Quick answer: If your country is on the K-ETA visa-waiver list and you're flying to South Korea for tourism, you apply at the official portal k-eta.go.kr at least 72 hours before boarding. You'll need a clear passport bio-page scan, a recent color passport-style photo (at least 700 × 700 pixels), a credit card for the ₩10,300 fee, and your flight and accommodation details. Approval typically arrives within 24–72 hours by email. Save the approval PDF — airlines check it at boarding.

Table of Contents

  1. Step 1: Confirm You Actually Need a K-ETA
  2. Step 2: Prepare Your Passport, Photo, and Itinerary
  3. Step 3: Access the Official K-ETA Portal
  4. Step 4: Complete the Online Application Form
  5. Step 5: Pay the Processing Fee
  6. Step 6: Check Your Approval Status
  7. Step 7: Save the Approval for Boarding
  8. Common Rejection Reasons and How to Fix Them
  9. FAQ

Step 1: Confirm You Actually Need a K-ETA

Before you pay anything, verify whether K-ETA is the right document for your nationality and purpose.

Who currently needs K-ETA (as of 2026): citizens of about 110 countries that Korea allows to enter visa-free for up to 90 days — including the UK, Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, Brunei, and many others. This is the standard pre-boarding authorization for tourism, short business trips, and family visits.

Who is temporarily exempt: Korea's Ministry of Justice has run a rolling K-ETA exemption for 22 countries including the United States, Japan, Taiwan, and most EU member states through 2026. Citizens of exempt countries can board without K-ETA but still must complete the e-Arrival Card on arrival (or via the e-Arrival Card app before landing — faster at immigration).

Who cannot use K-ETA and must get a visa instead:

  • Anyone planning to work, study (90+ days), or reside in Korea.
  • Citizens of countries not on the visa-waiver list (including most of Africa, parts of Central Asia, and others — check with your nearest Korean consulate).
  • Travelers with a prior visa denial or overstay on their record.

If you're unsure, the safest path is the official eligibility checker at k-eta.go.kr — on the landing page, select "Application Eligibility" and enter your passport nationality. Do not pay for a third-party "eligibility service" — K-ETA applications are cheap and the official site handles this for free. For a broader view of visa options, see our Korea visa guide.

Step 2: Prepare Your Passport, Photo, and Itinerary

Gather these materials before you open the application form — the portal times out after 30 minutes of inactivity, and starting over is painful.

Passport:

  • Bio-page scan or clear phone photo (front page with your photo and details). JPG/PNG, at least 500 KB, under 10 MB.
  • Valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended Korea arrival date. Shorter-validity passports are rejected.
  • Passport number must be typed exactly as printed — no extra dashes, no missing characters.

Photo:

  • Color, passport-style: plain white/cream background, face centered, no glasses, no hat, neutral expression.
  • Taken within the last 6 months.
  • At least 700 × 700 pixels, square. JPG or PNG. Under 10 MB.
  • Smartphone selfies work if the lighting is clean and the background is plain. Avoid filters. Avoid shadows across your face.

Itinerary details:

  • Flight number and arrival date into Korea.
  • First accommodation in Korea — hotel name, address, and phone. For Airbnb or guesthouse, use the property name and address from your reservation email. For friends or family, their address and phone.
  • Purpose of visit (Tourism, Business, Visiting family, Transit, Event/Conference).
  • Funds estimate for your stay (total budget in KRW or USD).

Payment method:

  • Visa, Mastercard, JCB, or UnionPay credit card with international transactions enabled.
  • Processing fee is ₩10,300 (approximately $7.70 USD).

Step 3: Access the Official K-ETA Portal

The only authorized K-ETA portal is k-eta.go.kr. You will see knockoff sites in search results — they charge $50–$100 for the same application and have no affiliation with the Korean government. Verify the URL carefully: the official domain ends in .go.kr.

The portal runs in English, Korean, Japanese, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Thai, Vietnamese, and several others. Language toggle is in the top-right corner.

Recommended browsers: Chrome or Edge. Safari occasionally fails on the photo upload step; Firefox sometimes blocks the Korean payment iframe. If you hit a wall on one browser, try another — don't assume the application itself is broken.

On the homepage:

  1. Click the large "Apply for K-ETA" button.
  2. Select Individual Application (most travelers) or Group Application (for 2+ travelers on the same passport family or tour group — cheaper per head).
  3. Agree to the terms of service and privacy notice.

Step 4: Complete the Online Application Form

The form has five sections. Type carefully — names and passport numbers must match your passport exactly.

Section 1 — Personal Information:

  • Full name (family name and given names) exactly as on your passport.
  • Date of birth.
  • Gender, nationality, country of residence.
  • Occupation. If retired, select "Retired." If student, select "Student." There is no "Other" catch-all for unlisted jobs — pick the closest match.

Section 2 — Passport Details:

  • Passport type (Regular, Official, Diplomatic).
  • Passport number.
  • Issuing country.
  • Issue date and expiry date.
  • Upload the bio-page scan.

Section 3 — Travel Information:

  • Purpose of visit.
  • Arrival date (approximate is OK — K-ETA is valid for multiple visits over 3 years, so exact arrival is not binding).
  • Flight number and airline (if known). You can update this later if your flight changes.
  • Intended length of stay.
  • First accommodation address and phone.

Section 4 — Photo Upload:

  • Upload the passport-style photo.
  • The portal auto-checks face detection, background, and image quality. If it rejects your photo, re-shoot rather than retrying — trying to upload the same photo rarely works.

Section 5 — Background Declarations:

  • Any prior Korea visa refusals (answer yes/no).
  • Any past criminal record.
  • Any deportation from Korea or another country.
  • Any communicable diseases that Korea's CDC flags.

