TL;DR: If you’re from one of around 60 visa-free countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia, most of the EU, and more), you don’t need a tourist visa for short stays. As of 2026, citizens of 67 countries and territories are also temporarily exempt from K-ETA (Korea’s electronic travel authorization) through December 31, 2026, as part of a “Visit Korea Year” promotion. If you’re not from an exempt country, K-ETA costs 10,000 KRW and takes 24–72 hours to approve.
This is the one piece of paperwork almost every visitor asks about before booking flights, and the answer has actually gotten simpler recently — not more complicated, which isn’t always how these things go.
Do you need a visa at all?
Citizens of roughly 60 countries and territories — including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, most of the EU, Japan, and Singapore — can enter South Korea for short-term tourism without a visa. If you’re staying for the typical tourist window (usually up to 90 days depending on your nationality), you’re covered under the visa-waiver program and don’t need to apply for anything at a Korean embassy.
What about K-ETA?
K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) is a separate, lighter-weight requirement layered on top of visa-free entry — normally, even visa-exempt travelers need to apply for K-ETA online before flying.
Here’s the part that’s genuinely good news right now: as part of a “Visit Korea Year” promotion, South Korea has temporarily exempted citizens of 67 countries and territories from the K-ETA requirement, and that exemption has been extended through December 31, 2026. If your country is on that exempt list, you can currently skip K-ETA entirely and go straight through immigration with just your passport.
If you still need K-ETA (either your country isn’t on the exemption list, or you want the optional benefits — see below), the process is straightforward:
– Apply online at the official K-ETA website
– Fee: 10,000 KRW (about $7 USD) — this hasn’t increased for 2026
– Approval typically takes 24–72 hours, so don’t leave it until the airport
– Once approved, it’s linked to your passport and generally valid for multiple entries over 3 years
If you’d rather not deal with the official K-ETA site yourself, Klook offers a K-ETA application service that handles the form for you. Check Klook’s K-ETA visa service →
Should exempt travelers apply for K-ETA anyway?
Even if your country is currently K-ETA-exempt, you can still choose to apply. The main practical benefit is skipping the e-Arrival Card you’d otherwise need to fill out on arrival — a minor convenience, but worth knowing about if you’d rather handle everything before you land.
Why this matters more than it sounds
Immigration counters move fast when your paperwork is already sorted, and slow to a crawl when it isn’t. Given how recently the K-ETA exemption was extended, it’s worth double-checking your specific country’s status close to your travel date rather than relying on older blog posts (including this one, eventually) — exemption programs like this can and do get adjusted.
FAQ
Q: How do I check if my country is currently K-ETA-exempt?
A: Check the official K-ETA website (k-eta.go.kr) directly before booking — exemption lists are the kind of detail that changes, and the official source is always the most current.
Q: I already have K-ETA approval from a previous trip — do I need a new one?
A: If it’s still within its validity window (generally 3 years) and your passport hasn’t changed, your existing approval should still work.
Q: What if I’m not from a visa-free country at all?
A: You’ll need to apply for an actual tourist visa through a Korean embassy or consulate in your home country — that’s a separate, more involved process than K-ETA.
Q: Does K-ETA guarantee entry into Korea?
A: No — it pre-screens you, but final entry approval always happens at the immigration counter on arrival.
Q: Is K-ETA the same as an e-Arrival Card?
A: No, they’re different. The e-Arrival Card is a separate arrival declaration; having K-ETA approval exempts you from needing to fill it out.
Bottom Line
Check your country’s current visa and K-ETA status before you book — as of 2026, there’s a decent chance you can skip K-ETA entirely thanks to the extended exemption. If you’re not covered, apply online at least a few days ahead so approval isn’t a last-minute scramble.