Korea entry requirements 2026: K-ETA, e-Arrival Card and customs
Most visitors from Europe, North America and Oceania can enter Korea visa-free as tourists. What changes year to year is the paperwork around it: the K-ETA travel authorisation, and the e-Arrival Card that replaced the paper form. This is the situation as announced up to September 2026. Rules change, so check the official sites before you fly.
For trips in 2026
- K-ETA exemption: citizens of 22 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and most of western Europe, do not need a K-ETA until 31 December 2026.
- e-Arrival Card: if you enter without a K-ETA, you must file the online arrival card within the three days before you land. It applies to every traveller, including children.
- Travelling in 2027? Check whether the exemption has been extended before you book; if not, you will need a K-ETA again.
The K-ETA
| What it is | An online travel authorisation for visa-free visitors, approved before you board. It is not a visa, and it does not change how long you may stay. |
|---|---|
| Who needs it | Visa-free nationals not on the temporary exemption list. Exempt travellers may still apply voluntarily; holding a K-ETA means you do not have to file the e-Arrival Card. |
| How to apply | Only on the official site, k-eta.go.kr, at least 72 hours before departure. The fee is ₩10,000. Look-alike agency sites charge several times that for the same form. |
The e-Arrival Card
- File it on the official site, e-arrivalcard.go.kr, in the three days before arrival. You will need your passport, flight number and the address where you are staying.
- One card per traveller and per trip, including children and infants.
- Keep the confirmation; immigration can see it against your passport.
At immigration and customs
- Foreign visitors are photographed and fingerprinted at immigration.
- Duty-free allowance: goods up to about US$800 in value, plus limited alcohol and tobacco. Declare anything above it.
- Cash over US$10,000 or its equivalent must be declared.
- Meat, fruit and plants are restricted, and dogs at the airport are trained to find them. Declare food if in doubt.
- Some common medicines, including certain decongestants and ADHD drugs, are controlled in Korea. Carry prescriptions and check before you travel with them.
After you land
From here, see Incheon Airport to Seoul for the train or bus into the city, and eSIM and apps for getting online.
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