Overview
The Korean Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) makes it easy for eligible foreign travelers to enter Korea. The K-ETA allows travelers to skip submitting arrival cards, which means they can clear immigration faster than ever before.
Visitors to Korea can apply for an ETA online and receive their results electronically. This means that they never have to hand over their passports or other documents. Most travelers love keeping their documents under their own control at all times.
Allowed Activities
Electronic Travel Authorization
- Tour
- Visit
- Business
- Medical treatment
- Meeting
- Event
- Games/Match/Competition
- Other
Processing Steps
Online Application
Form is received and reviewed for approval.
Receive document
Receive the approved document via email.
Arrive in Korea
Present the document upon arrival.
Requirements for Application
Documentation Required
All travelers applying for the Korean Electronic Travel Authorization will need to submit a picture of their photo ID. This is usually the photo and information page of their passport but, under certain circumstances, other forms of identification may be accepted as well.
However, all travelers will need to be in possession of a valid passport from their country of origin before they enter Korea.
Other Personal Information
In addition to the information on their photo identification, travelers will need to enter other data about themselves in order to apply for a K-ETA. This includes their name, date of birth, nationality, and a recent photo of themselves. If they have dual citizenship, they will need to provide this information, as well.
Health and Safety Information
Applicants for the Korean Electronic Travel Authorization will also need to submit data pertaining to health and safety. This includes any exposure to certain diseases or travel to areas where disease is rampant. They will also be asked about any arrests and convictions that might be on their permanent records.
Contact Information
Anyone applying for the K-ETA will need to provide contact information, including the address where they will be found in Korea and a valid email address. The email address is particularly important because the Korean government will use it for any communications pertaining to the travel authorization, including notification when the K-ETA is approved.
K-ETA Details
Understanding the Korean Electronic Travel Authorization
Korea has a visa-waiver policy with 112 other countries. Visitors from these countries will not have to apply for and obtain a visa before they travel to Korea.
As of May 3, 2021 (for 21 countries) or September 2021, travelers from these countries will, instead, need to apply for and obtain a Korean Electronic Travel Authorization. This document allows the Korean government to know who is in their country and what their travel plans and purposes are.
People from different countries have different maximum stays in Korea under the visa-waiver policy. These time limits in the country will not change with the Korean ETA.
Applying for the K-ETA
It's easy to apply online for the Korean Electronic Travel Authorization. Travelers will need to enter an email address, passport information, and other personal information. Then, they will need to pay the fee online.
After that, their application will be considered and they will be able to check its status online. When their ETA is approved, travelers will receive an email.
Before applying, travelers should make sure that they have:
- A valid passport. Without this, a Korean Electronic Travel Authorization cannot be issued. The passport should be valid for at least 6 months past the traveler's date of arrival in Korea.
- A credit card. This will only be used to pay the authorization fees.
- An email address. ETA approval information will be communicated via email.
- A photo of themselves. Most passport photos will meet this requirement, though it is up to each traveler to make sure their photo will work.
Note that travelers must be willing to submit personal information electronically to get approved. This includes not only information about who they are and where they live but also includes data about their previous travels, their plans in Korea, their criminal record, and more. A K-ETA cannot be issued without this information.
Obtaining the Electronic Travel Authorization
The application can be completed online, from the comfort and safety of the traveler's own home. This makes it easy to get.
The application itself is easy and most travelers can complete it in just a few minutes. It goes faster for applicants who have all of their information together before they apply.
Once the application is submitted, approval goes much faster than the traditional visa application process through an embassy. In fact, the Korean Electronic Travel Authorization is usually processed within 24-48 hours after the application is submitted.
Applicants can check the status online or simply wait to get an email indicating that it has been processed, and approved.
The Benefits of Getting This Travel Authorization
There are several good reasons to love the Electronic Travel Authorization.
First of all, this document is easy to get and bypasses the traditional visa process. It is completed entirely online, so travelers never have to surrender control of their passports or other travel documents.
The Electronic Travel Authorization for Korea is also fast. Travelers apply and hear back within just a day or two, as opposed to the traditional process, which takes much longer.
It makes travel faster, too. Visitors with an approved K-ETA will not have to fill out paperwork upon arrival in Korea. It will also make customs and immigration easier, so lines will be shorter and there will be fewer hassles upon arrival.
It makes travel safer, too. It allows the Korean government to know who is in the country at all times and to screen travelers who may have dangerous diseases or who may be terrorists or involved in other violent crimes.
Using the Korean Electronic Travel Authorization
Travelers who need this kind of entry authorization will need to submit the application for the document at least 24 hours before they get on a plane to Korea. If they do not do this, they may not be permitted to enter the country once they get there.
Upon arrival in Korea, there will be ETA-only counters at the port of entry. Travelers with this documentation will be able to use these counters to fast-track their entry into the country. Other travelers may face longer lines or extended wait times.
The Korean Electronic Travel Authorization is valid for two years, unless the traveler experiences a name change or a change to other significant personal information. In these cases, they will need to get a new authorization before they can travel again. They will also need to get a new K-ETA if they have to renew their passport before the two years is up.
The K-ETA allows for multiple entries in that two-year time period, with no cap on the number of times the approval can be used. Travelers can enter the country for the purposes of tourism, business, attending or participating in meetings or other events, and visiting relatives in the country.
Note that, even with an approved Korean ETA, entry into the country will ultimately be determined by immigration agents at the time of entry. If they have concerns, entry may be delayed or denied, even for travelers with a approved ETA.
Getting More Information
It's easy to get questions answered about the Korean Electronic Travel Authorization. Travelers can submit questions in Korean, English, Thai, and Russian through the K-ETA website online. Note, though, that the application must be filled out in English.
If a traveler has their K-ETA denied and they know that they entered accurate and valid information, they can visit a Korean embassy for more information on how to enter the country.
One person can apply and pay for up to 30 people for the ETA. This allows families and groups to travel together.