K-ETA South Korea
Choose your passport country to check if you can apply online with HandyVisas.
South Korea ETA Information
The online South Korea visa waiver, or K-ETA, is an electronic travel authorization.
It permits eligible citizens to visit South Korea for short stays for tourism, visiting family and friends, and business activities such as attending meetings and seminars.
The South Korea K-ETA is a multiple–entry online visa waiver valid for 2 years from approval. It allows you to stay between 30 and 90 days per entry, depending on your nationality (180 days for Canadians).
The ETA for South Korea is designed to make it quicker and easier for you to authorize your trip, using a simple online application system. This removes the wait in line to complete an arrival card at the border.
It only takes a few minutes to apply for a South Korea visa waiver: the process is 100% online.
To visit the country for other purposes, for longer consecutive stays, or if you are not eligible for the K-ETA, you should contact the nearest consulate or embassy of South Korea for information on other South Korea travel visa types.
Highlights
Multiple entry online travel authorization
For tourism or business purposes
Permits a stay of between 30 and 180 days with each entry
Valid for 2 years from approval
Handy Services Includes
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Swift processing period
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Skilled application evaluation
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Year-round online assistance
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99% Approval Rate
K-ETA Processing Time 1-2 days
Government fee 9 USD
Our Service Fee From 60 USD
- Embassy Registration
- Priotity Service (1H)
- Fee Protection
TOTAL From 69 USD
K-ETA Entry Requirements
Submitting a South Korea K-ETA application online is very simple. First, you must meet a few basic South Korea visa requirements.
You need to have the following documents to submit a South Korea ETA online application:
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A valid passport from a K-ETA-eligible country -
A passport-style photo in color -
A valid debit or credit card to pay the Korea ETA fee -
A current email address at which to receive a copy of the approved ETA for South Korea
Once approved, you can present a printed copy of the approved K-ETA alongside your passport to gain entry to South Korea at a border entry point.
You must travel to South Korea using the same passport that you used to complete the ETA application form. Dual nationals with multiple passports should keep this in mind.
Countries Eligible for South Korea ETA
Citizens from the countries listed below are eligible to apply online to enter South Korea.
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Kiribati
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Lesotho
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- New Caledonia
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Norway
- Oman
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Republic of Cyprus
- Romania
- Russian Federation
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Spain
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Tuvalu
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Vatican
- Venezuela
South Korea K-ETA Application Steps
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Complete the South Korea K-ETA online application
You can fill out the simple South Korea ETA application form in a matter of minutes by providing basic personal data, passport information, and travel details.
You’ll also need to upload your passport-style photograph. You can provide this in any format, and we’ll edit it to make sure it fits the requirements.
Before submitting the application, check that all the information provided on the form is accurate. If you do make a mistake, don´t worry: we carefully review and cross-check your details to avoid errors that can cause processing delays.
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Confirm the K-ETA Payment
Before submitting the K-ETA application, you’ll need to complete payment of the mandatory processing fee. You can pay the fee through our secure online system with a valid credit or debit card authorized for electronic transactions.
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Receive your approved ETA for South Korea
Once processed, usually within 1-2 business days, your approved K-ETA for South Korea is sent to the valid email address you provided on the application form.
You can then print a copy to present alongside your passport when boarding a flight to South Korea and to immigration authorities upon arrival in the country.
South Korea ETA FAQ
Verify the Visa Policy for South Korea
All travelers entering South Korea must have a passport valid for at least 6 months.
At present, around 110 nationalities are visa-exempt for Korea. To take advantage of this exemption, it’s necessary to apply online for a K-ETA permit. This permit can be used for short stays.
Citizens of nearly 90 countries need to apply for a visa at an embassy or consulate to travel to South Korea, whatever the reason for the trip or length of stay.
In addition, K-ETA-eligible travelers may need to obtain a visa for a long-term stay or to study, work or reside in South Korea, among other reasons.
Find out more about the different types of visas and permits for South Korea below.
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From April 1, 2023, until December 31, 2024, it’s not mandatory for certain eligible nationalities to have an approved K-ETA to enter South Korea. This exemption is being granted in celebration of Visit Korea Year.
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Canada
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Hong Kong
- Italy
- Japan
- Macao
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Singapore
- Spain
- Sweden
- Taiwan
- UK
- US (including Guam)
However, we still recommend that you apply for a K-ETA online in advance. Otherwise, you will be required to queue at the border to complete an arrival card. An approved K-ETA allows you to quickly pass through immigration and saves you time and hassle.
Additionally, if you already have a valid K-ETA issued prior to April 2023, you can still use it to enter the country and avoid the need to submit an arrival card application at a border checkpoint.
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Citizens of almost 90 countries require a visa to visit South Korea, no matter the travel purpose or period of intended stay.
ETA-eligible citizens who want to stay in the country in the long term and/or work or study there must also obtain a visa.
To get a visa, you must make an appointment at a Korean embassy or consulate. You will need to complete an application form, present your passport and provide a series of supporting documents depending on the type of visa required.
Visas for South Korea can be single or multiple entry visa, depending on the type of visa and the agreements between Korea and your country of nationality.
We advise making an appointment at the embassy well in advance of your arrival date, as processing can take several weeks.
Check the list below to find out if you need a consular visa to travel to South Korea.
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Belize
- Benin
- Belarus
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Congo
- Cuba
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Gibraltar
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- India
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Iran
- Ivory Coast
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Uganda
- Uzbekistan
- Pakistan
- Palestinian Territories
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Syria
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
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Travelers from approximately 110 countries are exempt from visa requirements for South Korea. To travel without a visa, you need to have a K-ETA (see above).
It only takes a few minutes to get a K-ETA here on HandyVisas with our simple online application. It is valid for 2 years and allows multiple entries into Korea during its period of validity.
Although around 20 nationalities are temporarily exempt from K-ETA, we recommend that you get your travel authorization online in advance. Otherwise, you'll have to queue at the border to fill in an arrival card.
Additionally, most visitors don't need a visa or K-ETA for a layover in South Korea, as long as the transit time is less than 24 hours and they don't leave the transit zone at Incheon airport.
Travelers landing at all other South Korean airports may transit without a visa on the same calendar day, provided they remain within the airport's transit zone.
This content has been reviewed by
Mauricio Torres
US Immigration Attorney
Mauricio Torres is a U.S. attorney licensed in the State of California, specializing in immigration and citizenship law. He has focused his career on family-based and employment-based immigration, naturalization and more.