South Korea visa requirements · checked 13 October 2026

Visa & Entry Requirements for South Korea

Q: What documents do I need to enter South Korea?

Passport validity: The UK government says that to enter South Korea as a tourist for up to 90 days your passport must have an expiry date after the date you are leaving South Korea, and that on a long-term visa it should have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive. Travel insurance: No official source we could read states a travel-insurance requirement for short-term visitors to South Korea. Return or onward ticket: The UK government tells British travellers that they can enter South Korea for up to 90 days for short-term business or tourism and must have an onward or return ticket. Proof of funds: No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for South Korea.

Most travellers can visit South Korea without going to an embassy: 22 passports enter visa-free, 89 apply online for an eTA.

The K-ETA portal lists the countries and regions whose passport holders can apply for K-ETA, with each one's allowed period of stay; it says nationals eligible for K-ETA who wish to enter without a visa must obtain K-ETA approval before boarding, for a fee of 10,000 KRW, and that a K-ETA is valid for 3 years. The Ministry of Justice has extended a temporary K-ETA exemption to December 31, 2026 for the countries and regions currently exempt; Korea's foreign ministry listed 22 of them, including the US, UK and Japan. Korea's visa portal says visa application centres receive visa applications on behalf of embassies and consulates.

Check your passport

Your passport

Destination

Passports visa-free

eVisa or eTA online

Embassy visa required

Do I need a visa for South Korea? Quick answers

Another passport? Use the checker or find it in the table below.

Visa for South Korea — requirements summary

Visa-free: 22 (11%)
eTA: 88 (44%)
eVisa: 1 (1%)
Visa required: 87 (44%)

All travellers must meet the entry rules set by South Korea, and they depend on your nationality. Find your passport below — you may be able to enter visa-free, or need an eVisa, a visa on arrival or a visa from an embassy.

