ETIAS Requirements for South Koreans

You only need to meet a few requirements to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver for South Koreans. 

It is necessary to have: 

• An eligible passport with minimum validity of 3 months from the intended arrival in Europe
• Credit or debit card authorized for online payments (to pay the ETIAS fee)
• An email address you regularly check, at which to receive ETIAS updates 

If you meet all the ETIAS requirements for South Korean citizens, you can go ahead and fill out the online ETIAS form. 

The electronic ETIAS application for South Korean citizens is designed to be easy and quick to complete.

You simply need to provide:

• Personal information – such as full name, gender, and place and country of birth
• Passport data – including document number and issue/expiry date
• Contact details – such as current address and contact phone number 
• Travel information – Schengen country of first intended entry

You’ll also need to answer a few health and security questions before you can submit the ETIAS form. These cover criminal history, previous travel to conflict areas, and previous travel to the Schengen Area. 

Once you have completed all of the mandatory fields on the  ETIAS application for South Korean citizens, it is essential to double-check all of the information for any errors.

This is important because even small mistakes may result in delays in processing the ETIAS for South Korean citizens, or even the rejection of the application. All of the data must accurately reflect the details of your passport and history.

After you have confirmed the accuracy of the details, you can proceed to pay the ETIAS fee through the secure online payment platform and submit the application. 

Once submitted, it often takes just 24 hours to process and approve an ETIAS for South Koreans. However, travelers are advised to finalize their ETIAS request at least 72 hours before departure in the rare case of any unforeseen delays. 

An approved ETIAS for South Korean citizens is electronically linked to a passport, the same one that you used to complete the online application. For this reason, South Koreans with dual nationality should ensure they bring the correct passport when traveling to Europe.

An approved ETIAS for South Korean citizens allows the holder to visit any and all of the Schengen Area countries multiple times. 

The Schengen Area is made up of European Union member states and 4 non-EU countries who have all signed the Schengen Agreement for passport-free travel between their external borders. 

Associated microstates such as Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City are also included in the Schengen Zone.

Additionally, ETIAS for South Koreans is required to travel to countries that are pending Schengen Zone members. These are Bulgaria, the Republic of Cyprus, and  Romania. 

Find a full list of countries that you can visit with an ETIAS for South Koreans below, as well as an interactive map.

An approved ETIAS visa waiver for South Koreans allows multiple entries of up to 90 days per stay, within every 180-day period.

It permits the holder to visit any Schengen country for purposes of: 

• Tourism
• Business
• Short-term study
• Transit
• Medical treatment

The ETIAS for South Koreans is valid for a total of 5 years from the date of approval, or until the associated passport expires. 

If the passport expires before the ETIAS, you will need to submit a new ETIAS application from outside of Europe and get approval to be able to continue to travel to the Schengen Area.

You can use your approved ETIAS visa waiver to enter any of the Schengen countries, simply by presenting your passport to officers at European border control. 

If you’re having trouble deciding which European destination to visit first, this list of the most popular Schengen countries for international tourists might help you generate some ideas:

• France
• Spain
• Italy
• Germany
• Austria

Many South Koreans traveling to Europe choose to make France their first stop because of the incredible cuisine, and iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum. 

Of course, it’s logical that Spain and Italy would also place high on the list because of their vibrant culture, amazing climates, and wealth of stunning beaches to explore. 

Finally, Germany and Austria are also solid choices for South Koreans in Europe, especially if they are looking for a hiking adventure in the Alps or want to explore majestic cities such as Berlin and Vienna. 

South Korean tourism to Europe has been steadily increasing in recent years, with European countries becoming an increasingly popular holiday destination for South Koreans. 

The number of non-resident arrivals to Schengen countries from South Korea rose substantially in the period between 2015 and 2019, almost doubling from 1, 658,555 to 2,765, 094. 

While there was an understandable slow-down in the numbers due to COVID-19, the figures are expected to quickly rise back up to pre-pandemic levels and beyond in the near future.

No, South Koreans do not need a visa to visit Europe for stays of up to 90 days. However, from 2025 they are required to have a valid ETIAS authorization.

An ETIAS visa waiver for South Koreans does not allow the holder to stay in Europe for more than 90 days per entry or to work or study long-term. 

In such cases, it will be necessary to apply for a Schengen visa from an embassy or consulate in South Korea. Unlike ETIAS, a Schengen visa for Koreans is only granted to visit one individual European country.