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South Korea visa requirements

Current entry categories for 199 passport nationalities, paired with official evidence as it is reviewed.

Access data checked August 24, 20268 official sources collected
Citizenship1Visa-free24ETA86Visa required88
Passport directory

Access by passport

Open any status for its canonical passport–destination page, evidence timeline, official sources, and application route where available.

199 passports

Citizenship

1

Visa-free

24

ETA

86

Visa required

88
Policy history

Official evidence timeline

One group agreement or destination policy can support many passport relationships. Dates are recorded only when an official source establishes them.

  1. Visa-free

    Temporary K-ETA exemption with a 90-day stay rule

    The listed passports are temporarily exempt from K-ETA through 31 December 2026 and have a 90-day short-stay rule.

    • The exemption ends on 31 December 2026 (KST) unless Korea extends it.
    • A traveller may still apply voluntarily for K-ETA to receive its stated arrival-card benefit, for the fee.
    • GB represents the UK British Citizen entry, not every British nationality document.
    • The route is for visa-free short entry for tourism, family visits, events, meetings, or non-remunerated business.
    • K-ETA is not a visa, and approval does not guarantee admission; immigration makes the final entry decision.
    • The nationality code does not flatten diplomatic, official, residence-card, crew, transit, ABTC, British-document, or other special cases.
    • Korea's e-Visa facility is limited to specified statuses and does not establish a general tourist eVisa for these passports.
    18 passport nationalities covered

    Australia, Austria, Hong Kong (SAR China), Macao (SAR China), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan (Chinese Taipei), United Kingdom, United States

    Official sourcesKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: Extension of the temporary K-ETA exemptionEmbassy of the Republic of Korea to Switzerland: Temporary K-ETA exemption list through 2026
  2. Visa-free

    Temporary K-ETA exemption with a three-month stay rule

    The listed passports are temporarily exempt from K-ETA through 31 December 2026 and have a three-month short-stay rule.

    • The exemption ends on 31 December 2026 (KST) unless Korea extends it.
    • A traveller may still apply voluntarily for K-ETA to receive its stated arrival-card benefit, for the fee.
    • The route is for visa-free short entry for tourism, family visits, events, meetings, or non-remunerated business.
    • K-ETA is not a visa, and approval does not guarantee admission; immigration makes the final entry decision.
    • The nationality code does not flatten diplomatic, official, residence-card, crew, transit, ABTC, British-document, or other special cases.
    • Korea's e-Visa facility is limited to specified statuses and does not establish a general tourist eVisa for these passports.
    5 passport nationalities covered

    Belgium, Liechtenstein, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland

    Official sourcesKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: Extension of the temporary K-ETA exemptionEmbassy of the Republic of Korea to Switzerland: Temporary K-ETA exemption list through 2026
  3. Visa-free

    Canada's temporary K-ETA exemption

    Canadian passport holders are temporarily exempt from K-ETA through 31 December 2026 and have a six-month stay rule.

    • The exemption ends on 31 December 2026 (KST) unless Korea extends it.
    • A traveller may still apply voluntarily for K-ETA to receive its stated arrival-card benefit, for the fee.
    • The route is for visa-free short entry for tourism, family visits, events, meetings, or non-remunerated business.
    • K-ETA is not a visa, and approval does not guarantee admission; immigration makes the final entry decision.
    • The nationality code does not flatten diplomatic, official, residence-card, crew, transit, ABTC, British-document, or other special cases.
    • Korea's e-Visa facility is limited to specified statuses and does not establish a general tourist eVisa for these passports.
    1 passport nationalities covered

    Canada

    Official sourcesKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: Extension of the temporary K-ETA exemptionEmbassy of the Republic of Korea to Switzerland: Temporary K-ETA exemption list through 2026
  4. Current official routeVisa required

    Other ordinary adult visitor passports require a Korean visa

    For the listed ordinary passports, a visitor must obtain a Korean visa before standard short entry because the current official entry guide expressly says countries absent from the K-ETA eligibility list must apply for a visa.

