Apply for your South Korea ETA online
Skip the government glitches. Quick and simple South Korea ETA application with iVisa.
South Korea K-ETA requirements
All foreign visitors from visa-exempt countries must have an approved K-ETA before boarding their flight or ship to South Korea. The K-ETA is valid for tourism, visiting family, attending events, or short-term business activities.
Required documents for the South Korea K-ETA
Requirements verified against official government sources
- Passport (valid for at least 6 months from arrival date and with one blank page)
- Recent passport photo
- Accommodation details
- Valid email address
Requirements may vary depending on nationality.
South Korea K-ETA pricing and validity
One all-in price. The checkout total includes our service fee, expert review, and support — no surprises.
South Korea K-ETATravel authorisation
From$99.99
- Who it's for
- Visitors from visa-exempt countries, who need an approved K-ETA before boarding their flight or ship. Travelers aged 17 and under and those aged 65 and over are exempt, as are flight crew, seafarers, US SOFA service members, APEC Business Travel Card holders and Korean dual nationals traveling on a Korean passport.
- Permitted activities
- Tourism, visiting relatives, attending events and conferences, and short-term non-commercial business. It does not cover paid or commercial work. It is not a visa, and the final decision on entry is made by the officer at the border.
- Transit
- Airside transfer passengers do not need one. You do need a K-ETA if the transfer means entering Korea, for example a self-transfer or a baggage re-check.
- Delivery format
- An electronic authorization linked to your passport. The passport you use for the K-ETA has to be the same one you use for your boarding pass and at the border. K-ETA holders skip the arrival card.
- Good to know
- It cannot be extended. A new application is needed after expiry, after a passport reissue or name change, or if your criminal-record or infectious-disease answers change. You also update your travel information before each new trip, and how long you may stay depends on your nationality.
- Validity
- Valid for 3 years
- Entry
- Multiple entry
- Length of stay
- Stay up to 90 days per entry
- Processing time
- Get it in as fast as 2 days
How to apply for your South Korea K-ETA
Three simple steps — iVisa prepares, reviews, and files your South Korea K-ETA for you.
Complete the application
Answer a few simple questions and upload your documents, choose your processing speed, and pay securely. Most travelers finish in minutes.
We review and submit your application
Our experts check your application for the errors that cause government rejections, fix them with you, then submit it directly to the South Korea government on your behalf.
Receive your South Korea K-ETA
Once approved, your South Korea K-ETA arrives by email — ready to travel, with clear instructions on how to use it.
It was easy to apply for the visa. I received the document on the same day of my application.
Simple and clear Very easy to follow and when I could not get my husband's scan of his passport page and tried three times you allowed me to continue. Thank you Heather Henderson Gordon Date of experience 27/05/2026
The service was quick and I received constant updates on the Visa process.
Even though at beginning I felt it is expensive,but iVisa give me a big support when I am panic Infront of the check in counter after staff there told me I can't boarding and they didn't fully guide me to get K-ETA,thanks ivisa's great help,the confirm predictions of done ready K-ETA for customer and now even early16 hours send me the approval make me easy in planing my future flight.
what made it great is that I can process my visa online and it is safe.
I only found out I needed a visa one week before my flight. I was incredibly stressed and panicked about missing my trip. Fortunately, iVisa delivered the approved visa right on schedule. They completely saved my vacation and put my mind at ease. I am so grateful for their incredibly fast service and will definitely use them for all my future visa processing.
Instructions were clear and turnaround was quick. The only thing missing was a list of items you will need before you get started.
I visa. Com has assisted my visa application in a swift, informative, engaging and excellent delivery. They engaged me from the beginning to the end, giving me feedback at a every step of the application. The application process was so user friendly and I completed the application with ease. The delivery of my visa was so swift that I was surprised when I got the visa, as it was delivered two days before the projected time of delivery. Thank you ivisa. Com.
Trust pilot delivered the K ETA visa quickly. It was very much appreciate.
The application process online was easy; no hassle of making paper copies of the required documents or getting visa type photos before application, although at this stage I am not sure of the outcome of my application.
