Indian citizen in UK planning trip to Japan and South Korea with US B1/B2 visa

[Shrey_Periwal]

Hi everyone, putting together a logic check for my upcoming Asia trip. I am an Indian citizen currently working in London as a UK Resident, and I also hold a valid 10-year US B1/B2 visa.

The planned itinerary is London → Tokyo → Seoul → London.

I need a logic check on the documentation requirements:

1. Japan: Can I execute the eVisa process online since I reside in the UK, or is a physical embassy visit required for Indian nationals?
2. South Korea: Is the K-ETA sufficient here, or does the US visa exemption only apply if I am physically transiting to the US?
3. Has anyone debugged this specific route recently?

Pushing to book flights soon, so I need to optimize the paperwork to avoid exceptions at the border.

[fernando_dev]

Realizing this is not about the standard tourist routes, there is often confusion regarding the US visa exemption for Korea.

[thabo_music]

Has anyone from the UK actually successfully processed the Japan eVisa with an Indian passport recently?

[angelamotleyus]

I wish to share a relevant incident regarding the Korean entry requirements to prevent a similar outcome.

[Meliza]

@Shrey_Periwal

Hi everyone, putting together a logic check for my upcoming Asia trip. I am an Indian citizen currently working in London as a UK Resident, and I also hold a valid 10-year US B1/B2 visa.

The planned itinerary is London → Tokyo → Seoul → London.

I need a logic check on the documentation requirements:

1. Japan: Can I execute the eVisa process online since I reside in the UK, or is a physical embassy visit required for Indian nationals?
2. South Korea: Is the K-ETA sufficient here, or does the US visa exemption only apply if I am physically transiting to the US?
3. Has anyone debugged this specific route recently?

Pushing to book flights soon, so I need to optimize the paperwork to avoid exceptions at the border.

Here’s a clear logic check for your London → Tokyo → Seoul → London route as an Indian citizen with UK residency and a valid US B1/B2 visa — based on current official info and common travel experience:

Japan (Tokyo):
You can use Japan’s eVisa system (eVISA) for Indian nationals (tourism, up to 90 days) entirely online, without a physical embassy visit, even if you’re applying from the UK — as long as all requirements are met (valid passport, travel by air, tourism purpose, etc.).

So you don’t need to appear in person at the embassy just because you’re an Indian living in the UK — submit through the eVisa portal and receive the electronic visa.

South Korea (Seoul):
For Indian passport holders, you generally need a visa or Korean travel authorization (K-ETA) to enter South Korea for tourism. Indians are not on the list of countries that can enter visa-free with K-ETA (even if they have a US visa).

There is a special rule sometimes called “tourists in transit” — where certain travellers with valid visas for the US/Canada/Australia/NZ/Europe can enter SK without a traditional visa if they are simply transiting to/from those countries and meet all conditions (onward ticket, timing etc.) — and that has worked in practice for some people when airline systems and immigration accept it.

But this is not an official visa-free right for Indian citizens with a US visa alone — it’s a transit rule, and it may be interpreted differently depending on the carrier and immigration officer. To be sure, most Indian travellers still either apply for a K-ETA + Korean visa, or just a Korean short-term visa to avoid confusion.