Clouds reflected in the Namdae stream at dusk, Gangneung, South Korea

Who needs a visa for South Korea?

Eastern Asia · Seoul

Photo: Basile Morin / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Of 198 nationalities, 62 enter South Korea with no paperwork at all. The rest: 136 must be approved before they travel.

Government fee
10,000 KRW
Typical decision
Up to 72 hours
Stay permitted
3 years, or until the passport expires if sooner. Usable for multiple trips.
Apply on the official South Korea government site

This is the government's own portal. We are not paid to send you there.

Checked 18 October 2026 — read the fees and rules on k-eta.go.kr

What South Korea asks for

  • Valid passport
  • Valid email address
  • ID photo
  • Credit or debit card to pay the fee

Worth knowing

  • The K-ETA fee is not refunded if the application is refused.
  • K-ETA validity is not the length of stay. Each visit is still limited to your country's visa-free period.
  • Apply only at k-eta.go.kr or the official K-ETA app. Other sites charge more for the same application.

Photo requirements

We have not yet read the photo rules for South Korea on an official page, so we print no sizes. Photo rules we have checked, and official links for the rest

Resize a photo in your browser. It is never uploaded.

How long your passport must be valid for South Korea: see passport validity by country.

What do you need?

Who needs what

Visa free 62

Nothing to apply for and nothing to pay before you travel.

eTA (electronic travel authorisation) 48

Not a visa. A short online form for travellers who are already visa-exempt, usually approved automatically in minutes to hours. No appointment, no interview, no documents.

eVisa (electronic visa) 88

A real visa application, made online instead of at an embassy. It is assessed, it takes days rather than minutes, and it can be refused.

Guides for South Korea

About South Korea

Region
Eastern Asia
Capital
Seoul
Population
51,684,564 2025 · 29th of 197
Size
100,210 km² 107th largest of 199
Density
516 per km²
Language
Korean
Currency
South Korean won KRW
Borders
North Korea

Capital, area, languages and currency from the open country dataset, pulled 21 September 2026. Population from the World Bank, series updated 13 July 2026. Density is calculated from the two figures above.