Since 2021, most nationals who can enter South Korea visa-free for short stays are additionally required to obtain a K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) before departure — a simple online pre-approval, similar to the US ESTA, rather than a full visa. It costs a small non-refundable fee (around 10,000 KRW / roughly 8 USD) and should be applied for at least a few days before travel.
As part of a tourism-promotion measure, the South Korean government has temporarily exempted nationals of 22 countries and regions from the K-ETA requirement, with the exemption currently extended through 31 December 2026; travellers from those countries can enter under the normal visa-free arrangement without applying for K-ETA during that period. Everyone else travelling visa-free should assume K-ETA is required unless the current exemption list says otherwise — check the official Korea Immigration Service K-ETA site before booking, since both the exemption list and its end date are reviewed periodically.
Since February 2025, arriving travellers can also complete the electronic "e-Arrival Card" online up to three days before landing, which speeds up immigration processing on arrival. Citizens of most EU countries, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, and dozens of other nations can still stay visa-free for a limited period (commonly 30–90 days depending on nationality) for tourism or business without a full visa — only K-ETA (or its temporary exemption) applies on top of that. A full visa, arranged in advance through a Korean embassy or consulate, is only required for longer stays or for purposes such as work or study.
