South Korea visa and entry requirements

Who can use this: 107 passports^[1]

British nationals other than British citizens and New Caledonia get 30 days.

Stay

90 days. Canada 6 months, Lesotho 60 days, 30 days for some countries.^[1]

• 30 days: Albania, Andorra, Bahrain, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brunei, Cyprus, Eswatini, Fiji, Guyana, Honduras, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Monaco, Montenegro, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Paraguay, Samoa, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Tonga, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Vatican City
• 60 days: Lesotho
• 180 days: Canada

Fee

Free. K-ETA has its own fee.^[3]

Requirements

• No commercial activities during the stay.^[1]
• Visa-free travellers without K-ETA approval submit the e-Arrival Card.^[8]

Who can use this: 3 passports^[1]

Kazakhstan: 30 days in a row, not exceeding 60 days within 180 days. Portugal: 90 days in a row, not exceeding 90 days within 180 days. Russia: 60 days in a row, not exceeding 90 days within 180 days.

Stay

Stay set at entry. Kazakhstan 30 days per entry, 60 days within 180 days. Portugal 90 days within 180 days. Russia 60 days per entry, 90 days within 180 days.^[1]

Fee

Free. K-ETA has its own fee.^[3]

Requirements

• Visa-free travellers without K-ETA approval submit the e-Arrival Card.^[8]

Who can use this: All passports except: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cuba, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Uzbekistan, Yemen^[11]

Direct flight from overseas to Jeju Island without stopping elsewhere in Korea. Nationals of K-ETA eligible countries need K-ETA unless exempt.

Direct flights to Jeju Island only; the stay is limited to Jeju.

Stay

Stay set at entry

Entry points

Only at these entry points^[11]

Jeju International Airport (direct flights from overseas only)

Non-direct routes via Seoul or Busan are not eligible.

Requirements

• Direct flight from overseas to Jeju Island.^[11]
• Nationals of designated countries who want to travel from Jeju to other parts of Korea need a stay-area extension permit from the Jeju immigration office (2022 notice, Korean).^[12]

Who can use this: 1 passports^[13]

Chinese nationals who join specific group tours in China.

Chinese nationals on designated group tours only.

Stay

Stay set at entry

Scheme runs

Valid until December 31, 2026

Requirements

• Join a group tour arranged in China.^[13]

Extended from 2026-07-01 to 2026-12-31.

Who can use this: 110 passports^[1][4][5][6]

Nationals of 22 countries and regions are temporarily exempt until 2026-12-31 (AU, AT, BE, CA, DK, FI, FR, DE, HK, IT, JP, MO, NL, NZ, NO, PL, SG, ES, SE, TW, GB, US including Guam). Travellers aged 17 or younger or 65 or older, diplomatic or official passport holders, US forces under SOFA, crew, APEC Business Travel Card holders, transfer passengers, registered foreigners and visa holders, and UN passport holders are exempt.

Stay

Stay set at entry. K-ETA only authorizes boarding; the stay is the one set for the nationality.^[1]

Fee

₩10,000. Per person, non-refundable; online payment processing fees of about 3 percent may apply.^[3]

Processing

Generally within 72 hours.^[2]

Requirements

• Valid passport, valid e-mail address, ID photo and a credit or debit card for the fee.^[1]

The temporary exemption for 22 countries and regions ends on 2026-12-31.

Who can use this: All passports except: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Cuba, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Territories, Senegal, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Uzbekistan, Yemen^[9]

Travellers from the listed countries need a visa. Passengers must be travelling from their home country to a third country via Korea, or back.

Stay

30 days. B-2, maximum 30 days.^[9]

Requirements

• A valid visa (including permanent residency) of Canada, the United States (including Guam and Saipan), New Zealand or Australia, or of one of 32 listed European countries; European visas count only as a passport sticker.^[9]
• A flight ticket reserved for departure within 30 days.^[9]
• Stay in a third transfer country other than Korea of no more than 3 days; a trip only from the departure country to Korea and back requires a visa.^[9]
• No refusal of entry to Korea within 3 years and no fine of KRW 5 million or more or deportation for illegal stay or crimes.^[9]

Transfer passengers at Incheon Airport can also enter for up to 3 days with the Transit Tourism Program.

Who can use this: All passports^[15]

Stay

Stay set at entry. Stay length depends on the visa issued.

Processing

Regular processing at the Embassy in Ottawa is about 10 business days; other missions may differ.^[15]

Requirements

• Regular visas must be used within 3 months of issue.^[15]
• Visa labels are no longer issued; holders print the Visa Grant Notice on the Korea Visa Portal.^[15]

Fees vary by mission and nationality.