South Korea’s visa policy is generally simple but has a couple of exceptions and specific rules that allow visa-free access where otherwise a visa would be necessary.
The Korean Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) was introduced in September 2021 and is now mandatory for all travelers without visas 18 or older and 65 or younger. This means there is no true visa exemption anymore. However, some nationalities are exempt from the K-ETA until 31 December 2024.
In this article, I will guide you through South Korea visa requirements, K-ETA, tourist visas and exceptions.
Table of Contents
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Visa Policy and Visa Types
Passport holders from 110 countries do not need a visa to travel to South Korea. Unless temporarily exempt, all visa-exempt nationals between 18 and 64 (inclusive) must have a pre-approved K-ETA to travel to South Korea.
There are also various provisions for short-term visa exemptions for other nationalities:
- 30-day visa exemption for holders of visas or residence permits from select countries and in transit to a third country
- 30-day visa waiver for Jeju Island if arriving by direct flight
- 15-day visa exemption for tour groups visiting various regions in Korea
- Tours around Seoul if in transit
In all other circumstances, a tourist visa is required to enter Korea.
South Korea doesn’t issue Visa on Arrival (VOA) or eVisa for tourists.
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South Korea Visa Requirements
- Passport’s expiry date must be after the intended departure date (no extended validity required)
- Return or onward ticket
- K-ETA if visa-exempt (unless temporarily waived)
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Visa Exemption (K-ETA Required)
South Korea introduced its form of Electronic Travel Authorization called K-ETA in September 2021. K-ETA is now MANDATORY for all visitors who are exempt from visas. Some nationalities are temporarily exempt until 31 December 2024.
K-ETA eligibility
110 nationalities are visa-exempt. The duration of stay varies from 30 days to 6 months. You must obtain K-ETA before traveling (unless your nationality is exempt until 31 December 2024).
6 months
- Canada
90 days
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- El Salvador
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Grenada
- Greece
- Guatemala
- Haiti
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Mexico
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Norway
- Panama
- Peru
- Poland
- Portugal *
- Qatar
- Romania
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Serbia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
60 days
- Lesotho
- Russia *
30 days
- Albania
- Andorra
- Bahrain
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brunei
- Cyprus
- Eswatini
- Fiji
- Guyana
- Honduras
- Kazakhstan #
- Kiribati
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Nauru
- Oman
- Palau
- Paraguay
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Saudi Arabia
- Seychelles
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Tonga
- Tunisia
- Tuvalu
- Vatican City
* Total stay must not exceed 90 days within any 180 days
# Total stay must not exceed 60 days within any 180 days
K-ETA validity
The K-ETA is valid for 3 years from the date of approval but cannot be longer than the validity of the applicant’s passport.
Applications submitted before 3 July 2023 only received 2-year validity.
K-ETA cost
The K-ETA costs 10.000 KRW (~8$), payable by card during the online application. A 3% card processing fee is levied, bringing the total to 10.300 KRW.
K-ETA application
You can apply for the K-ETA online on the only official website – the K-ETA Application Portal. Beware of agents and intermediaries posing for official sources.
All you need is your passport, a valid email address, and a debit or credit card.
K-ETA processing time
The processing time of the K-ETA is usually at most 72 hours but can be longer in rare instances.
K-ETA exemption based on age
Everybody younger than 18 years is exempt from the K-ETA. Everybody 65 or older is exempt too.
For more information, read the South Korea K-ETA article for details on the documents required, the application process and current K-ETA exempted countries (until 31 Dec 2024).
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Visa Exemption (Jeju Island Visa Waiver)
Jeju Island has its own visa waiver provisions to boost tourism to South Korea’s most popular holiday destination.
Below are the key requirements for Jeju Island visa waiver provision:
- All nationalities except the below 23 are eligible for Jeju Island visa exemption
- Jeju Island visa exemption is valid for 30 days only for the province
- Visitors must enter and depart Jeju via direct flight (i.e. without stopping in any other part of South Korea).
- Visa-exempt but K-ETA-required nationalities must still obtain K-ETA unless temporarily exempt
Ineligible countries
Jeju Island visa exemption is not available for these 23 countries:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Cameroon
- Cuba
- Egypt
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Senegal
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Syria
- Uzbekistan
- Yemen
The above 23 countries also become eligible if they:
- Have a Certificate of Invitation issued by the Jeju Government or Jeju Island Immigration Office (OR)
- Hold a permanent residence permit from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK, or USA AND have previously visited South Korea 3 times since 1996 or once since 2006
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Visa Exemption (Visa Holders of Third Countries)
You’re eligible for a 30-day visa exemption if you have a visa or a residence permit from one of the following countries:
- Australia
- Canada
- New Zealand
- United States
You MUST also meet ONE of the following requirements:
- You arrive in South Korea from one of these countries and depart for a third country
- You arrive in South Korea from a third country and depart to one of these countries
- You arrive in South Korea from one of these countries and have transited in a fourth country for less than 72 hours before entering South Korea. You then depart for a third country.