Passport	Requirement	Max stay	Details
Afghanistan	Visa required	—	Details →
Albania	eTA	30 days	Details →
Algeria	Visa required	—	Details →
Andorra	eTA	30 days	Details →
Angola	Visa required	—	Details →
Antigua and Barbuda	eTA	90 days	Details →
Argentina	eTA	90 days	Details →
Armenia	Visa required	—	Details →
Australia	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Austria	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Azerbaijan	Visa required	—	Details →
Bahamas	eTA	90 days	Details →
Bahrain	eTA	30 days	Details →
Bangladesh	Visa required	—	Details →
Barbados	eTA	90 days	Details →
Belarus	Visa required	—	Details →
Belgium	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Belize	Visa required	—	Details →
Benin	Visa required	—	Details →
Bhutan	Visa required	—	Details →
Bolivia	Visa required	—	Details →
Bosnia and Herzegovina	eTA	30 days	Details →
Botswana	eTA	90 days	Details →
Brazil	eTA	90 days	Details →
Brunei	eTA	30 days	Details →
Bulgaria	eTA	90 days	Details →
Burkina Faso	Visa required	—	Details →
Burundi	Visa required	—	Details →
Cambodia	Visa required	—	Details →
Cameroon	Visa required	—	Details →
Canada	Visa-free	180 days	Details →
Cape Verde	Visa required	—	Details →
Central African Republic	Visa required	—	Details →
Chad	Visa required	—	Details →
Chile	eTA	90 days	Details →
China	Visa required	—	Details →
Colombia	eTA	90 days	Details →
Comoros	Visa required	—	Details →
Costa Rica	eTA	90 days	Details →
Côte d'Ivoire	Visa required	—	Details →
Croatia	eTA	90 days	Details →
Cuba	Visa required	—	Details →
Cyprus	eTA	30 days	Details →
Czechia	eTA	90 days	Details →
Denmark	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Djibouti	Visa required	—	Details →
Dominica	eTA	90 days	Details →
Dominican Republic	eTA	90 days	Details →
DR Congo	Visa required	—	Details →
Ecuador	eTA	90 days	Details →
Egypt	Visa required	—	Details →
El Salvador	eTA	90 days	Details →
Equatorial Guinea	Visa required	—	Details →
Eritrea	Visa required	—	Details →
Estonia	eTA	90 days	Details →
Eswatini	eTA	30 days	Details →
Ethiopia	Visa required	—	Details →
Fiji	eTA	30 days	Details →
Finland	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
France	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Gabon	Visa required	—	Details →
Gambia	Visa required	—	Details →
Georgia	Visa required	—	Details →
Germany	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Ghana	Visa required	—	Details →
Greece	eTA	90 days	Details →
Grenada	eTA	90 days	Details →
Guatemala	eTA	90 days	Details →
Guinea	Visa required	—	Details →
Guinea-Bissau	Visa required	—	Details →
Guyana	eTA	30 days	Details →
Haiti	eTA	90 days	Details →
Honduras	eTA	30 days	Details →
Hong Kong	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Hungary	eTA	90 days	Details →
Iceland	eTA	90 days	Details →
India	Visa required	—	Details →
Indonesia	Visa required	—	Details →
Iran	Visa required	—	Details →
Iraq	Visa required	—	Details →
Ireland	eTA	90 days	Details →
Israel	eTA	90 days	Details →
Italy	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Jamaica	eTA	90 days	Details →
Japan	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Jordan	Visa required	—	Details →
Kazakhstan	eTA	30 days	Details →
Kenya	Visa required	—	Details →
Kiribati	eTA	30 days	Details →
Kosovo	Visa required	—	Details →
Kuwait	eTA	90 days	Details →
Kyrgyzstan	Visa required	—	Details →
Laos	Visa required	—	Details →
Latvia	eTA	90 days	Details →
Lebanon	Visa required	—	Details →
Lesotho	eTA	60 days	Details →
Liberia	Visa required	—	Details →
Libya	Visa required	—	Details →
Liechtenstein	eTA	90 days	Details →
Lithuania	eTA	90 days	Details →
Luxembourg	eTA	90 days	Details →
Macau	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Madagascar	Visa required	—	Details →
Malawi	Visa required	—	Details →
Malaysia	eTA	90 days	Details →
Maldives	Visa required	—	Details →
Mali	Visa required	—	Details →
Malta	eTA	90 days	Details →
Marshall Islands	eTA	30 days	Details →
Mauritania	Visa required	—	Details →
Mauritius	eTA	30 days	Details →
Mexico	eTA	90 days	Details →
Micronesia	eTA	30 days	Details →
Moldova	Visa required	—	Details →
Monaco	eTA	30 days	Details →
Mongolia	Visa required	—	Details →
Montenegro	eTA	30 days	Details →
Morocco	eTA	90 days	Details →
Mozambique	Visa required	—	Details →
Myanmar	Visa required	—	Details →
Namibia	Visa required	—	Details →
Nauru	eTA	30 days	Details →
Nepal	Visa required	—	Details →
Netherlands	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
New Zealand	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Nicaragua	eTA	90 days	Details →
Niger	Visa required	—	Details →
Nigeria	Visa required	—	Details →
North Korea	eVisa	—	Details →
North Macedonia	Visa required	—	Details →
Norway	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Oman	eTA	30 days	Details →
Pakistan	Visa required	—	Details →
Palau	eTA	30 days	Details →
Palestine	Visa required	—	Details →
Panama	eTA	90 days	Details →
Papua New Guinea	Visa required	—	Details →
Paraguay	eTA	30 days	Details →
Peru	eTA	90 days	Details →
Philippines	Visa required	—	Details →
Poland	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Portugal	eTA	90 days	Details →
Qatar	eTA	90 days	Details →
Republic of the Congo	Visa required	—	Details →
Romania	eTA	90 days	Details →
Russia	eTA	60 days	Details →
Rwanda	Visa required	—	Details →
Saint Kitts and Nevis	eTA	90 days	Details →
Saint Lucia	eTA	90 days	Details →
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	eTA	90 days	Details →
Samoa	eTA	30 days	Details →
San Marino	eTA	30 days	Details →
Sao Tome and Principe	Visa required	—	Details →
Saudi Arabia	eTA	30 days	Details →
Senegal	Visa required	—	Details →
Serbia	eTA	90 days	Details →
Seychelles	eTA	30 days	Details →
Sierra Leone	Visa required	—	Details →
Singapore	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Slovakia	eTA	90 days	Details →
Slovenia	eTA	90 days	Details →
Solomon Islands	eTA	30 days	Details →
Somalia	Visa required	—	Details →
South Africa	eTA	30 days	Details →
South Sudan	Visa required	—	Details →
Spain	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Sri Lanka	Visa required	—	Details →
Sudan	Visa required	—	Details →
Suriname	eTA	90 days	Details →
Sweden	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Switzerland	eTA	90 days	Details →
Syria	Visa required	—	Details →
Taiwan	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Tajikistan	Visa required	—	Details →
Tanzania	Visa required	—	Details →
Thailand	eTA	90 days	Details →
Timor-Leste	Visa required	—	Details →
Togo	Visa required	—	Details →
Tonga	eTA	30 days	Details →
Trinidad and Tobago	eTA	90 days	Details →
Tunisia	eTA	30 days	Details →
Türkiye	eTA	90 days	Details →
Turkmenistan	Visa required	—	Details →
Tuvalu	eTA	30 days	Details →
Uganda	Visa required	—	Details →
Ukraine	Visa required	—	Details →
United Arab Emirates	eTA	90 days	Details →
United Kingdom	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
United States	Visa-free	90 days	Details →
Uruguay	eTA	90 days	Details →
Uzbekistan	Visa required	—	Details →
Vanuatu	Visa required	—	Details →
Vatican City	eTA	30 days	Details →
Venezuela	eTA	90 days	Details →
Vietnam	Visa required	—	Details →
Yemen	Visa required	—	Details →
Zambia	Visa required	—	Details →
Zimbabwe	Visa required	—	Details →

