K-ETA and the e-Arrival Card:
who files what
The K-ETA waiver is real but narrower than most blogs say: 22 jurisdictions through 31 December 2026, not 67 — Ireland, Switzerland, Portugal, Greece and most of eastern Europe still need one. Since 1 January 2026 everyone must instead file a free e-Arrival Card within 72 hours of arrival — unless you voluntarily hold a K-ETA, which is why repeat visitors now buy the ₩10,000 K-ETA to skip the form on every trip. Below: the full 22 list, the e-Arrival mechanics, and the one genuinely useful trick in Korea's entry paperwork.
Who's waived from K-ETA through 31 December 2026
The listThis is the actual list — 22 jurisdictions, grouped by region. If your passport isn't on it, you still need a K-ETA (or a visa) before boarding.
| Region | Waived through 31 Dec 2026 |
|---|---|
| Asia (5) | Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macao |
| Americas (2) | United States, Canada |
| Europe (13) | UK, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, Austria |
| Oceania (2) | Australia, New Zealand |
Still need a K-ETA: Ireland, Switzerland, Portugal, Greece, Czechia, Hungary and the Baltics, among others. The '67' figure circulating on blogs is wrong — the real list is these 22 — and the waiver has an expiry date; never treat it as permanent.
The e-Arrival Card, mechanically
The new formSince 1 January 2026, travellers who enter Korea without a K-ETA must file a digital e-Arrival Card — free, online at e-arrivalcard.go.kr, within 72 hours before arrival. It replaces the old paper arrival card and takes a few minutes per person: passport details, flight, address in Korea. File it before you fly; doing it in the immigration hall on airport Wi-Fi is the avoidable version of this task.
Your address in Korea just means your first hotel — have the booking confirmation open when you fill it in. Haven't booked yet? Settle where to stay in Busan first, because immigration paperwork is a bad place to improvise.
The convenience inversion: why repeat visitors buy a K-ETA anyway
The trickHere's the twist nobody expected when the waiver landed: K-ETA holders are exempt from the e-Arrival Card. A K-ETA costs ₩10,000 (~$7) and stays valid for up to 3 years — so frequent visitors from waived countries now voluntarily buy the thing they're excused from, purely to skip filing a form in the 72 hours before every single trip.
One trip planned? Skip the K-ETA and file the free form. Two or more trips in the next 3 years — or a hatred of pre-departure admin — and the ₩10,000 is the better deal. That's the entire decision.
The three documents, and who each one applies to
The paperwork stackKorea's entry stack is three separate systems that blogs love to blur together. Here's each one in a sentence.
Required before boarding unless your passport is on the 22-waiver list. ₩10,000 (~$7), apply at k-eta.go.kr, valid up to 3 years, and it exempts you from the e-Arrival Card.
Waiver runs through 31 Dec 2026 — check status before any later trip.Free, digital, filed within 72 hours before arrival at e-arrivalcard.go.kr by everyone entering without a K-ETA. Replaced the paper card on 1 January 2026.
Only required when arriving from officially listed outbreak regions — for travellers from the US, that currently means only New Mexico and Washington state. Everyone else skips it entirely.
The practical bit
At a glanceTwo more things to sort before the flight
While you're at itEntry paperwork is web forms all the way down — arriving connected makes every one of them fixable from the arrivals hall.
K-ETA and e-Arrival questions, answered
FAQPage schema pairedDo I need a K-ETA for South Korea?
If your passport is one of the 22 waived jurisdictions — including the US, UK, Canada and Australia — no, through 31 December 2026. If it isn't (that includes Ireland, Switzerland, Portugal and Greece), yes: ₩10,000 (~$7) at k-eta.go.kr before you board.
What is the e-Arrival Card?
Korea's digital replacement for the paper arrival card, mandatory since 1 January 2026 for everyone entering without a K-ETA. It's free, filed online within 72 hours before arrival, and takes a few minutes per traveller.
Is the K-ETA requirement gone for good?
No — waived, not scrapped. The waiver for the 22 jurisdictions runs through 31 December 2026, and nothing about it is permanent. Check the official site before any trip after that date.
How much does the K-ETA cost and how long is it valid?
₩10,000 (~$7), valid for up to 3 years of trips. That validity is exactly why repeat visitors buy one voluntarily — it exempts them from filing the e-Arrival Card before every entry.
How long can I stay in Korea without a visa?
90 days for the US, UK, most EU passports, Australia and New Zealand. Canada is widely quoted at 180 days, but we couldn't verify that figure — confirm with a Korean consulate before planning around it.
Do K-ETA holders need the e-Arrival Card?
No — holding a valid K-ETA exempts you from it completely. That's the ₩10,000 convenience play: one purchase, up to 3 years of never filling in the 72-hour form.
What is Q-CODE and do I need it?
Korea's health declaration, required only when arriving from officially listed regions. For US travellers that currently means just 2 states — New Mexico and Washington. If it doesn't apply to your route, it doesn't exist for you.