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K-ETA or e-Arrival Card? What you need to enter Korea

With your US passport, you don't need K-ETA for this trip. Submit the free e-Arrival Card from October 16, 2026 (Korea time).

You can stay up to 90 days without a visa. The temporary K-ETA exemption ends on December 31, 2026.

Check with your passport

Age on arrival day
Do you already have any of these? (valid on arrival)

Includes a permanent resident card or an overseas Korean resident card.

More options
Why are you visiting?
Will you stay longer than 90 days?

1. What you need

K-ETA and the e-Arrival Card are two different things. Most visitors need only one of them.

K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization)

Not needed until December 31, 2026. You can still get it if you want to skip the e-Arrival Card.

e-Arrival Card

Needed. Submit it free from October 16, 2026 (Korea time).

Visa

Not needed for a stay of up to 90 days for tourism, family visits or business meetings.

An immigration officer makes the final decision when you arrive.

2. When and how

When to apply for K-ETA

Apply on the official website or the K-ETA app. Approval usually comes within 72 hours, but it can take longer. You must have it before you board.

K-ETA cost

10,000 won per person (about US$7–8), plus a card fee of about 3%. There is no refund, even if your application is refused.

How long K-ETA lasts

3 years, or until your passport expires if that is sooner. You can use it for many trips.

When to submit the e-Arrival Card

From 3 days before arrival, in Korea time. For an arrival on October 18, 2026, you can submit it on October 16, October 17 or October 18, 2026. You can also submit it after landing, before immigration.

e-Arrival Card cost and validity

It is free. It expires 72 hours after you submit it, and it works for one entry only.

How to submit

Use the website on a phone or a computer. There is no app. One submission on a phone can include up to 9 people.

At the airport

You don't need to show a printout of the e-Arrival Card. Officers can see what you submitted. You can save the PDF if you want.

3. Next steps

Common questions

Do I need both K-ETA and the e-Arrival Card?

No. If you have a valid K-ETA, you don't submit the e-Arrival Card. If you don't have K-ETA, you submit the e-Arrival Card. One exception: if you enter with a Korean visa, submit the e-Arrival Card even if you also have K-ETA.

Do I need to print anything?

No printout is needed for the e-Arrival Card. If your details are correct, the officer can see your submission. You can save or print the PDF if you want. For K-ETA, check in with the same passport you used to apply.

The website is not working. What can I do?

For K-ETA, clear your browser cache and reload the page (Ctrl+Shift+R on Windows, Cmd+Shift+R on Mac), or reinstall the K-ETA app. For the e-Arrival Card, emails to Gmail, Outlook.com, Hotmail.com and QQ.com can arrive late or not at all, so save the PDF right after you submit. Both sites post planned downtime on their notice pages. If you still can't submit before landing, you can submit it, or fill out a paper card, before immigration.

Is this K-ETA or arrival card site a scam?

The official sites are k-eta.go.kr (and the K-ETA app) and e-arrivalcard.go.kr. The e-Arrival Card is free. K-ETA costs 10,000 won. Korea warns that some non-official sites charge higher fees. If a site asks you to pay for the arrival card, it is not the official one.

I paid for K-ETA, but my country was exempt. Can I get a refund?

No. The K-ETA fee is not refunded. Your K-ETA still works: it lasts 3 years (or until your passport expires), and while it is valid you don't need the e-Arrival Card.

More questions
My child or parent is traveling with me. Do they need K-ETA?

Not if they are 17 or younger, or 65 or older, on the arrival day. They still need the e-Arrival Card, unless they have K-ETA. One person can submit the e-Arrival Card for up to 9 people at once on a phone. A parent can submit it for a child.

I'm only changing planes in Korea. Do I need anything?

If you stay in the transit area, you need neither K-ETA nor the e-Arrival Card. If you go through immigration, for example to collect your bags, you need the same documents as other visitors. On the e-Arrival Card, enter the airport address as your address in Korea.

What happens after December 31, 2026?

The temporary K-ETA exemption ends on December 31, 2026 (Korea time). As of October 4, 2026, the K-ETA website has no notice about 2027. The last extension was posted on December 23, 2025. A K-ETA you get now is valid for 3 years, so it also covers trips in 2027.

What is Q-CODE? Do I need it?

Q-CODE is a health form. If you have visited a Quarantine Inspection Required Area, enter Q-CODE before arrival or submit a Health Questionnaire. It is separate from K-ETA and the e-Arrival Card.

Does the e-Arrival Card replace the customs form?

No. The e-Arrival Card is only for immigration. Customs and quarantine are separate.

I'm flying direct to Jeju. Do I still need K-ETA?

Yes, if your passport needs K-ETA. A direct flight to Jeju does not change this.

Official sources

More official sources
Korean law (5 articles, in Korean)

Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules can change. This page is information, not legal advice.

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