    • This is the ordinary adult-passport, standard short-visitor baseline; it does not establish work, study, residence, diplomatic, official, United Nations, crew, ABTC, cruise, or other special-document treatment.
    • The cited April 2026 Ministry of Foreign Affairs entry guide ties the complement to absence from the live K-ETA eligibility list and expressly directs an unlisted country to apply for a visa.
    • The result is not inferred from portal silence: the same official guide expressly identifies narrow exceptions for Korean nationals, age groups, registered foreigners, valid-visa holders, transfer or transit routes, and other special categories.
    • The guide separately directs readers to the Jeju visa-free and transfer-passenger schemes. Those itinerary- or destination-specific exceptions do not establish an unconditional ordinary-passport classification for Korea as a whole.
    • The temporary K-ETA exemption remains effective through 31 December 2026 (KST) for its separately listed passports; no code in this policy is in the current K-ETA eligibility or temporary-exemption groups.
    88 passport nationalities covered

    Ukraine, North Macedonia, Georgia, Moldova, Belize, Maldives, Timor-Leste, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, China, Kosovo, Belarus, Bolivia, Namibia, Indonesia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, The Gambia, Azerbaijan, Ghana, Philippines, Benin, Uganda, Armenia, Cape Verde Islands, Mongolia, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Kyrgyzstan, São Tomé and Príncipe, Uzbekistan, Burkina Faso, Cuba, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Gabon, India, Madagascar, Senegal, Algeria, Mauritania, Equatorial Guinea, Niger, Guinea, Mali, Tajikistan, Chad, Comoro Islands, Guinea-Bissau, Angola, Egypt, Jordan, Liberia, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Vietnam, Bhutan, Cambodia, Congo (Rep.), Djibouti, Laos, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Nigeria, Turkmenistan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Lebanon, South Sudan, Sudan, Libya, Sri Lanka, Eritrea, Iran, Palestinian Territory, Bangladesh, North Korea, Nepal, Somalia, Yemen, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan

    Official sourcesEmbassy of the Republic of Korea in Malaysia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Things to know before entering KoreaKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: Extension of the temporary K-ETA exemptionEmbassy of the Republic of Korea to Switzerland: Temporary K-ETA exemption list through 2026Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA FAQ: Who is eligible for the application exemption?
  5. Current official routeCitizenship

    Korean nationals enter with a Korean passport

    A person with Korean nationality uses a Korean passport to enter and leave Korea and does not need K-ETA on that passport.

    • This does not determine carrier requirements or treatment of a non-Korean passport held by a dual national.
    1 passport nationalities covered

    South Korea

    Official sourceKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA guidance for dual nationals
  6. Current official routeETA

    K-ETA eligible passports with a 30-day stay rule

    The listed passports use K-ETA for qualifying visa-free short entry, with a 30-day stay rule.

    • The live eligibility table states a 30-day stay rule.
    • The route is for visa-free short entry for tourism, family visits, events, meetings, or non-remunerated business.
    • K-ETA is not a visa, and approval does not guarantee admission; immigration makes the final entry decision.
    • The nationality code does not flatten diplomatic, official, residence-card, crew, transit, ABTC, British-document, or other special cases.
    • Korea's e-Visa facility is limited to specified statuses and does not establish a general tourist eVisa for these passports.
    29 passport nationalities covered

    Albania, Andorra, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Cyprus, eSwatini, Fiji, Guyana, Vatican City, Honduras, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Oman, Palau Islands, Paraguay, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tonga, Tunisia, Tuvalu

    Official sourcesKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA application guideKorea Visa Portal, Korea Immigration Service: Korea Visa Portal: what is e-Visa?
  7. Current official routeETA

    K-ETA eligible passports with a 90-day stay rule

    The listed passports use K-ETA for qualifying visa-free short entry, with a 90-day stay rule.

    • The live eligibility table states a 90-day stay rule.
    • The route is for visa-free short entry for tourism, family visits, events, meetings, or non-remunerated business.
    • K-ETA is not a visa, and approval does not guarantee admission; immigration makes the final entry decision.
    • The nationality code does not flatten diplomatic, official, residence-card, crew, transit, ABTC, British-document, or other special cases.
    • Korea's e-Visa facility is limited to specified statuses and does not establish a general tourist eVisa for these passports.
    47 passport nationalities covered

    Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Dominica, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czechia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Jamaica, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Morocco, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Serbia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela

    Official sourcesKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA application guideKorea Visa Portal, Korea Immigration Service: Korea Visa Portal: what is e-Visa?
  8. Current official routeETA

    K-ETA eligible passports with a three-month stay rule

    The listed passports use K-ETA for qualifying visa-free short entry, with a three-month stay rule.

