India issues travel advisory for South Korea’s Jeju Island after influencer Sachin Awasthi ‘detained for 38 hours’

After the ordeal faced by Indian social media influencer Sachin Awasthi and his wife during their visit to Jeju Island in South Korea for a festive holiday, where they were allegedly detained and denied entry, the Indian Embassy in Seoul Tuesday issued an advisory for Indian travellers visiting Jeju Island under the visa waiver scheme. Three days after Awasthi posted a video of his ordeal during his visit to Jeju Island, the Indian embassy in Seoul released an advisory for citizens visiting the island and stated that the Jeju visa-free facility is allowed strictly for short-term tourism and that the visa-free scheme does not guarantee entry. > Advisory for Indian Nationals Travelling to Jeju Island (Republic of Korea)@MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy @Dasspake pic.twitter.com/iwCVohFmHt— India in ROK (@IndiainROK) February 24, 2026 Advisory for Indian Nationals Travelling to Jeju Island (Republic of Korea)@MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy @Dasspake pic.twitter.com/iwCVohFmHt Earlier, recounting his distressing experience in a post on Instagram, Awasthi said he and his wife, Deepshikha, were detained for around 38 hours when they were visiting Jeju Island, and later in China, without providing a clear explanation. “Detained for 38 hours in South Korea (Jeju Island) & China,” Awasthi wrote in the caption of his post. ## Indian embassy clarifies visa-free entry rules The Indian Embassy in Seoul on Tuesday clarified that entry to the Republic of Korea is determined solely by the immigration authorities at Jeju International Airport in accordance with the Korean law. And the visa-free facility provided for Jeju Island is permitted for short-term tourism. > View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sachin Awasthi (@sachinawasthiunscripted) A post shared by Sachin Awasthi (@sachinawasthiunscripted) “Travelers should be able to demonstrate adequate financial capacity for the duration of stay including for daily expenses, accommodation and return. Passengers unable to clearly explain their travel plan could be at the risk of entry denial,” the Indian embassy stated. ## Mandatory documents to carry while travelling to Jeju Island All travellers are required to carry a printout of all documents, and only mobile screenshots won’t suffice. • Hotel reservation covering the entire stay. • Confirmed return air ticket. • Detailed travel itinerary (day-wise plan). • Proof of sufficient funds (recent bank statements / international cards / forex). • Passport valid for at least 6 months. • Travel insurance (strongly recommended). • Contact details of accommodation. ## What happened in Jeju Island Awasthi described his ordeal as “the worst 24 hours of my life.” In a detailed post on Instagram, he wrote, “We landed in Jeju Island, South Korea excited and ready for our trip. Within a few hours, everything changed. We were denied entry and taken to a holding area. No proper explanation just told to wait.” The social media influencer further wrote, “I’m not sharing this for sympathy or drama. Immigration decisions are their authority. But they did not have any right to treat us like CRIMINALS.”