Full Implementation of

Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA)

Starting September 1st, 2021

Starting from 1 September, 2021, travelers from countries that are

required a K-ETA must hold a K-ETA by applying on the K-ETA website
(or mobile app) at least 24 hours before their flight. Only K-ETA
approved travelers will be able to board a flight bound to the Republic of
Korea.
Please read the following information carefully to avoid inconvenience
when travelling to Korea.

Subject K-ETA Pilot Operation K-ETA Full Implementation

(From 3 May to 31 August, 2021) (From 1 September, 2021)

Countries
A total of 112 countries, including visa waiver countries (B-1)
Eligible for
and designated visa-free entry countries (B-2)
K-ETA

K-ETA available to 49
countries (visa is required for
K-ETA Eligible
K-ETA available to 21 63 countries)
Countries
countries (visa is required for
Adjusted due * List of countries subject to change
91 countries)
to COVID-19 depending on the COVID-19
situation (Check the website for
more information)
No additional procedure Traveler must apply for K-
required. Traveler can board ETA at least 24 hours before
the flight after check-in. boarding the flight.
Boarding *Website: www.k-eta.go.kr
Flight Mobile app: K-ETA
*Fee is 10,000KRW and
validity is 2 years (multiple
entry)
Travelers need to fill out and Travelers are exempt from
submit the Arrival Card. submitting the Arrival Card.
Entering Korea
Traveler goes through normal Travelers can use exclusive
immigration entry clearance. entry clearance lanes.
 1. Main Contents of K-ETA

1. Main Contents
 K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) is a travel
authorization that foreign nationals, who are eligible to travel to the
Republic of Korea without a visa, need to obtain by providing
personal and travel related information through the K-ETA website
(or mobile app) in advance

 Application and Approval Procedure

① ② ③ ④
Notify Results
K-ETA Application Entry
(Ok, Not Ok,
Application Assessment (Ok, Selectee)
Selectee)

Foreign Foreign
K-ETA Center K-ETA Center
National National

○1 (Application) Foreign national should apply for the K-ETA on the

K-ETA website* at least 24 hours before departure

 PC: www.k-eta.go.kr, Mobile App: K-ETA (App Store, Google Play Store)
○2 (Assessment) The K-ETA system will automatically analyze the
application information (bio data (facial image), watch list, passenger
reliability, etc.)
– If there are no issues, generally the application will be
automatically approved within 30 minutes.
– If any issues arise, the K-ETA official will check and determine
the traveler as ‘Selectee*’ or ‘Not OK’ within 24 hours.
 Selectees will be sent to secondary inspection upon entry and in-depth
interviews will be carried out.
○3 (Notification) Results will be sent to the e-mail address submitted

by foreign national applicant

○4 (Entry) Those who received ‘OK’ will be exempt from submitting the

arrival card, and those who received ‘Selectee’ will be sent to

secondary inspection for in-depth interview before final determination
of admission. K-ETA approved (including ‘Selectees’) persons will
receive convenience such as being exempt from submitting arrival
cards upon entry.

 K-ETA Required Countries: 112 Countries that can enter Korea

without a visa
- Nationals of ○
1 66 visa-waiver (B-1) countries and ○
2 46
designated visa-free entry (B-2) countries
- However, due to the current COVID-19 situation, the K-ETA will
only be available for ○
1 visa-free entry eligible nationals of 49

countries (attachment 2) as of 1 September and ○

2 priority entry

(business) persons (attachment 4) from the 63 countries (attachment

3) that are temporarily suspended visa-free entry.

