Guide · as of 2026-08-08
K-ETA and visa-free entry: the actual relationship
K-ETA is not a visa. It is an electronic travel authorization that nationals of visa-exempt countries normally obtain before boarding a flight to Korea. The official fee is ₩10,000 (about US$7–8), non-refundable, paid only at k-eta.go.kr or the official K-ETA app. Through December 31, 2026, nationals of the 22 temporarily exempt countries/regions (the exemption was extended from its prior 2025-12-31 end date) board and enter without any K-ETA at all. Visa-required nationals get nothing from K-ETA: it neither replaces a visa nor helps obtain one.
The three entry lanes
| Lane | Who | Pre-departure step |
|---|---|---|
| Visa-free + K-ETA exempt (to 2026-12-31) | nationals of the 22 listed countries/regions | none (e-Arrival Card on entry) |
| Visa-free + K-ETA required | all other visa-exempt nationalities | K-ETA approval before boarding |
| Visa required | everyone else | visa from a Korean mission |
The temporary exemption list (in force since 2023-04-01, twice extended): US (including Guam), Canada, UK, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Poland (unverified: list against the current k-eta.go.kr notice; the count of 22 and US inclusion are confirmed in consular notices; the full enumeration above is from the 2023 announcement).
K-ETA facts
- Fee: ₩10,000, non-refundable even on refusal or when applying despite being exempt (k-eta.go.kr).
- Validity: 3 years from approval, or until passport expiry, extended from 2 years on 2023-07-03 (MOFA embassy notices).
- Processing: results generally within 72 hours; applications are accepted any time before boarding but the official guidance is to apply well ahead (k-eta.go.kr).
- Age carve-out: travelers aged 17 and under or 65 and over need no K-ETA regardless of nationality (since 2023-07-03); they complete the e-Arrival Card instead.
- Exempt-country nationals who apply anyway: allowed, charged the normal fee; the benefit is skipping the e-Arrival Card for each trip during the K-ETA’s validity.
- Approval is not an entry guarantee; immigration inspection at the port decides entry.
The scam-agency problem
Unofficial “K-ETA service” sites rank in search results and charge US$30–100+ for the same ₩10,000 application, sometimes submitting wrong data or nothing. The government’s own warning on k-eta.go.kr: beware of look-alike agency/phishing sites charging large fees for “expedited” processing. No expedited channel exists. Operational rules:
- The only official domains: www.k-eta.go.kr and the official mobile app.
- Price check: anything above ₩10,000 (~US$8) is a third-party markup.
- An approval bought through an agency site, if genuine at all, is the same K-ETA; the markup buys nothing.
What K-ETA doesn’t change
- Length of stay: determined by the visa-waiver terms per nationality (typically 30/60/90 days), not by K-ETA.
- Work rights: none. Visa-free entry with or without K-ETA permits tourism, visits, and business meetings only.
- Visa nationals: K-ETA is irrelevant; a C-3 or other visa is required regardless.
Related data
- /tools/entry-check: check entry requirements by nationality
- /countries: visa-exemption terms by country
- /fees: official fee schedule
- /visa/b-1: visa-exemption (B-1) entry data