- You arrive in South Korea from a third country, then depart for one of these countries, and will transit to a fourth country for less than 72 hours.
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Visa Exemption (Transit Tours at Seoul’s Incheon Airport)
If you’re in transit at Seoul’s Incheon International for less than 24 hours (which is the limit anyway), you’re eligible for any of the free tours around Seoul.
The tours range in price from free to $150 golf courses although most are cheaper than $5. They range from 1 hour to 5 hours in duration.
You can check out the tours and book online via the Incheon Airport website.
Upon arrival, go to the Information desks at either terminal to get routed to your tour.
If you’re from a visa-exempt country but require K-ETA, you must still obtain K-ETA (unless temporarily exempt) for transit tours at Incheon Airport.
Ineligible countries
The following 23 countries are not eligible for transit tours:
- Afghanistan
- Bangladesh
- Cameroon
- Cuba
- Egypt
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Iran
- Iraq
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Palestine
- Senegal
- Somalia
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Syria
- Uzbekistan
- Yemen
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Visa Exemption (Tour Groups)
Various visa exemptions exist for organized tour groups.
Gangwon-do Region
A 15-day visa exemption for Gangwon-do and Seoul Metropolitan Area is available to tour groups from:
- Indonesia
- Mongolia
- Philippines
- Vietnam
This is only if flying in and out of Yangyang International Airport until May 30, 2024.
Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do, Jeju-do Regions
A 15-day visa exemption for these regions is available to tour groups from:
- Indonesia
- Mongolia
- Philippines
- Vietnam
This is only if flying in and out of Muan International Airport until March 31, 2024.
Traveling to Jeju via Seoul, Busan, Cheongju, Muan, or Yangyang
This exemption is only available to Chinese tour groups.
It allows stays on the mainland of South Korea for up to 5 days followed by up to 15 days on Jeju Island.
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Tourist Visa from the Embassy
Visitors seeking a tourist visa must obtain it from a South Korean embassy. None of the available e-visas are for short-term tourism visits.
The standard visa for tourism is C-3-9 (Ordinary Tourist).
Requirements
- Visa Application Form #17 (fill it out online)
- Passport valid for the duration of stay
- A standard-size color photo
- Proof of enough funds for the duration of stay in Korea
Procedure
- Complete Visa Application Form online
- Submit and pay
- Receive an invitation for the interview
- Visit the chosen embassy and conduct the interview
- Check results online
- Download and print visa.
Fees
| Type of visa | Fee |
|---|---|
| 90 days or less, single-entry | 40$ |
| 91 days or more, single-entry | 60$ |
| Double-entry visa usable up to 2 times | 70$ |
| Multiple-entry visa | 90$ |
For more information, read the South Korea tourist visa article for details on visa validity, documentation, fee and application procedure.
Benefits of South Korea tourist visa
South Korea visa may not be the strongest, but it does come with VISA-FREE access to a handful of countries. In 2024, you can travel to about 8 countries with a South Korean visa. Read the article on VISA-FREE countries for South Korea visa for more details.
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Transit Visa
If you’re not leaving the airport’s transit zone (i.e. not clearing immigration) you do not need a visa or a K-ETA under the condition that:
- Incheon Airport (Seoul): You depart within 24 hours;
- All other airports: You depart on the same calendar day.
If you will be passing through immigration, you must obtain a transit visa, K-ETA or utilize visa exemption as part of one of the transit tours.
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South Korea Arrival Card
Tourists arriving in South Korea have to fill out and submit an arrival card. This is a standard procedure in many countries and chances are that you will be given a card already in the airplane.
If you hold a K-ETA, you’re automatically exempt from having to complete and submit an arrival card.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Should I apply for K-ETA for my children?
Provided your children are 17 years old or younger, it is not necessary to apply for K-ETA for them.
Should I apply for K-ETA if I have a tourist visa?
No. If you have a visa for South Korea you don’t need to submit K-ETA. The K-ETA is only for visa-exempt nationalities.
Do I need a new K-ETA for every visit to Korea?
No. The K-ETA is valid for 3 years from the date of issue. As long as it’s valid, you don’t need to apply for a new one.
Do I need a K-ETA to travel to Jeju Island?
Yes. Even though Jeju has special visa waivers, you still need to submit a K-ETA.
How much money should I have when I apply for a South Korean tourist visa?
Embassies do not disclose this information and it depends. Travelers have been saying that you need to have a minimum of 150$ per day in your bank account.
Do I need proof of COVID vaccination or a COVID test before traveling to South Korea?
Currently, South Korea does not require any COVID-19 vaccination certificates, testing, or quarantine for entry.