 K-ETA Fee: 10,000KRW

 K-ETA Validity: 2 years from the date of approval, regardless of

number of entries within the validity period
 For priority entry persons such as business persons, K-ETA is valid for single
entry.
2. List of 49 K-ETA Countries (as of 1 September, 2021)

The United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Nicaragua, Commonwealth of

Dominica, Barbados, Venezuela, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts-
Nevis, Malta, Ireland, Guyana, Monaco, Holy See (Vatican City State), San Marino,
Andorra, Albania, Slovenia, Guam, New Caledonia, Palau
Greece, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Romania, Luxembourg,
Lithuania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Sweden, Spain, Slovakia, Estonia, Austria,
Italy, Czech Republic, Croatia, Portugal, Poland, France, Finland, Hungary,
Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Iceland

3. List of 63 Countries Currently Suspended from K-ETA

Application (as of 1 September, 2021)

63 Countries

Macau, Malaysia, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam, Saudi

Asia (17) Arabia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Israel,
Japan, Kazakhstan, Qatar, Kuwait, Taiwan, Thailand,
Turkey, Hong Kong

Guatemala, Grenada, Dominican Republic, Bahamas,

Brazil, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda,
Americas (23) El Salvador, Uruguay, Jamaica, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia,
Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Peru, Canada, Argentina,
Honduras, Paraguay, Ecuador

Europe (4) Russia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia

Nauru, New Zealand, Marshall Islands, Micronesia,

Oceania (11) Samoa, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Fiji, Tonga, Tuvalu,
Australia

Africa (8) Republic of South Africa, Lesotho, Morocco, Mauritius,

Botswana, Seychelles, Eswatini, Tunisia
 4. K-ETA Application Guide for Priority Entry Persons

1. K-ETA application will be available for priority entry (business)

persons starting from 1 September, 2021.
 Among those nationals from 63 countries currently suspended from
visa-free entry (attachment 3), whose purpose of stay is short-term
visit (C-3), and who intends to enter Korea for ‘important business
purposes’.
 (Eligible applicants for C-3 visa) A person who plans to stay for
a period not exceeding 90 days for the purpose of commercial
activities such as market research, business contact, consulting,
contracts, etc. and tourism, transit, recuperation, visiting relatives,
non-official sports games, attending events or meetings,
performing cultural art, engaging in a training, taking lessons,
attending a religious ceremony, collecting documents for
academic research or any other equivalent activities
 Short-term Employment (C-4) visa holders are not eligible to apply
for K-ETA through the ‘Priority Entry Persons’ scheme.
 (Eligible applicants for C-4 visa) A person who plans to stay for
the purpose of temporary performance, advertisement or fashion
models, lecture/speeches, research, technical consulting or any
other equivalent for-profit activities
* Business persons from the 49 countries eligible for K-ETA application can
apply for K-ETA on the K-ETA website (www.k-eta.go.kr) or mobile app (K-
ETA) regardless of the COVID-19 situation.

2. Application and Approval Procedures

Company ▶ Request for K-ETA to relevant ministry
○
1
(Organization) in Korea

▶ Check applicant eligibility for ‘Priority Entry
Relevant Department
○
2 Persons’
(Ministry)
▶ Apply K-ETA through official note to MOJ

Ministry of Justice ▶ Carry out K-ETA applicant assessment,
○
3
(MOJ) determine approval
 ▶ Send K-ETA results through official note to
relevant department and company

▶ Notify foreign invitee of K-ETA results
○
4 Company

Foreign National ▶ Carry MOJ official note at check-in for
○
5
(Invitee) departure, and enter the Republic of Korea

* K-ETA assessment may take up to 5 business days from the date of receipt
of the official note regarding application

3. Detailed Information
① Company (organization) in Korea that intends to invite a foreign
national requests for K-ETA to the relevant department by
submitting an application enclosed with company-related
documents (certificate of business registration, etc.) and the
foreign invitee information (application excel form, passport bio
page copy)
② The relevant department carries out company screening and
checks the invitee’s eligibility for priority entry persons. Then
sends an official note to the Ministry of Justice for K-ETA
application.
③ The Ministry of Justice determines whether or not the foreign
invitee is eligible to enter Korea, and sends the K-ETA
assessment results to the relevant department and company
* The relevant department will receive an official note, and the company will
receive the official note via e-mail.
④ The company delivers the official note regarding the K-ETA
results from the Ministry of Justice to the foreign invitee
⑤ K-ETA approved foreign invitees are required to carry the official
note from the Ministry of Justice to receive the boarding pass and
 enter Korea.
 Those who are eligible for this scheme do not have to obtain a separate visa
or apply for the K-ETA directly through the K-ETA website.

