What it means in practice
Apply well before the trip: visa processing for North Korea depends on the embassy or consulate handling your application. The length of stay is the one printed on your visa.
How North Korea counts your stay: Stays over 24 hours must be registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; hotels usually do this. No direct travel between North and South Korea.
Before you go
Official details are shown in English.
- Visa required in advance — Cost: Set by the embassy; Processing: Slow; depends on approval from Pyongyang; Validity: Issued for the dates of the approved trip; Stay: As approved.
- Visa through a North Korean embassy (organised tour) — Well in advance: the visa needs approval from Pyongyang and the process is slow; Set by the embassy. Every foreigner needs a visa. Tourists normally travel only on an organised tour; independent travellers need a sponsor and permission from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Journalists need special permission even for private trips.
At the border
Official details are shown in English.
- Passport valid at least 6 months beyond your planned departure
- Foreign mobile phones are registered at the border; GPS devices are held by customs until departure; satellite phones and shortwave radios are prohibited
- Bringing in or taking out North Korean won is prohibited; declare foreign currency. Cards are not accepted — carry US dollars or euros
- Korean-language books, religious material and films may be confiscated; serious cases can lead to imprisonment
- Yellow fever certificate if arriving from a country with transmission risk
How to avoid overstaying
- Go by your stamp or visa. The date the officer gives you is the one that counts, even if it is shorter than the maximum.
- Extend before you run out. Not applicable to tourists; the stay follows the approved trip.
- Penalties. Our data does not list the overstay penalty for North Korea. Ask the immigration authority before you risk it: fines, deportation and entry bans are common elsewhere.
Questions
Do Hong Kong SAR passport holders need a visa for North Korea?
Hong Kong SAR passport holders need a visa for North Korea, arranged before the trip.
Can I extend my stay in North Korea?
Not applicable to tourists; the stay follows the approved trip.
What do I need at the border in North Korea?
Passport valid at least 6 months beyond your planned departure; Foreign mobile phones are registered at the border; GPS devices are held by customs until departure; satellite phones and shortwave radios are prohibited; Bringing in or taking out North Korean won is prohibited; declare foreign currency. Cards are not accepted — carry US dollars or euros.
When was this checked?
Bordr last checked the entry rules for North Korea against official sources on 30 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the official source before you travel.
Sources and last check
Entry rules for this destination were last checked against official sources on 30 October 2026. Visa-free days come from the passport matrix in the Bordr app, corrected where the official rules differ.
- GOV.UK — North Korea travel advice
- GOV.UK — North Korea entry requirements
- Government of Canada — North Korea travel advice
- US State Department — Passport for travel to North Korea
- US Department of State — Public Notice 13073 (extension of DPRK passport restriction)
This page is general information, not legal advice. Entry rules change and border officers have the final say. Check the official government source for your destination before you travel.
Includes visa data from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), retrieved 1 November 2026; Bordr's official-source checks take precedence.
More destinations for Hong Kong passports
Popular with nomads
Thailand30 days
Indonesia30 days
Vietname-Visa · 90 d
Malaysia90 days
Philippines14 days
Cambodia14 days
Japan90 days
Mexico90 days
Colombia90 days
Costa Rica180 days
Brazil90 days
Argentina90 days
Peru183 days
East Asia
All destinations for Hong Kong passports
