South Korea K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization)

Who needs a K-ETA

Nationals of countries that can enter Korea without a visa must get K-ETA approval before boarding a flight or ship ¹. It is for short stays for travel, family visits, events, conferences or business, with no commercial activity ³.

Applying after boarding or once in Korea can lead to refusal or entry restrictions ¹.

Who is exempt

The K-ETA Center lists these groups as exempt from applying ³:

• Diplomatic and official passport holders, and UN passport holders
• Active US forces members under the US-ROK SOFA
• Aircraft and ship crew members
• APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) holders
• Transfer passengers
• Registered foreigners and visa holders
• Travellers aged 17 or younger, or 65 or older, on the date of entry

The 2026 temporary waiver

Korea's Ministry of Justice extended its temporary K-ETA waiver for the countries already covered, from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026, Korea time ⁴. Korean consulates in the United States say the waiver includes US nationals ⁶. If your country is covered, the K-ETA form shows a pop-up when you scan your passport ⁴.

Exempt travellers can still apply to get K-ETA benefits such as skipping the arrival card, but the fee is charged ⁴. Existing K-ETAs stay valid until they expire and are not refunded ⁴. Travellers without a K-ETA file the separate e-Arrival Card ¹.

Cost

The K-ETA fee is ₩10,000 per person, about US$7 to US$8 ². An extra online payment processing fee of about 3% may apply ². The fee is not refunded, even if the application is refused ^1,2. You can pay with Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners Club, Discover, UnionPay or Alipay+ ².

When to apply and how long it lasts

Apply before you travel. Assessment typically takes 72 hours or less, but can take longer when applications rise. There is no expedited service ¹.

A K-ETA can be used for multiple trips for 3 years. If your passport expires sooner, it ends with the passport ¹. It does not extend the visa-free stay for your nationality ¹. You need a new K-ETA if you get a new passport ¹. In March 2026 the K-ETA Center warned that Gmail users may face email delays and suggested another email provider ⁷.

Agency and phishing sites

The official home page says K-ETA applications are only available at www.k-eta.go.kr or the K-ETA mobile app, with a fee of about US$7 to US$8 ⁵. It warns travellers to beware of agency or phishing sites that charge high fees under the pretext of agency or express services ⁵.