Before You Go

Entry & K-ETA

Whether you need a visa, what K-ETA is, and the forms you fill in on arrival.

Do you need a visa?

Many nationalities can enter Korea without a visa for short tourist stays. The length varies by country — commonly 30, 90, or 180 days. Check your own nationality on the official Korea Visa Portal before booking, because this is the one thing on this page you cannot fix at the airport.

K-ETA

K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) is an online pre-approval for visa-free visitors. It is not a visa — it is permission to board.

• Apply online before departure, not on arrival.
• Approval is often quick, but can take up to 72 hours — apply several days ahead.
• Once approved it is valid for multiple entries over a period of years, so you may not need a new one next trip.
• Korea has periodically suspended the K-ETA requirement for some countries. Check whether it currently applies to you rather than assuming.

Apply only through the official K-ETA site. Look-alike sites charge a large 'service fee' for the same application.

The arrival card and customs

On the plane or at the airport you will typically fill in an arrival card (unless you are exempt) and a customs declaration. Have your first night's accommodation address written down — you will be asked for it, and 'I'll look it up' is awkward when your phone has no signal yet.

Q-CODE (health declaration)

Korea uses an online health declaration called Q-CODE. Whether it is required changes with public health policy. Filling it in beforehand takes a few minutes and lets you use a faster lane; skipping it when it is required means filling in paper forms in the queue.

What to have ready before you land

1. Passport valid for the length of your stay.
2. K-ETA approval (if it applies to you) — save the confirmation offline.
3. Address and phone number of your first night's accommodation.
4. Return or onward ticket. You may be asked to show it.