Answer truthfully. Lying on the K-ETA declaration is grounds for rejection and can affect future Korean visa applications.

Step 5: Pay the Processing Fee

After submitting the form, you'll see a payment page. The fee is ₩10,300 per applicant (group applications are discounted to around ₩10,000 per head).

Accepted payment methods:

  • Visa, Mastercard, JCB, American Express, and UnionPay credit cards.
  • KakaoPay, Naver Pay (Korean accounts only).
  • PayPal is not accepted.

If the payment fails:

  1. Check your card's international transaction settings. Many US and UK cards block .go.kr merchants by default as a fraud prevention measure. Call your bank to temporarily allow the charge.
  2. Disable any VPN. Korean payment gateways flag mismatched IPs.
  3. Try Chrome incognito mode. Cached session data sometimes interferes.
  4. Try a different card. If multiple cards fail, the portal may be under maintenance — check back in 2–4 hours.

Once payment succeeds, you'll see an application reference number (format: K-ETA-YYYY-XXXXXXXX). Screenshot it immediately. You'll need it to check status.

Step 6: Check Your Approval Status

Most K-ETA decisions return within 24–72 hours. Some are approved in as little as 10 minutes; rare cases with manual review take up to 5 days.

To check status:

  1. Return to k-eta.go.kr.
  2. Click Application Result Check in the top menu.
  3. Enter your reference number and passport number.

Possible statuses:

  • Under Review: wait. Checking more than once every 6 hours doesn't speed it up.
  • Approved: download the approval PDF.
  • Additional Documents Requested: log in, check your email, and upload the requested file. This adds 2–5 business days.
  • Rejected: see Common Rejection Reasons below. Some rejections can be appealed; others require applying for a full visa instead.

Approval also arrives by email to the address you provided. Check spam if the email doesn't show within 72 hours.

Step 7: Save the Approval for Boarding

Once approved:

  1. Download the approval PDF from the K-ETA portal. It has a QR code and an approval number.
  2. Save it to your phone (offline-accessible in Files, Apple Notes, Google Drive with offline mode, or a dedicated travel app).
  3. Print a paper copy. Not strictly required but some airline agents prefer visual confirmation, especially at smaller regional airports.
  4. Email it to yourself. Gives you a fallback if your phone dies.

At the airport, the airline (not Korean immigration) checks K-ETA status before issuing your boarding pass. Your approval is linked to your passport in the government system, so in theory the airline can verify electronically, but carriers occasionally ask to see the physical document. Show the PDF or printout on request.

On arrival in Korea, Korean immigration officers have your K-ETA status on their screen — you don't need to present it, though they can ask. Expect a short interview: purpose of visit, where you're staying, how long, return flight. Answer clearly; don't volunteer information you weren't asked for.

K-ETA validity: the approval is valid for 3 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. You can enter Korea multiple times on the same K-ETA during that window (up to 90 days per visit for most nationalities).

Common Rejection Reasons and How to Fix Them

Passport expires within 6 months of arrival. Renew your passport first, then re-apply with the new passport number.

Photo rejected by auto-check. Most common causes: shadows on face, off-center framing, glasses, or a non-plain background. Re-shoot against a white wall with even lighting.

Prior overstay or visa denial undisclosed. The K-ETA system cross-checks against immigration databases. If you have a prior issue, disclose it — undisclosed issues are near-automatic rejection. Minor prior overstays of under 30 days often still get approved if disclosed honestly.

Typo in passport number. The system rejects mismatches between the uploaded bio page and the typed number. Fix and resubmit (you'll need to pay the fee again).

Recent travel to sanctioned countries. Korea flags recent stays in specific countries for additional review. This doesn't automatically mean rejection, but processing takes longer.

Cannot reapply after rejection? You can re-apply once your issue is resolved (passport renewed, etc.). Persistent rejections typically require a full tourist visa application through a Korean consulate in your home country.

Like what you're reading?

Get weekly Korea tips. No spam.

FAQ

How much does a K-ETA cost in 2026?

₩10,300 per applicant (approximately $7.70 USD) for individual applications. Group applications of 2+ linked travelers are discounted to around ₩10,000 per head. The fee is non-refundable even if your application is rejected.

How long does K-ETA approval take?

Most approvals arrive within 24–72 hours of submission. Some are issued in under 10 minutes. Manual-review cases can take up to 5 business days. Apply at least 72 hours before boarding — airlines will not board you without an approved K-ETA if your nationality requires one.

How long is a K-ETA valid?

Three years from approval, or until your passport expires — whichever is sooner. During that window you can enter Korea multiple times for up to 90 days per visit (exact limit depends on your nationality's visa-waiver agreement).

What happens if my K-ETA is rejected?

You cannot board for tourism without either an approved K-ETA (if required for your nationality) or a full tourist visa. If rejected, review the stated reason, fix the issue (renew passport, correct typo, disclose prior records), and reapply. Persistent rejections usually require applying for a C-3 tourist visa through a Korean consulate.

Do US citizens need a K-ETA?

As of 2026, US citizens are on the rolling K-ETA exemption list — they can enter Korea visa-free for up to 90 days without K-ETA, but must complete the e-Arrival Card either online (before landing) or on paper at immigration. The exemption is reviewed annually and could change; check the latest status at k-eta.go.kr before your trip.

Can I apply for K-ETA on my phone?

Yes. The k-eta.go.kr portal is mobile-responsive and there is an official app (K-ETA, available on iOS and Android). Photo upload tends to be more reliable on desktop browsers, so if you hit an error on mobile, switch devices for that step.