South Korea visa types, fees and processing times

K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization)

eTA

Fee: 10,000 KRW
Valid for: 1095 days
Entries: Multiple

The K-ETA portal says the fee is approximately USD 7–8, that an additional online payment processing fee of generally about 3% may apply, and that the fee is non-refundable even if the application is denied. It says K-ETA is not a visa. Korea's foreign ministry listed 22 countries/regions for a temporary K-ETA exemption.

Documents (2)

ID photo
Copy of the passport bio page

Official application site →

Short-Term Visit Visa (C-3)

Embassy

Fee: 40 USD

Article 71 of the Enforcement Rules of the Immigration Act sets the fee in US dollars: single entry for a stay of up to 90 days USD 40; single entry for 91 days or more USD 60; double entry USD 70; multiple entry without limit USD 90. Heads of missions collecting it in local currency set the base amount taking exchange rates into account.

Official application site →

Entry requirements for South Korea

Passport validity

90 days

The UK government says that to enter South Korea as a tourist for up to 90 days your passport must have an expiry date after the date you are leaving South Korea, and that on a long-term visa it should have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive.

UK FCDO — South Korea entry requirements✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

Travel insurance

No official source we could read states a travel-insurance requirement for short-term visitors to South Korea. The UK government says medical and dental care is usually of a good standard but can be expensive, and advises adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds.

UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — South Korea travel advice: health✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

Return or onward ticket

90 days

The UK government tells British travellers that they can enter South Korea for up to 90 days for short-term business or tourism and must have an onward or return ticket.

UK FCDO — South Korea entry requirements✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

Proof of funds

No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for South Korea.

Korea Visa Portal✓ Checked 25 Aug 2026

Arrival cards and declarations: e-Arrival Card

3 days

Korea's e-Arrival Card site says the card is free, can be filed starting 3 days before arrival, and holds the same validity as the paper arrival card. The K-ETA portal says K-ETA holders are exempt from submitting the arrival card.

e-Arrival Card (Ministry of Justice) — e-Arrival Card Guide✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

Overstay penalties

3 years

A foreigner who stays beyond the period of stay without an extension permit, or outside the scope of their status or period of stay, is punishable by imprisonment of up to 3 years or a fine of up to KRW 30 million. Such a foreigner may be deported.

Korea Ministry of Government Legislation (law.go.kr) — Immigration Act✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

Customs allowances

USD 10,000

The Korea Customs Service says that if you enter with foreign currency, KRW notes or checks above USD 10,000 or the equivalent in total you must report it to customs, and that carrying means of payment of not more than USD 10,000 out of Korea requires no report.

Korea Customs Service — Declaration of foreign currency✓ Checked 13 Oct 2026

South Korea visa requirements statistics

198

Passports covered

Most common: eTA

Least common: eVisa

11%

Visa-free access

Visa-free stays by length

180 days · 1 passport
90 days · 21 passports

Understanding South Korea visa requirements

We track the entry rules of South Korea for 198 passports. The most common situation is eTA, which applies to 88 passports (44%). 11% of passports can enter without a visa. The least common is eVisa (1 passport).

Entry categories for South Korea

Visa-free entry: 22 passports can enter without a visa, for stays from 90 to 180 days.
eTA: 88 passports need an electronic travel authorisation before departure.
eVisa: 1 passport can apply for an electronic visa online.
Visa required: 87 passports must apply at an embassy or consulate.