    • The live eligibility table states a three-month stay rule.
    • The route is for visa-free short entry for tourism, family visits, events, meetings, or non-remunerated business.
    • K-ETA is not a visa, and approval does not guarantee admission; immigration makes the final entry decision.
    • The nationality code does not flatten diplomatic, official, residence-card, crew, transit, ABTC, British-document, or other special cases.
    • Korea's e-Visa facility is limited to specified statuses and does not establish a general tourist eVisa for these passports.
    5 passport nationalities covered

    Greece, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Suriname

    Official sourcesKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA application guideKorea Visa Portal, Korea Immigration Service: Korea Visa Portal: what is e-Visa?
  9. Current official routeETA

    KZ passport: K-ETA with a specific stay rule

    This passport uses K-ETA for qualifying visa-free short entry; the live table states 30 days in a row, not exceeding 60 days within 180 days.

    • The live eligibility table states 30 days in a row, not exceeding 60 days within 180 days.
    • The route is for visa-free short entry for tourism, family visits, events, meetings, or non-remunerated business.
    • K-ETA is not a visa, and approval does not guarantee admission; immigration makes the final entry decision.
    • The nationality code does not flatten diplomatic, official, residence-card, crew, transit, ABTC, British-document, or other special cases.
    • Korea's e-Visa facility is limited to specified statuses and does not establish a general tourist eVisa for these passports.
    1 passport nationalities covered

    Kazakhstan

    Official sourcesKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA application guideKorea Visa Portal, Korea Immigration Service: Korea Visa Portal: what is e-Visa?
  10. Current official routeETA

    LS passport: K-ETA with a specific stay rule

    This passport uses K-ETA for qualifying visa-free short entry; the live table states 60 days.

    • The live eligibility table states 60 days.
    • The route is for visa-free short entry for tourism, family visits, events, meetings, or non-remunerated business.
    • K-ETA is not a visa, and approval does not guarantee admission; immigration makes the final entry decision.
    • The nationality code does not flatten diplomatic, official, residence-card, crew, transit, ABTC, British-document, or other special cases.
    • Korea's e-Visa facility is limited to specified statuses and does not establish a general tourist eVisa for these passports.
    1 passport nationalities covered

    Lesotho

    Official sourcesKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA application guideKorea Visa Portal, Korea Immigration Service: Korea Visa Portal: what is e-Visa?
  11. Current official routeETA

    PT passport: K-ETA with a specific stay rule

    This passport uses K-ETA for qualifying visa-free short entry; the live table states 90 days in a row, not exceeding 90 days within 180 days.

    • The live eligibility table states 90 days in a row, not exceeding 90 days within 180 days.
    • The route is for visa-free short entry for tourism, family visits, events, meetings, or non-remunerated business.
    • K-ETA is not a visa, and approval does not guarantee admission; immigration makes the final entry decision.
    • The nationality code does not flatten diplomatic, official, residence-card, crew, transit, ABTC, British-document, or other special cases.
    • Korea's e-Visa facility is limited to specified statuses and does not establish a general tourist eVisa for these passports.
    1 passport nationalities covered

    Portugal

    Official sourcesKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA application guideKorea Visa Portal, Korea Immigration Service: Korea Visa Portal: what is e-Visa?
  12. Current official routeETA

    RU passport: K-ETA with a specific stay rule

    This passport uses K-ETA for qualifying visa-free short entry; the live table states 60 days in a row, not exceeding 90 days within 180 days.

    • The live eligibility table states 60 days in a row, not exceeding 90 days within 180 days.
    • The route is for visa-free short entry for tourism, family visits, events, meetings, or non-remunerated business.
    • K-ETA is not a visa, and approval does not guarantee admission; immigration makes the final entry decision.
    • The nationality code does not flatten diplomatic, official, residence-card, crew, transit, ABTC, British-document, or other special cases.
    • Korea's e-Visa facility is limited to specified statuses and does not establish a general tourist eVisa for these passports.
    1 passport nationalities covered

    Russian Federation

    Official sourcesKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA application guideKorea Visa Portal, Korea Immigration Service: Korea Visa Portal: what is e-Visa?
  13. Current official routeETA

    SM passport: K-ETA with a specific stay rule

    This passport uses K-ETA for qualifying visa-free short entry; the live table states 30 days.

    • The live eligibility table states 30 days.
    • The route is for visa-free short entry for tourism, family visits, events, meetings, or non-remunerated business.
    • K-ETA is not a visa, and approval does not guarantee admission; immigration makes the final entry decision.
    • The nationality code does not flatten diplomatic, official, residence-card, crew, transit, ABTC, British-document, or other special cases.
    • Korea's e-Visa facility is limited to specified statuses and does not establish a general tourist eVisa for these passports.
    1 passport nationalities covered

    San Marino

    Official sourcesKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA eligible countries and applicantsKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice: K-ETA application guideKorea Visa Portal, Korea Immigration Service: Korea Visa Portal: what is e-Visa?