🇸🇰→🇰🇵Slovakia→North Korea

Issued to foreign nationals travelling to North Korea for tourism purposes as part of an organised tour arranged by a state-authorised tour operator. Independent tourist travel is not permitted.

• Must be obtained before arrival from a DPRK diplomatic mission in a third country (commonly Beijing or the relevant country's capital) after prior approval from Pyongyang.
• Cannot be obtained at the border or on arrival.
• Journalists may not enter on a tourist visa even for personal travel - they must apply for special permission separately.
• North Korea's borders have been effectively closed to general foreign entry since early 2020 (COVID-19 restrictions); tourist visa availability as of June 2026 is effectively suspended - only Russian nationals are permitted limited entry.

Issued to foreign nationals visiting North Korea for commercial or business-related purposes, including meetings with state-affiliated enterprises.

• Must be obtained before arrival from a DPRK diplomatic mission abroad after approval from Pyongyang.
• The process is described by the Canadian government as 'extremely slow and arduous.' Serbian MFA (mfa.gov.rs) notes that ordinary/national Serbian passport holders are visa-exempt for business travel specifically; this is recorded as conditional_access (purpose-based), not unconditional visa_free.
• All commercial activity must be conducted through state-sanctioned channels.

Allows foreign nationals to transit through North Korean territory (primarily overland via rail or by air through Pyongyang Sunan International Airport) without entering the country proper.

• Serbian MFA notes that holders of emergency travel documents are visa-exempt for transit only if departing the international zone within 24 hours.
• General transit visa requirements for ordinary passport holders are not detailed on any accessible DPRK official source.
• The Beijing - Pyongyang passenger train service resumed on 2026-03-12 after a six-year hiatus, initially restricted to diplomats and business visa holders; Air China also resumed weekly Beijing - Pyongyang flights around the same period.
• Overland transit through the DPRK historically required a transit visa arranged in advance.
• Transit via Pyongyang Sunan airport is subject to DPRK immigration control.

Issued to foreign nationals authorised to undertake employment or long-term professional assignments in North Korea, typically within state-designated special economic zones or diplomatic contexts.

• Requires formal employment authorisation from North Korean authorities in addition to the visa.
• Must be arranged prior to arrival through the receiving institution in the DPRK.
• Specific conditions and fees are not published by any accessible official source.

Issued to foreign nationals accepted for study at a North Korean educational institution, such as Kim Il-sung University or the Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

• Requires acceptance by a state-approved institution before a visa application can be submitted.
• Must be obtained from a DPRK embassy or consulate abroad after Pyongyang approval.
• Specific duration, fees, and processing times are not published on any accessible official DPRK government source.

Issued to holders of diplomatic or official passports from countries that do not have a bilateral visa-exemption agreement with the DPRK, allowing entry for official government duties.

• Holders of Chinese diplomatic, official, and official-ordinary passports are visa-exempt for up to 30 days with invitation and hosting unit (confirmed via kp.china-embassy.gov.cn, June 2026).
• Holders of Serbian diplomatic and official passports are visa-exempt for up to 90 days (confirmed via mfa.gov.rs, June 2026).
• All other diplomatic/official passport holders who do not benefit from a confirmed bilateral exemption require a visa obtained before entry.
• DPRK does not publish a list of bilateral diplomatic exemptions on any accessible official website.

Required for professional journalists and media personnel wishing to enter North Korea, including those travelling for personal reasons. Cannot be substituted by a tourist visa.

Explicitly cited by the Canadian government travel advisory: professional journalists 'must apply for special permission to visit North Korea and may not enter the country on a tourist visa, even if they are travelling for personal reasons.' Requirements, fees, and processing times are not published by any accessible DPRK official source. Access is tightly controlled and rarely granted.