What else you need to enter South Korea

Passport validity: The UK government says that to enter South Korea as a tourist for up to 90 days your passport must have an expiry date after the date you are leaving South Korea, and that on a long-term visa it should have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive.
Travel insurance: No official source we could read states a travel-insurance requirement for short-term visitors to South Korea.
Return or onward ticket: The UK government tells British travellers that they can enter South Korea for up to 90 days for short-term business or tourism and must have an onward or return ticket.
Proof of funds: No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for South Korea.

Open your passport in the table for the exact rules — maximum stay, fees, how to apply and the official source. Entry rules change at short notice: confirm with the embassy of South Korea or its official immigration website before you travel.

Frequently asked questions about South Korea visas

Do I need a visa for South Korea?

Most travellers can visit South Korea without going to an embassy: 22 passports enter visa-free, 89 apply online for an eTA. It depends on your passport — check yours.

Do US citizens need a visa or K-ETA for South Korea?

The K-ETA portal lists the United States of America with an allowed period of stay of 90 days. A K-ETA is normally required before boarding, but the United States was among the 22 countries/regions Korea's foreign ministry listed for the temporary K-ETA exemption, and the Ministry of Justice has extended the exemption to December 31, 2026 for the countries currently exempt.

What is the K-ETA and how much does it cost?

The K-ETA portal says nationals eligible for K-ETA who wish to enter without a visa must obtain approval before boarding the flight or ship. The fee is 10,000 KRW (approximately USD 7–8), plus an online payment processing fee of generally about 3%, and is non-refundable. Assessment typically takes 72 hours or less, the K-ETA can be used multiple times within its 3-year validity, and holders are exempt from submitting the arrival card.

How long can Canadians stay in South Korea?

The K-ETA portal lists Canada with an allowed period of stay of 6 months. Canada was among the 22 countries/regions Korea's foreign ministry listed for the temporary K-ETA exemption, which the Ministry of Justice has extended to December 31, 2026 for the countries currently exempt.

Can Chinese citizens visit South Korea without a visa?

The Ministry of Justice says that in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Chinese nationals may, as before, stay visa-free for 30 days, travelling individually or in groups. It announced a temporary visa-free scheme for Chinese tour groups of three or more recruited by designated travel agencies, for stays of up to 15 days anywhere in Korea, from 29 September 2025 to 30 June 2026. No official source we could read states an extension.

How much does a South Korean tourist visa cost?

Article 71 of the Enforcement Rules of the Immigration Act sets the visa fee at the equivalent of USD 40 for a single-entry visa for a stay of up to 90 days, USD 60 for 91 days or more, USD 70 for a double-entry visa and USD 90 for an unlimited multiple-entry visa; heads of missions collecting it in local currency set the base amount taking exchange rates into account. Korea's visa portal says visa application centres receive applications and hand over visas on behalf of embassies and consulates.

Do US citizens need a visa for South Korea?

US citizens can visit South Korea visa-free for 90 days. Full rules for United States passport holders.

Do UK citizens need a visa for South Korea?

UK citizens can visit South Korea visa-free for 90 days. Full rules for United Kingdom passport holders.

Do German citizens need a visa for South Korea?

German citizens can visit South Korea visa-free for 90 days. Full rules for Germany passport holders.

What documents do I need to enter South Korea?

Passport validity: The UK government says that to enter South Korea as a tourist for up to 90 days your passport must have an expiry date after the date you are leaving South Korea, and that on a long-term visa it should have an expiry date at least 6 months after the date you arrive. Travel insurance: No official source we could read states a travel-insurance requirement for short-term visitors to South Korea. Return or onward ticket: The UK government tells British travellers that they can enter South Korea for up to 90 days for short-term business or tourism and must have an onward or return ticket. Proof of funds: No official source we could read states a proof-of-funds requirement or amount for South Korea.

How long can I stay in South Korea without a visa?

Usually 90 days (21 passports); visa-free stays range from 90 to 180 days depending on your passport.

How many countries can visit South Korea without a visa?

22 of 198 passports can enter South Korea visa-free (11%). 89 can apply online (eVisa or eTA), and 87 need a visa from an embassy.

Data: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset, AXG Sp. z o.o. (CC BY 4.0) — official sources are linked on each passport page. Gaps filled from the Passport Index dataset (MIT).

Check other requirements

Travelling from South Korea?

Where can South Korea citizens travel visa-free?

South Korea passport holders can visit 116 countries without a visa. Open a country for the exact rules.

Map and full list →