Visa

Any foreign visitors wishing to enter the Republic of Korea must have a valid passport and obtain a Korean visa before the visitation. For nationals in countries eligible for visa-free entry to Korea, one must obtain K-ETA. This is a new measure put in force in Oct. 2021. Please make sure to check whether you need a Korean visa or K-ETA.

※ Starting July 1st, 2020, The Embassy of the Republic of Korea (ROK) issues a Confirmation of Visa Issuance in place of a visa label as an entry permit into Korea

Example of Confirmation of Visa Issuance

Countries under Visa Waiver Agreement

Please visit the Korea Visa Portal website, or contact your local Korean Embassy for accurate visa information, as rules and regulations vary depending on the country you’re coming from.

The Korean Government may have suspended visa exemptions and visa-free entry for foreign nationals in some countries due to COVID-19. Therefore, all individuals in those countries may be required to apply for a visa before travel even though they were previously eligible for visa-free travel to Korea. The list of countries affected by this measure can vary at any time with changes in COVID-19 circumstances; please check the up-to-date entry requirements before leaving for Korea.

If you need an invitation letter to participate in APSEC 2023, please email APSEC 2023 Secretariat at secretariat@apsec2023.org.

K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization)

K-ETA is mandatory for nationals or citizens of 112 countries/regions where visa-free entry is available. 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 and ② priority entry (business) persons from the 63 countries that are temporarily suspended visa-free entry.

※ Updated In celebration of ‘Visit Korea Year (2023~2024)’, K-ETA will be temporarily exempted to 22 countries/regions from April 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024 (KST). The 22 countries/regions include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macao, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, UK, US (including Guam). Please note that nationals of the above can still apply for K-ETA at 10,000KRW per person, and those who have the K-ETA are not required to submit an arrival card at the port of arrival. (https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/board/viewboardlist.do?tmpltNm=notice)

• You must apply for a K-ETA at least 1 month before boarding the flight or ship bound for the Republic of Korea. You can apply for K-ETA on the K-ETA official website or mobile App (K-ETA)
• K-ETA is not a VISA. K-ETA approval does not guarantee admission to the Republic of Korea; a Korea Immigration Service officer will have the final determination at a port of entry.
• Once you have been approved, the K-ETA is valid for two years. K-ETA is generally valid for multiple trips over a period of two years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
• You can get the results by email within 72 hours after submitting the K-ETA application.
• If you submit false information on the K-ETA application, the K-ETA approval will be refused or canceled. You may also be subject to penalties or face entry restrictions according to relevant Korean laws. Please re-check your information and correct any mistakes before submitting your application.

Apply for K-ETA

In order to apply for K-ETA, go to the K-ETA official website or mobile App (K-ETA).

• Who are eligible for: 112 countries that can enter Korea without a visa
  ※ Check your country in the links below. If your country isn’t listed, you need a visa to travel to Korea.
  Check with your embassy if travel visas are being issued now. (https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/guide/viewetaalification.do)
• What you need to have a K-ETA

1. Valid passport
2. Valid e-mail address
3. Face image photo
4. Credit or debit card that can be used to pay the fee.

※ Fee: KRW 10,000 per person (Approximately USD $10 / additional fee 3% excluded)
※ K-ETA application fee is non-refundable even though the application is rejected.
※ You can pay by debit card or global credit card such as VISA, Master, JCB, or AMEX (automatic calculation of fees by country according to exchange rate).

Entry Procedure

As with many other places around the world, the local situation and rules in Seoul, Korea regarding Covid-19 keep changing, so please stay vigilant and updated with the latest information.(as of January 3, 2023)

All individuals entering Korea are required to go through a special immigration process to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Immigration safety measures are subject to frequent changes, and therefore travelers are advised to check for updates from the Korea Disease Control Agency(KDCA).

Step 1. Fill out the Health Questionnaire and Travel Record Declaration (Special Quarantine Report) on board the plane.
※ Does not apply to Q-code applicants who pre-registered their information.

Step 2. Upon arrival at the airport, proceed to check the temperature and submit documents at the quarantine checkpoint.
※ Q-code applicants may use their pre-issued QR code instead of submitting the following printed documents.

Required documents

• Health Questionnaire & Travel Record Declaration
• Passport

Step 3. Quarantine Procedure

• Asymptomatic
  Individuals who are fully vaccinated (either in Korea or overseas) and show no signs of symptoms (i.e., fever, cough, etc.) during the health screening process and on their Health Questionnaire may proceed to their destination after immigration check.
• Symptomatic
  Travelers with symptoms within three days after arrival can get tested for free at a COVID-19 test center or local health clinic.

If the test returns positive, travelers must quarantine at their place of residence, the hospital, or a care facility for seven days.

It is recommended to take the RAT with a self-testing kit or at a test center on the 6th or 7th day of quarantine.

Step 4. Submit Test Results

Starting July 14, 2022, all travelers must register on Q-Code regardless of Q-Code pre-entry registration. Travelers who did not use the Q-Code pre-entry system can register by entering their passport number, date of birth, and date of entry.

• Q-code Website (Korean, English)
• Incheon International Airport Covid-19 Testing Center (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese)