If you require an invitation letter for visa purposes please let us know ASAP.
Participants should check their visa requirements for entering Korea personally, however we have collected some information applicable to most international participants below. As this may be subject to change, this should not be taken as a definitive resource.
Information about the Korean-Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA):
Nationals aged between 18 and 65 from countries that concluded a visa waiver or visa-free agreement with the Republic of Korea can obtain a K-ETA visa which can be applied for online.
However, from April 1st, 2023 until December 31st, 2024, the Korean government has decided to suspend the K-ETA requirement for travellers from the following 22 countries:
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).
Additional information can be found at https://inmykorea.com/what-is-the-k-eta/ as well as the official website https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/apply/index.do.
Countries eligible to apply for a K-ETA are as follows:
Eligible due to Visa Waiver:
Asia:
Israel, Kazakhstan, Malaysia , Singapore*, Thailand , Turkey, United Arab Emirates
Europe:
Austria*, Belgium*, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark*, Estonia, Finland*, France*, Germany*, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy*, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands*, Norway*, Poland*, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain*, Sweden*, Switzerland, United Kingdom*
Americas:
Antigua and Barbuda .Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Chile , Colombia , Commonwealth of Dominica, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti , Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela
Africa:
Lesotho, Morocco, Tunisia
Oceania:
New Zealand*
Eligible due to Visa-Free Agreement:
Asia:
Bahrain , Brunei Darussalam, Hong Kong*, Japan*, Kuwait, Macau*, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan*
Europe:
Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Holy See, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino, Serbia , Slovenia
Americas:
Argentina, Canada*, Ecuador, Guyana, Honduras, Paraguay, United States
Africa:
Botswana, Kingdom of Eswatini, Mauritius, Seychelles, Republic of South Africa
Oceania:
Australia*, Fiji, Guam*, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu
(These* countries don’t need to apply for a K-ETA from April 1st, 2023 to December 31st, 2024.)
Additional Details:
- You can log in and apply at least 72 hours before the departure date but the assessment can take longer in some cases so try to apply for the K-ETA as soon as possible. Please apply for K-ETA with sufficient time.
- Full guide on how to apply for K-ETA - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uniP4VL3m6w
* Below is a summary of the YouTube English guide video above.
Stage 1:
1) Visit the website: https://www.k-eta.go.kr/ (https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/apply/index.do).
2) Click to apply for K-ETA (or download the app from mobile to apply).
3) Enter the visitor's continent/nationality, passport number, and email.
4) Upload a copy of your passport, register your passport information.
5) Enter the purpose of visit and residence.
6) Upload your own photo.
7) Pay 10,000 won.
Step 2:
1) Ministry of Justice document review (takes about 24 hours)
Step 3:
1) Notification of approval by e-mail (* valid for 2 years if approved)
* There is no need to fill out an immigration card on the plane, and immigration is faster.
