Korea e-Arrival Card vs K-ETA: Which Do You Need? (2026)

Korea has two different pre-travel requirements and travellers constantly mix them up: the K-ETA (a paid travel authorisation) and the e-Arrival Card (a free entry form). Some nationalities need both. Some need neither. Neither is a visa.

This is the difference, who needs what, and how to file each one without paying a third party.

The difference in one table

K-ETA	Travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals	Paid · apply before travel · valid for multiple entries for a period of years · can be refused
e-Arrival Card	Entry declaration form	Free · submit within 3 days before arrival · one per traveller · not a permission

In one sentence: the K-ETA decides whether you may travel; the e-Arrival Card tells immigration who is arriving.

Who needs the K-ETA

Nationals of countries with a visa-waiver arrangement with Korea, where Korea has not suspended the requirement. Korea has repeatedly adjusted the list and granted temporary exemptions, so the only reliable check is the official K-ETA site on the day you book.

Practical notes:

• It is applied for online, before travel, and is linked electronically to your passport — there is nothing to print.
• It has a validity period across multiple visits; check the expiry before each trip.
• If you hold a visa for Korea, you do not need a K-ETA.

Who needs the e-Arrival Card

Foreign travellers arriving in Korea, with exemptions that include registered residents and some short-stay categories. It replaced the paper arrival card at major airports and ports, and it is filed at e-arrivalcard.go.kr.

Timing: within three days before arrival, including the arrival day. Filing a month early does not work — the form is tied to a flight and date.

Filling the e-Arrival Card: what it asks

1. Passport details — number, nationality, expiry. Copy from the passport, not from memory.
2. Name — exactly as printed, family name first.
3. Date of birth and sex
4. Flight or vessel number — the one arriving in Korea.
5. Purpose of visit — tourism, business, visiting family.
6. Address in Korea — hotel name and street address. "Seoul" alone is not enough.
7. Contact — an email that you can open at the airport.

You get a confirmation with a QR code by email. Screenshot it — airport Wi-Fi is where people discover they cannot load their inbox.

The five mistakes that cause trouble

1. Paying a third party for the free form. If a site charges for the e-Arrival Card, it is not the government.
2. Submitting too early — outside the three-day window the form is not valid for that arrival.
3. Name order reversed between passport and form, which then mismatches the airline booking.
4. Hotel address too vague — district and street are expected.
5. Assuming K-ETA covers the arrival card — they are separate systems, and having one does not file the other.

Children and families

Each traveller files their own e-Arrival Card, including infants. Parents complete the form using the child's passport details. For a family of four, that is four submissions in one session.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need both K-ETA and the e-Arrival Card?

Possibly. They are separate: the K-ETA is a travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals, the e-Arrival Card is a free entry declaration. Check your nationality for the K-ETA, and file the arrival card if you are not exempt.

Is the Korea e-Arrival Card free?

Yes, at e-arrivalcard.go.kr. Any site charging a fee is a third party.

How early can I submit it?

Within three days before arrival, including the arrival day.

Is the K-ETA a visa?

No. It is a travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers. A visa is a separate permission, applied for through a Korean embassy or consulate.

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We plan the trip, not the paperwork

We are a tour operator, not a visa agency. We do not file K-ETA or arrival cards for you and we do not charge for them. What we do is plan the route — Seoul, Busan, Jeju, Gyeongju — and tell you which forms to file yourself, with the official link for each.

Compare Seoul hotel rates for your dates, see our Korea private tours, or read where to stay in Seoul, Busan and Jeju.

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WhatsApp +852 6888 4736 or email info@blisstravel.life.

BLISS TRAVEL plans private tours in Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. This guide follows Korea's official portals as published at the time of writing; rules change, so confirm before you travel. It is not legal or immigration advice and contains no prices.

BLISS TRAVEL is part of ZEUS GROUP