Visas

Visa is an entry permission granted by the country you are visiting. A visa has basic information about the traveler, such as the visa type, purpose of visit, status, sojourn period, etc. All foreign nationals must hold a valid Korean visa to enter Korea, unless they qualify for visa exemption under the Visa Waiver Agreement.

Travelers exempt from the visa requirement must apply for and obtain a K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization), a travel permit for foreigners from a visa-waiver country, before entering Korea.

Visa Types

• • Single-entry Visa: You can enter once before the expiration date
• • Double-entry Visa: You can enter twice before the expiration date (6 months)
• • Multiple-entry Visa: You can enter multiple times before the expiration date (1 year, 3 years, 5 years)

Visa Application Check Points

• ✓ Check if you need to obtain a visa based on your citizenship
• ✓ If you are not eligible for a visa exemption, apply for a visa based on your visiting purpose and period
• ✓ If you are eligible for a visa exemption and do not need a visa to enter Korea, apply for and obtain a K-ETA before you board the plane or ship

♤ Where to Apply for a Visa

* For up-to-date visa information and requirements, please check the Korea Visa Portal website.

Korea Visa Portal >>
(Korean, English, Chinese)

HiKorea, e-Government for Foreigners >>
(Korean, English, Chinese)

Where to Ask for Help

For inquiries related to visas, call the Immigration Contact Center at +82-1345 from abroad, or 1345 without area code for domestic calls in Korea. Assistance is available only on weekdays from 09:00-22:00.

• * Call hours 09:00-18:00 - Assistance is offered in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Mongolian, Indonesian, French, Bengali, Urdu, Russian, Nepali, Cambodian, Burmese, German, Spanish, Filipino, Arabic, and Sinhala
• ** Call hours 18:00-22:00 – Assistance is offered in Korean, English, and Chinese

K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization)

If you hold a passport that exempts you from the visa requirement, you must obtain a K-ETA before boarding a plane or ship. Once you get your K-ETA, it will be valid for three years or until your passport’s expiration date, whichever is first, and you can use the same K-ETA for multiple visits until it expires. The K-ETA validity period does not override the visa-free stay period guaranteed by the Visa Waiver Agreement; the visa-free stay period varies by country, so make sure to check in advance.

Please be aware that an approved K-ETA does not guarantee your entry into Korea, and the final decision is made by the Korean Immigration Officer at the port of entry.

Temporary Exemption of K-ETA

K-ETA is exempted for foreign nationals of designated countries or regions from April 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025 to boost Korea tourism. The complete list of countries/regions can be found at the K-ETA website.

♤ The Official K-ETA Website >>
(Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, French, Spanish, Malay, Thai)

♤ Check K-ETA Eligibility >>
(Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, French, Spanish, Malay, Thai)

Q-Code, Quarantine Pre-Entry System

If you are entering from or have traveled to one of the Quarantine Inspection Required Areas, you must either enter your information in Q-Code in advance or fill out and submit a Health Questionnaire.

You can enter your Q-Code information starting seven days prior to your arrival to Korea. If you complete your Q-Code registration before you board the flight, you can skip the Health Questionnaire and just show your Q-Code QR code instead during the quarantine screening.