, 2022 at 23:05
  • @littleadv Why would they need to leave overnight? ICN is a 24-hour airport. Commented Dec 17, 2022 at 1:10
  • @littleadv if it's the same terminal I don't necessarily to go out of the legal region right?
    – Kushinada
    Commented Dec 17, 2022 at 3:24
  • @lambshaanxy I haven't made that connection in a while, but I remember hoteling outside for the night. I did the exact same itinerary.
    – littleadv
    Commented Dec 17, 2022 at 6:00

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