Scheme file · South Korea

K-ETA

Korea Electronic Travel Authorization

Do I need a K-ETA for South Korea?
Many nationalities are waived until 31 December 2026.

The waiver covers a long list of countries including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, most of western Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. It is an extension, not an abolition, and it has been extended before.

If your nationality is not waived, the K-ETA is applied for in advance and checked before boarding.

Checked against the issuing government's own pages on 14 August 2026.

What is confirmed

Every field below traces to a government page, read on 14 August 2026.

FeeKRW 10,000
Validity3 years
Stay permittedVaries by nationality, 30 days to 6 months
Who needs itVisa-free nationals — but many are waived until 31 Dec 2026
Processing72 hours or less
Worth knowingThe waiver covering the US, UK, Canada, Australia, most of western Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Macao runs to 31 December 2026. It has been extended every year so far, usually announced in late December.

What's wrong out there

Figures that circulate widely and are not supported by the official pages.

Commonly got wrongThree figures circulate that the official pages don't support: a KRW 10,300 fee (the extra is a percentage payment charge, not a flat fee), five-year validity (it is three), and “apply at least 72 hours before departure” — 72 hours is the processing time, not a deadline.

What changed

Newest first. Every entry links the government page it came from.

23 December 2025South Korea

Korea extended its K-ETA waiver through 2026

The temporary exemption covering the US, UK, Canada, Australia, most of western Europe, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Macao was extended to 31 December 2026. It has been rolled forward every year so far, and each decision has landed in late December — so the 2027 answer should arrive around then.

ExtendedEnds 31 Dec 2026Korea Ministry of Justice ↗

Every change on record →

Where to check it yourself

South Korea — K-ETA ↗

How these figures are checked →