South Korea visa FAQs
Quick answers to the most common questions about the South Korea K-ETA.
Still have questions?
Our visa experts are available 24/7 on chat, email, and WhatsApp.
Do I need a visa for South Korea?
No, provided you are from a visa-exempt country. Instead, you need a K-ETA. If your country is not on the visa-waiver list, or if you plan to work or study in Korea, you must apply for a traditional visa at a South Korean embassy.
What is the current K-ETA exemption for 2026?
The South Korean government has extended a temporary K-ETA exemption until December 31, 2026, for 22 countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macao, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and United States (including Guam). If you are from these countries, you can enter without a K-ETA, but you will still need to fill out a digital Arrival Card before arriving in the country.
How will I receive the South Korea ETA?
The K-ETA is an electronic authorization. This means it is digitally linked to your passport number. When you check in for your flight or pass through immigration in Korea, the officials will see your approved status automatically when they scan your passport. If you applied through iVisa, you can also find your documents in your dashboard.
Why should I apply for a K-ETA if I am exempt?
Applying for a K-ETA voluntarily allows you to skip the Arrival Card at immigration, making your entry into South Korea faster and smoother.
Do I need the Digital Arrival Card if I already have a South Korea ETA?
No. If you have the K-ETA you don't need to fill out the e-Arrival Card before traveling. However, as of January 1, 2026, South Korea has introduced a mandatory e-Arrival Card for all travelers not using a K-ETA. Even if you are exempt from the K-ETA, you are no longer allowed to use paper arrival cards, as you must submit the digital version in the 72 hours before landing.
How long can I stay in South Korea with an ETA?
The stay duration depends on your nationality. Most travelers (like those from the US or EU) can stay for 90 days. Others, like citizens of Canada, may stay for up to 6 months, while some nationalities are limited to 30 days.
What is the processing time of the South Korea ETA?
Government processing can take up to a few days. With iVisa, you choose your processing speed at checkout, and the option you pick is shown with its delivery time before you pay.
Can I use the South Korea ETA for business trips or work?
The K-ETA covers short-term business trips, such as attending meetings, signing contracts, or participating in conferences. It does not allow for long-term employment or receiving a salary from a Korean source.
Can I extend my ETA while I am in South Korea?
Generally, a stay granted under a K-ETA cannot be extended. If you need to stay longer than your permitted duration, you must exit the country and re-enter under the multiple-entry allowance, or re-apply for a new ETA if your previous one has expired.
Do children/minors need a South Korea ETA?
Yes. Every traveler, including infants and minors, must have their own ETA. Parents can manage the application for their children through iVisa by using the 'Add another person' option.
What happens if my South Korea ETA application is denied?
If denied, you may need to apply for a traditional C-3 Tourist Visa at a South Korean Embassy. iVisa offers review services to ensure your application is submitted correctly the first time.
What are the most common reasons a South Korea ETA application is denied?
The most frequent reasons are mismatched passport details (typos in the passport number), blurry photos, or due to criminal records or previous immigration issues.
iVisa vs. the official South Korea process
Why travelers choose iVisa
On your own
- There is no phone line or in-person consultation. The only channel is a web inquiry form behind a consent and email-verification wall, with announced holiday closures.
- The government fee is not refunded even when the application is denied, and the terms rule out a dispute, so a rejected application is money gone.
- The photo rules are strict, and the passport scan auto-fills the whole name into the surname field on passports that do not separate names, which travelers read as an error.
- Exemptions by age and nationality, a temporary exemption list, stay periods that vary by passport and a separate arrival-card requirement all sit in different places on the site.
- You must update your travel information on the government site before every new trip, and missing that can mean being turned away.
- Our support team is reachable around the clock while you are filling in the form, not only after something goes wrong.
- We review your application before it is filed, which is where a preventable refusal usually gets caught.
- We check your photo and passport data against the government's requirements and explain the quirks before you submit.
- We work out which document your trip actually needs and tell you what applies to your nationality and age.
- We flag when a change of trip means updating or re-filing, so it does not get forgotten.
Other travel documents for South Korea
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