North Korea: visa and entry rules

North Korea's borders: every crossing point

North Korea's land border crossings, grouped by the neighbour they lead to:

With China: Sinuiju - Dandong, the main crossing, over the bridge across the Yalu River; Tumen and Hoeryong in the east. The bulk of the country's foreign trade goes through Dandong.

With Russia: Tumangang - Khasan, over the Friendship railway bridge across the Tumen River. This is the only land crossing with Russia, and it is a rail crossing.

The border with South Korea is closed. The Demilitarized Zone is not a border post; Panmunjom is visited as a sight on an excursion from either side, but you cannot cross there.

The main way in is Sunan international airport in Pyongyang, with flights mostly from Beijing and Vladivostok.

The Beijing - Pyongyang train is the second most common way in for tourist groups.

Bringing a car into North Korea

Check the conditions for temporary import into North Korea before you travel. The period a car is admitted for, and whether a carnet is needed, differ from country to country.

Insurance is arranged locally.

An International Driving Permit is required.

You cannot enter the country in your own car: travel is only possible in vehicles provided by your hosts, along an approved route.

Travelling to North Korea with a pet

An international veterinary certificate is required, endorsed by the state veterinary service of the country of departure.

The rabies vaccination must be valid on the date of entry.

An import permit is arranged in advance.

Confirm the vaccination deadlines, the microchip and the quarantine rules for bringing an animal into North Korea before buying tickets. It is not the border that turns you back but the carrier, right at the check-in desk.

When the situation is unstable the veterinary services work erratically, and the paperwork takes an unpredictable amount of time.

Overstaying your visa in North Korea

A fine is charged for exceeding the permitted period and is paid on departure.

The exact amount will be named by the officer as you leave. The rates in North Korea have changed more than once and figures from reference sources cannot be relied on, so take plenty of cash to the border.

When the situation is unstable an overstay is more dangerous than usual: document checks are more frequent and the consequences less predictable.

Extensions are arranged in advance, before the period expires.

Overstaying here is practically impossible given the way a trip is organised: the host side keeps track of the dates.