K-ETA  and  Visa

What is Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA)?

It's

• (mandatory for many) a mandatory pre-screening for visa-free travelers starting January 2026, acting like a digital visa, 

• (use dedicated shorter immigration lanes at the airport) allowing smoother entry, 

• (expediated immigration) for faster immigration lines, and 

• (no arrival cards needed) exempt from filling out paper arrival cards at the port of entry. 

It's for security screening, verifying visitors before they even board their flight.

Note:  Effective December 23, 2025, K-ETA for most countries has been waived until Thursday December 31, 2026. So K-ETA is no longer required to enter South Korea.

People from these countries are all exempt until Thursday December 31, 2026: 

• Africa: South Africa 

• Americas: Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, United States 

• Asia: Brunei, Hong Kong, Japan, Macao, Singapore, Taiwan 

• Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Vatican City 

• Middle East: Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates 

• Oceania: Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu

If you have K-ETA, you do not have to fill out the e-Arrival Card (free and electronic declaration card). You do not have to fill out anything at the port of entry.

If you need K-ETA, please go to this link. It costs about US$7, and it is good for 3 years from the date of issue. Multiple entries to South Korea are allowed during the validity period.

How to apply and pay

1. Visit the official website:  Go to the official K-ETA website at www.k-eta.go.kr.

2. Fill out the application:  Complete the online application form with your personal and travel information.

3. Upload documents:  Upload a recent profile photo and any other required documents.

4. Pay the fee:  Pay the 10,000 KRW + online processing fee (about US$7) fee online using a credit or debit card.

After submitting your K-ETA application, you should hear back within 72 hours. So it should be a fairly straightforward and quick process to apply for and obtain a K-ETA.

WARNING:  Please be careful of similar agencies/phishing sites that charge high fees under the (false) pretext of providing K-ETA application agency (or expediated) services.

Further details for K-ETA Application

Member versus Non-member

• Member (create an account): 

  • • You can check the result and update information without email verification

    • You can view all application details at once

• Non-member (do not want to create an account): 

  • • You can check the result and update information but email verification required

    • You can view all application details at once

Apply from the beginning

Sign up

Consent page

General Sign up (This is for Member)

Upload a photo of your passport (the website allows you to crop, rotate, and add margin)

Log-in

Upload a photo of your passport (again if you want; your passport photo is automatically added as your application photograph, so you do not need to upload a separate photograph)

On the same page, under Applicant list, choose Myself/Representative in the drop box

On the same page, click on Add Applicant + if there are additional applicants

On the same page, click on Writing and scroll down

Purpose of entry: Visit

Intended place of stay: 71 Sambong-ro Jongno-gu, Seoul 03150

In the blank box below, type Shilla Stay Gwanghwamun 

Contact number in Korea: 82-2-6060-9000

Occupation: Etc. 

In the blank box next to Occupation, type Mathematics Professor

Intended (Estimated) Date of Entry: 

Intended (Estimated) Date of Departure: 

Departure Flight Number: this is optional

Click on Next

Check details (you cannot make a change once you submit your application)

Make Payment of KRW 10,306 or in your currency (about US$7.00; you get a better exchange rate if you choose KRW and if you have no international transaction fee)

• Make sure that your pop-up is not blocked (disable your pop-up for this website; confirm payment via your phone)

Your application is submitted. Please wait up to 3 days for the result (in rare occurrences, it could take more than 3 days). In my case, the application was approved within 36 minutes on a Sunday afternoon (so processing time could be extremely fast).

A copy of the confirmation page is emailed to you.

When your K-ETA application is approved, you do not need to print out anything. 

• If needed, show the email which says your K-ETA has been approved. 

• Alternatively, log in to the K-ETA website and scroll down. Save the pdf onto your laptop or phone to show at the port of entry.

If you need a visa, please contact Professor Hyun Kyu Kim at Korea Institute for Advanced Study.