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| CU Convenient Store launches Visa Assistance Service for Foreigners in Korea |
Starting May 1, 2025, South Korea’s leading convenience store chain CU has announced a new partnership with KB Visa to launch a visa agency service designed specifically for foreign residents in Korea.
This new service aims to streamline the visa application process for various situations including marriage visas, work permits, investment visas, permanent residency, and naturalization. It offers an affordable, fast, and multilingual solution for foreigners navigating Korea’s immigration system.
How the CU Visa Service Works
Foreigners can now visit a participating CU store, scan a QR code, and complete a simple online form. Within moments, they’ll be connected to a certified administrative specialist who will provide personalized visa assistance.
Service Highlights:
- Supports 4 languages: English, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese
- Live application tracking: Monitor your visa status from submission to approval
- Affordable pricing: Visa extension services start from just ₩20,000, the lowest in Korea
- Up to 50% cheaper than standard market rates
Where to Find the Service
CU will initially roll out the service at around 50 stores, strategically located in areas with high foreigner populations, such as:
- Daerim
- Hongdae
- Itaewon
- Dongdaemun
After collecting customer feedback and gauging satisfaction, CU plans to expand to 1,000 locations nationwide by the end of the year.
Growing Demand for Foreigner-Friendly Services
This launch marks a strategic move by CU to deepen engagement with both local and international customers, especially as the number of foreign residents and visitors in Korea continues to grow post-pandemic.
Convenience stores in Korea have been introducing more services tailored to foreigners in recent years. For example, CU reported a staggering 1,057.4% increase in usage of its automated currency exchange kiosks last month compared to their debut period.
Official Statement from CU
“CU is proud to be the first convenience store chain in Korea to offer visa assistance services,” said Yoo Seong-hwan, Head of Service Platform at BGF Retail, the parent company of CU.
“We plan to continue developing new services and products that appeal to both Korean and international customers, making our stores even more accessible.”
Why This Matters
This innovation by CU reflects a broader trend in South Korea toward making life easier for foreigners through digital, affordable, and localized services. For expats, students, and long-term visitors, navigating Korean bureaucracy just got a whole lot easier – and more convenient than ever.
📚 Learn Korean Through This News
Korean Text:
"편의점 씨유(CU)가 편의점에서도 비자 변경·연장이 가능한 비자 대행 서비스를 선보인다고 1일 밝혔다. 최근 외국인 이용자가 늘면서 편의점 업계가 무인 환전 키오스크·부가세 환급 등 외국인 대상 서비스를 확대하고 있다."
Key Vocabulary:
- 편의점 (pyeon-ui-jeom) – convenience store
- 비자 변경·연장 (bi-ja byeon-gyeong / yeon-jang) – visa change / extension
- 비자 대행 서비스 (bi-ja dae-haeng seo-bi-seu) – visa proxy service (visa agency service)
- 선보이다 (seon-bo-i-da) – to unveil / to introduce (a product or service)
- 외국인 이용자 (oe-guk-in i-yong-ja) – foreign user / foreign customer
- 무인 환전 키오스크 (mu-in hwan-jeon ki-o-seu-keu) – unmanned currency exchange kiosk
- 부가세 환급 (bu-ga-sae hwan-geup) – VAT refund
- 대상 (dae-sang) – target / subject
- 확대하다 (hwak-dae-ha-da) – to expand / to enlarge
Language Insight:
- 대행 서비스 is often used in Korea for services performed on behalf of someone (e.g., 세금 대행, 운전 대행).
- 선보이다 is formal and frequently appears in press releases when new features or products are introduced.
- This news reflects Korea’s growing infrastructure for 외국인 편의 (foreigners' convenience), especially in daily life.
Translation:
"CU convenience store announced on the 1st that it will launch a visa agency service that allows visa changes and extensions to be handled even at convenience stores. As the number of foreign users continues to rise, the convenience store industry is expanding services for foreigners, including unmanned currency exchange kiosks and VAT refunds."
Keywords:
Visa assistance South Korea 2025, CU visa service Korea, visa help for foreigners in Korea, visa extension Korea cheap, KB Visa CU partnership, expat services South Korea, where to get visa help in Korea, convenience store visa service Korea, CU visa QR code, foreigner-friendly services Korea