South Korea launches K-ETA visa waiver

The Korean Electronic Travel Authorization is now available.

@the_news_21

Seoul: Travelers from 21 countries can apply for the Korean visa waiver through this website. The Korean visa waiver has been launched and a 4-month trial is underway.

The K-ETA will be extended to tourists from all 112 visa-exempt nations from September 2021. From this point on the K-ETA will be a mandatory entry requirement.

Check below to see which countries are taking part in the ETA Korea trial.

When Will the ETA for South Korea Be Available?

The Korea Electronic Travel Authorization will be available to citizens of all visa waiver countries from September 2021.

Before the K-ETA is rolled out to all visa-free tourists, there will be a 4-month trial period. From May to August 2021 visitors from a selection of countries will be able to apply for the visa waiver.

K-ETA trial period eligible countries

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the ETA will be available to citizens of 21 nations during the trial period, starting in May.

●      Albania

●      Andorra

●      Barbados

●      Dominican Federation

●      Guam

●      Guyana

●      Ireland

●      Malta

●      Mexico

●      Nicaragua

●      Monaco

●      New Caledonia

●      Palau

●      Saint Kitts-Nevis

●      Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

●      San Marino

●      Slovenia

●      The United Kingdom

●      The United States

●      Vatican City

●      Venezuela

This list is subject to change based on the health situation. Passport holders from these countries can apply for the ETA to visit South Korea from May.

K-ETA extended to all visa-waiver countries from September 2021

Following the trial period, the K-ETA will be rolled out to all 112 visa-waiver and visa-free nations.

From this point onwards, the electronic travel authorization will be mandatory. Foreigners who meet the Korea ETA requirements will need to apply.

Full List of Countries Eligible for the K-ETA

Starting from September, citizens of 112 countries will need a K-ETA visa waiver for South Korea.

Africa (8): Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Marruecos, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Tunisia

 Americas (32) : Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rice, Dominican Federation, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Sait Kitts-Nevis, Sait Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago,  United States, Uruguay, Venezuela

Asia (8) : Brunei, Hong Kong, Japan, Macao, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand

Europe (43) : Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom

Middle East (7) : Bahrein, Israel, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates

Oceania (14) : Australia, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu

Information Required for the K-ETA

K-ETA applicants will need to fill out an online form with the following information:

Full name , Date of birth,  Nationality, Passport number,  Passport issuance date and country,  Passport expiration date, Health and security information

These details will be used to verify the individual is eligible to enter South Korea without applying for a visa.

The application is 100% online with no need to visit an embassy or consulate. Travelers submit the form electronically and receive the approved permit by email.

Visiting South Korea with an ETA

The K-ETA can be used to visit South Korea for the following reasons:

●      Tourism

●      Visiting Family

●      Participating in events and meetings

●      Commercial activities

It is valid for multiple visits to the country for a period of 2 years. Travelers do not have to apply before each trip provided their passport and ETA remain valid.

Foreigners must check the latest South Korea COVID-19 entry restrictions before making arrangements.

South Korea ETA Safety and Security Benefits

The ETA will allow visa-free entry to South Korea with added security benefits. The system will pre-screen foreign visitors entering the country without a visa to ensure they are not a health or security threat.

The K-ETA is similar to systems already in place in Canada (eTA), the United States (ESTA), and the United Kingdom (EVW).

Thanks to the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorization, South Korea will be an even safer destination for tourists.

How Will the South Korea ETA Help With Immigration?

In recent years, the number of nationalities with visa-exempt entry to South Korea has been expanded to include more countries. However, the percentage of illegal stayers who are visa-exempt has also increased.

As a result, more thorough checks have taken place at airports resulting in long waits for passengers.

The ETA will allow authorities to screen travelers before they arrive, which means less time will be spent on border checks. The process of entering South Korea will, therefore, be much quicker.

In addition, K-ETA holders will no longer need to complete an arrival card, allowing them to move through immigration more quickly.