After a pilot operation that ran from May til August 2021, South Korea will fully implement the new Electronic Travel Authorization system as of 1 September. The so-called “K-ETA” will allow travelers from certain countries not subject to visa to obtain green light to enter before they travel. That will certainly save them and the authorities time upon arrival as the Arrival Card will not be required any longer, and ensure automated security checks on passengers.

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This K-ETA authorization will be made available to travelers from a total of 112 countries, although during Covid pandemic additional restrictions apply and only part of them will be able to get one.

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It will be valid for 2 years irrespective of the number of trips to Korea, and will be subject to a fee of 10,000KRW (approx. 10 euros). It will need to be obtained at the latest 24 hours before boarding the flight on the official website. The government notice is available here for full details on this new system, and updated list of eligible countries.

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This alert was prepared based on the information shared by our partner Yeanah Park and her team from PeopleFirstRelocation, and published with their permission.

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