K-ETA South Korea: exemption until end of 2026 and how to apply

Until 31 December 2026, UK citizens do not need a K-ETA to enter South Korea: the Korean Ministry of Justice has extended its temporary exemption, and GOV.UK confirms it for British nationals. Both US and UK citizens can visit visa-free for up to 90 days as tourists, and travellers without a K-ETA must complete an arrival card, online or on paper. A K-ETA remains optional, for 10,000 won, if you would rather skip that card.

This guide draws on the UK FCDO (GOV.UK, entry requirements, updated 14 May 2026, read 12 November 2026), the U.S. State Department (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025) and the official K-ETA site, k-eta.go.kr (notice of 23 December 2025 and the fee page, read 12 November 2026). The rule for travel from 1 January 2027 had not been announced on the pages I read: check it before you book.

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K-ETA: exemption until 31 December 2026

The K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) is the electronic travel authorisation that visa-exempt visitors are normally required to obtain before departure. In a notice published on k-eta.go.kr on 23 December 2025, the Korean Ministry of Justice extended its temporary K-ETA exemption by one year, from 1 January to 31 December 2026 (Korean time), for the countries already covered. GOV.UK states that British nationals travelling visa-free are temporarily exempt until December 31, 2026. During the online application, the site displays a "K-ETA exemption" pop-up when the scanned passport qualifies.

US citizens: the State Department page I read (last updated August 11, 2025) still describes the exemption only up to December 31, 2024, so it is out of date on this point. The K-ETA notice does not list the covered countries on the pages I read. Check the pop-up during the application, or ask the Korean embassy, before you travel. The State Department page does say US citizens need a valid US passport and no visa for tourism or business stays of 90 days or less.

A K-ETA already issued stays valid until its expiry date and is not refunded. The official guide says a K-ETA is normally valid for three years, or until the passport expires if that comes sooner, and can be used for multiple entries.

	Without a K-ETA (exemption)	With a K-ETA (optional)
Cost	Free	10,000 won + about 3% payment fee
Process	e-Arrival card online, within 72 hours before arrival, or paper form on arrival	Application on k-eta.go.kr, usually answered within 72 hours
Arrival card	Required	Not required
Best for	Most travellers	Those who prefer to settle the formality before departure

The electronic arrival card (e-Arrival)

GOV.UK explains that foreign nationals entering South Korea must give the immigration officer an entry declaration form (arrivals card). You can submit the e-Arrival card online instead, within 72 hours (3 days) before arrival, at no charge, on the official e-arrivalcard.go.kr site; paper forms remain available.

Destination de Voyage calculation: for a landing in Seoul on a Friday at 8:00 Korean time, the card can be sent from Tuesday at 8:00 Korean time at the earliest (72 hours before).

If you apply for a K-ETA

1. Use only k-eta.go.kr or the official K-ETA app.
2. Fill in the application (passport scan, trip details, address in Korea).
3. Pay 10,000 won per person (the site says about US$7 to 8), plus roughly 3% online payment fee. The fee is not refunded whatever the outcome. The site lists Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, Diners Club, Discover, UnionPay and Alipay+, and warns that a card blocked for overseas payments may fail.
4. Expect a reply within 72 hours in most cases; the site says there is no express service.
5. Apply before boarding: the official guide warns that applying after boarding, or once in Korea, can lead to refusal or entry restrictions.

GOV.UK warns that other sites offering K-ETA application services are generally scams, and the official site itself warns of look-alike agencies that charge high fees for "express" services. Check the exact address before entering your passport details and card number.

Passport, checks and length of stay

• UK citizens: for a tourist stay of up to 90 days, your passport must have an expiry date after the day you leave South Korea (GOV.UK). You will be denied entry without a valid travel document or with a passport reported lost or stolen.
• US citizens: you need a valid US passport (State Department). The page does not give a minimum validity period: ask the Korean embassy if in doubt.
• GOV.UK says you must have an onward or return ticket, and that it is illegal to work in South Korea while visiting visa-free.
• Staying longer than authorised can lead to detention and fines (State Department); if you overstay, apply for an extension with the Korea Immigration Service before trying to leave.
• Customs rules are strict: GOV.UK asks you to declare anything that may be prohibited or taxable, and warns of long jail sentences and heavy fines for illegal drugs, even small amounts of marijuana.

Planning the rest of your trip

For the season, see when to go to South Korea and our South Korea guide, as well as Seoul. If you are combining the trip with Japan, read our Japan visa guide. An eSIM makes transport and map apps easier to use.

Frequently asked questions

Our sources

• UK FCDO, South Korea: entry requirements (GOV.UK, updated 14 May 2026), read 12 November 2026.
• U.S. Department of State, South Korea country information (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025; out of date on the K-ETA exemption).
• K-ETA, official site of the Korean Ministry of Justice (k-eta.go.kr): notice on the extension of the exemption (23 December 2025), official guide and fee page, read 12 November 2026.
• Our methodology

Updated November 2026.