4. Required Documents
 Company-related documents (certificate of business registration,
etc.), a copy of the passport bio page of the foreign invitee, list of
applicants, etc.
 Required documents may differ by department, please
contact the relevant department for more information.

5. Where & How to Apply

 For K-ETA application for the ‘priority entry (business) persons’,
please contact the relevant department to the company’s business
and submit the documents
<Departments and Business Area>
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (major manufacturing, medium enterprise),
Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (culture, sports), Ministry of Agriculture, Food
and Rural Affairs (agriculture, livestock, food), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and
Transport (construction, transportation), Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
(marine products, marine transport), Financial Services Commission (finance), Ministry
of SMEs and Startups (SMEs), Ministry of Education (industry-academic cooperation),
Ministry of Science and ICT (IT, information and communications, basic science),
Ministry of Health and Welfare (health care, medical treatment), Ministry of Drug and
Food Safety (food safety, medical device, pharmaceuticals), Defense Acquisition
Program Administration (defense industry), Korea Communications Commission
(broadcasting), etc.

6. Validity
 K-ETA approved ‘priority entry (business) persons’ should enter
Korea within the validity period specified on the official note. (In
 general, 10 days before and after the expected date of entry)
 Unlike the K-ETA issued through online application, the K-ETA
approval official note given to ‘priority entry (business) persons’ is
valid for one-time use only. The K-ETA will no longer be valid after
the person’s departure from Korea.

7. Other Matters
 Even if you receive K-ETA approval, this does not mean you will be
exempted from COVID-19 related quarantine measures. Please
contact the relevant department for matters related to quarantine,
such as PCR test results or quarantine exemption.
 5. K-ETA FAQ for Travelers

Q1. When K-ETA is fully implemented from September 1st, which

countries are eligible for K-ETA?

A. When K-ETA is implemented in full scale from September 1st, only

nationals of 49 countries/regions where visa-free entry is available are
eligible for K-ETA. From September 1st, K-ETA required foreign visitors
must apply for K-ETA and pay for the application fee. The K-ETA eligible
countries/regions are subject to change depending on the COVID-19
situation, and the change would be announced on the official K-ETA
website (www.k-eta.go.kr).

Q2. If I am a national of visa-free entry suspended country/region, but I

am fully vaccinated, can I apply for K-ETA? If so, can I be exempted from
quarantine?

A. Please be advised that the vaccination status is irrelevant to K-ETA

application. Even if you are fully vaccinated, only nationals of 49
countries/regions will be able to apply for K-ETA. Also, all visitors
entering Korea are required to quarantine for 14 days except for those
who obtained exemption for quarantine. For detailed information on the
quarantine requirements, please contact the Korea Disease Control and
Prevention Agency (☏ 1339).

Q3. I cannot enter the address in the address box. How can I fill out the
address where I will stay?

A. For the address search, you can get the result quickly and easily if you
enter both the five-digit postal code and the road name (without the
building number and special characters) in the ‘Address Finder’ pop-up
 window. For your reference, detailed guidance can be found at the
[Notice] board (No. 5: Address Finder) of the official K-ETA website.

Q4. When I upload my photo, it says that the file size limit exceeded.
What should I do?

A. As numerous K-ETA applications from all over the world are being
submitted, there is a limitation with the file size. Your photo size should
be less than 100KB and 700*700 pixels. If you find it difficult to change
the size, download the K-ETA application (K-ETA) from Google Play
(Android Phone) or App Store (iPhone). The mobile app will
automatically resize the photo.

Q5. Can I change/edit my application (passport number, name,

nationality, etc.) after completing the K-ETA application?

A. Incorrect information can be corrected at any time before the application

is submitted. After you submitted your application, you cannot
change/edit the information except for your address and contact
information in Korea and the purpose of your visit; hence you must re-
apply. However, if your previous application is under screening, the
system will automatically reject the new application. The result will be
sent to the e-mail the applicant entered within 24 hours. You will be able
to re-apply after you receive the notification.

