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 from April 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025 to boost Korea tourism. The complete list of countries 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.

Q-CODE Website >>
(Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese)