K-ETA : One Thing You Must Apply Before You Travel to Korea

If you want to travel to Korea, you need to obtain either
1) a K-ETA or 2) a tourist visa beforehand.

About K-ETA

K-ETA is an electronic travel authorization that visa-free foreign visitors need to obtain before entering Korea.

– Application fee: 10,000 KRW ($9~10), anything that costs more than that is a scam!

– It’s valid for 2 years.

– The result usually comes out within 72 hours, but just in case, we recommend you to apply at least a month before flight.

– It’s NOT a visa. Although you have have an approved K-ETA, a Korea Immigration Service officer at the airport will have the final determination of your admission to Korea.

– Nationals of 112 countries are eligible for applying for K-ETA (the list is on the back of the slides).

If your country is not included on the list, you need to apply for a tourist visa.

What do you need to prepare to apply for a K-ETA?

– Passport

– An image file of a passport ID photo

– Mobile phone number in Korea

– Address in Korea

(You can use the phone number and address of the hotel you’re going to stay in Korea.)

– Credit or debit card

Who’s eligible for K-ETA?

If you hold a passport from countries listed below, you can apply for K-ETA.
(Country – period of stay)

ACBD

Albania – 30 days
Andorra – 30 days
Antigua-Barbuda – 90 days
Argentina – 90 days
Australia – 90 days
Austria – 90 days
Bahamas – 90 days
Bahrain – 30 days
Barbados – 90 days
Belgium – 3 months
Bosnia-Hercegovina – 30 days
Botswana – 90 days
Brazil – 90 days
Brunei – 30 days
Bulgaria – 90 days
Canada – 6 months
Chile – 90 days
China P. R. (Hong Kong) – 90 days
China P. R. (Macao) – 90 days
Colombia – 90 days
Commonwealth of Dominica – 90 days
Costa Rica – 90 days
Croatia – 90 days
Cyprus – 30 days
Czech – 90 days
Denmark – 90 days
Dominican Rep. – 90 days

EFGHIJKLM

Ecuador – 90 days
El Salvador – 90 days
Estonia – 90 days
Eswatini – 30 days
Fiji – 30 days
Finland – 90 days
France – 90 days
Germany F.R – 90 days
Greece – 3 months
Grenada – 90 days
Guatemala – 90 days
Guyana – 30 days
Haiti – 90 days
Holy See – 30 days
Honduras – 30 days
Hungary – 90 days
Iceland – 90 days
Ireland – 90 days
Israel – 90 days
Italy – 90 days
Jamaica – 90 days
Japan – 90 days
Kazakhstan – 30 days in a row, not exceeding 60 days within 180 days
Kiribati – 30 days
Kuwait – 90 days
Latvia – 90 days
Lesotho – 60 days
Liechtenstein – 3 months
Lithuania – 90 days
Luxembourg – 3 months
Malaysia – 3 months
Malta – 90 days

MNOPQR

Marshall Islands – 30 days
Mauritius – 30 days
Mexico – 3 months
Micronesia – 30 days
Monaco – 30 days
Montenegro – 30 days
Morocco – 90 days
Malaysia – 3 months
Malta – 90 days
Marshall Islands – 30 days
Mauritius – 30 days
Mexico – 3 months
Micronesia – 30 days
Monaco – 30 days
Montenegro – 30 days
Morocco – 90 days
Nauru – 30 days
Netherlands – 3 months
New Caledonia – 30 days
New Zealand – 3 months
Nicaragua – 90 days
Norway – 90 days
Oman – 30 days
Palau – 30 days
Panama – 90 days
Paraguay – 30 days
Peru – 90 days
Poland – 90 days
Portugal – 90 days in a row, not exceeding 90 days within 180 days
Qatar – 90 days
Republic of Serbia – 90 days
Romania – 90 days
Russia – 60 days in a row, not exceeding 90 days within 180 days

STUV

Samoa – 30 days
San Marino – 30 days
Saudi Arabia – 30 days
Seychelles – 30 days
Singapore – 90 days
Slovak – 90 days
Slovenia – 90 days
Solomon Islands – 30 days
South Africa – 30 days
Spain – 90 days
St. Kitts-Nevis – 90 days
St. Lucia – 90 days
St. Vincent – 90 days
Surinam – 3 months
Sweden – 90 days
Switzerland – 3 months
Taiwan – 90 days
Thailand – 90 days
Tonga – 30 days
Trinidad-Tobago – 90 days
Taiwan – 90 days
Thailand – 90 days
Tonga – 30 days
Trinidad-Tobago – 90 days
Tunisia – 30 days
Turkiye – 90 days
Tuvalu – 30 days
U.A.E – 90 days
UK-British Citizen (GBR) – 90 days
UK-British Dependent Territories Citizen (GBD) – 30 days
UK-British National Overseas (GBN) – 30 days
UK-British Overseas Citizen (GBO) – 30 days
UK-British Protected Person (GBP) – 30 days
UK-British Subject (GBS) – 30 days
United States of America – 90 days
Uruguay – 90 days
Venezuela – 90 days

There’s detailed guides and FAQ on the official website: k-eta.go.kr
Make sure to check out their guides before applying for a K-ETA!