Q6. I am a Korean with multiple nationalities. But, I do not have a Korean

passport, so I plan to use my US passport to enter the country. Do I need
to apply for K-ETA?

A. By law, those who have Korean citizenship should enter and leave Korea
with a Korean passport, even if you have multiple nationalities. If you use
a Korean passport, K-ETA is not required when you get your boarding
pass and enter the country. However, if you do not have a Korean
 passport, you need to get a Korean passport from a Korean diplomatic
mission before entering the country.

Q7. If I plan to stay at more than one place, how should I fill out the
address?

A. If you plan to stay at various locations, please enter the address of the
main location where you will be staying during the visit. If there is a
change in the address after you obtained the K-ETA approval, please
update it at the K-ETA website [K-ETA Application Results]-[Check e-
Arrival Card]. Please be advised that there may be disadvantages if you
do not update your address.

Q8. I am a national from a country where visa-free entry has been

suspended, but if I depart from (or is currently living in) a visa-free entry
country, can I apply for K-ETA?

A. K-ETA application eligibility is based on the passport issuing country and

not on the country you reside or depart. Therefore, if you are a national
of a country where visa-free entry has been suspended, you cannot
apply for K-ETA.

Q9. I have submitted the K-ETA application and received an application

number. However, I received a notification e-mail saying that the
application information will be deleted if the application is not completed.

A. The K-ETA system automatically sends the ‘Notification of Delete for

Application’ e-mail if there is any incomplete application remaining in the
system. You may receive the e-mail if you stopped filling out a K-ETA
application and started to fill out a new application. You can check the
status of the application on K-ETA website [K-ETA Application Results] –
 [Check K-ETA Results]. If your application is approved, you can enter the
country with the ‘Approval for Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA)’.

Q10. Do I need to print out and submit the ‘Approval for Electronic Travel
Authorization (K-ETA)’ and the ‘e-Arrival Card’ upon arrival?

A. If you receive ‘Approval for Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA),’ you

do not need to print or bring the ‘Approval for Electronic Travel
Authorization (K-ETA)’ and ‘e-Arrival Card’ with you when entering Korea.
 6. K-ETA FAQ for Priority Entry Persons

Q1. Who are eligible for K-ETA under ‘Priority Entry (Business) Persons’?

A. Foreign nationals of the 91 countries/regions where visa-free entry has

been suspended who intend to enter the Republic of Korea for an
important business purpose are eligible for K-ETA under Priority Entry
(Business) Persons. However, those who intend to work for short term to
engage in profit-making activities (C-4), such as temporary performance
activities, advertisement/fashion models, lecture/speeches, research,
technical guidance, are not allowed to apply and must obtain a visa at a
diplomatic mission for entry.

Q2. Please explain the K-ETA application procedure for ‘Priority Entry
(Business) Persons.

A. First, the domestic company (or organization) applies for K-ETA to the
department (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Defense Acquisition
Program Administration, Ministry of SMEs and Startups, Ministry of Land,
Infrastructure and Transport, etc.) related to their business area.

When the department recognizes that the entry purpose of the applicant
is ‘important business purpose (priority entry persons)’, the department
requests K-ETA application to the Ministry of Justice via official letter.

The Ministry of Justice carries out assessment on the received K-ETA

application, and then notifies the result to the company by e-mail and
also to the department in official letter.

Lastly, the company notifies and sends the official letter containing the
K-ETA result to the foreign invitee. Foreign invitees are required to carry
the ‘official letter for K-ETA approval’ to be issued the boarding pass and
enter the country.
 Q3. What kind of documents are required when applying for K-ETA under
‘Priority Entry (Business) Persons’?

A. To apply for K-ETA under 'Priority Entry (Business) Persons', you need to
submit the documents required by the relevant department, such as
certificate of business registration, a copy of the passport bio page of the
foreign invitee, and the list of the applicants.

For further information, please visit the official K-ETA website and refer
to ‘[Notice] #6. K-ETA Application Guide for [Priority Entry (Business)
Persons]’.