By South Korea provides visa-free access to all countries of the European Union, some to the United States, Canada, Australia, India and many other countries around the world.
From September 1, 2021, however, the K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) electronic travel permit must be completed before the trip. In addition, an administrative fee must be paid to obtain the permit.
Visa-free travel with K-ETA
You can travel to the country for up to 90 days without having to apply for a traditional visa at the embassies of the Republic of Korea
Fill out the application on the official website , under no circumstances fill out the K-ETA on a website located at another address. These sites will ask you for much more money than the K-ETA is actually worth.
How long before the trip must the K-ETA be completed
The form must be completed at least 24 hours before departure. This is the maximum time until you receive a decision on whether your K-ETA has been approved or not. Unless you have previously entered South Korea illegally or committed a crime in the country, you do not need to worry about your K-Eta not being approved.
In most cases, approval information will be sent to the email address you provided within 30 minutes.
How long is the K-ETA valid?
the Korean K-ETA is valid for 2 years, during which time you can travel in South Korea as many times as you want.
How much does K-ETA cost and how do you pay for it?
The K-ETA travel permit costs 10,000 W and can only be paid online by credit card after registration at
Who needs to complete the K-ETA?
The K-ETA electronic travel permit must be completed by all travelers to South Korea. Travelers who fly to Korea for more than 90 days and have their own visa from the embassy do not need to fill out the K-ETA permit
Validity of the Passport
The passport must be valid for all travelers at all times for at least 6 months after departure from Korea (i.e. after the end of the trip)
Visas for stays longer than 90 days
If you would like to travel to Korea for a longer period of time, you must always obtain a standard visa from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.
For complete information on obtaining a standard visa, please visit the official website: Office Website
How is the immigration interview conducted?
Upon arrival in South Korea (or if arriving by boat, say the Victoria Residential Ship) you will be subject to a standard passport control. There are always entry forms at the stands before passport control, but these are not filled out by K-ETA holders. This means that you can go straight to passport control without delay.
The immigration interview itself consists of fingerprinting and facial imaging. You usually stay at the border control for no more than 1-2 minutes. You will receive the visa exemption in the form of a passport sticker.
When you leave Korea, you don’t have to go past the border guards at all. Just walk towards the automatic gates that recognize your face and let you in in seconds. These automatic gates are available not only to Korean citizens, but also to all foreigners.
Other documents
No other documents are required except for a valid passport and the completed K-ETA form (which will be checked at check-in).
A strict import ban is in force:
- narcotic drug
- fruits
- meat products
- publications and videotapes of North Korean origin
If you want to export cultural relics and national antiquities, inspection and approval from the Art and Antiquities Appraisal Office of the Seoul Metropolitan Government is required.