For a tourist trip in 2026, most travellers from the EU, UK, US, Canada and Australia enter South Korea visa-free for up to 90 days. The K-ETA is currently waived for these nationalities until 31 December 2026, but the new e-Arrival Card is mandatory: a free online form to submit within three days before you land. Your passport must stay valid for the whole trip.
South Korea changed its entry rules at the start of 2026, and the result trips up a lot of travellers: the famous K-ETA is waived for now, yet a brand-new form has quietly become compulsory. Get the two mixed up and you can find yourself stuck at the boarding gate.
Here is the current picture for a standard tourist trip, with the exact steps, what is free, and the one form you genuinely cannot skip.
Do you need a visa for South Korea?
For tourism, almost certainly not. Citizens of the EU, the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and around 110 other countries enter visa-free for up to 90 days. That covers sightseeing, visiting friends and short business meetings. It does not cover paid work, studying long-term or any activity you would be paid for in Korea.
A word of caution that catches people out: visa-free entry is not automatic if your travel history raises questions, and the rules cover tourism only. If your trip is anything other than a holiday or a short business visit, check your specific category with the Korean consulate before you book.
K-ETA: waived for most visitors in 2026
The K-ETA is South Korea’s electronic travel authorisation, comparable to the US ESTA. Normally you would apply online and pay a fee before flying.
For 2026 the picture is friendlier. Under the Visit Korea Year scheme, the government has extended the K-ETA exemption until 31 December 2026 for citizens of most visa-free countries, including the EU, the UK, the US, Canada and Australia. In plain terms, you do not need to apply for or pay for a K-ETA for a tourist trip this year.
My advice: do not apply for one out of habit. It costs money and is simply not required for the exempt nationalities right now. The one thing this exemption does not remove is the e-Arrival Card, which is a separate requirement and the part most people miss.
The e-Arrival Card: now mandatory
This is the box you must tick. Since 1 January 2026, every foreign visitor has to submit a digital e-Arrival Card before arriving in South Korea. It replaces the paper arrival card you used to scribble on the plane.
The good news: it is free, quick and done from your phone or laptop. Here is the process.
- Go to the official site, e-arrivalcard.go.kr. Use only this address, not a paid third-party copy.
- Submit it within three days before arrival (the day of arrival counts).
- Enter your passport details, flight information, dates and your accommodation address in Korea, so have your first hotel booking to hand.
- Submit and save the confirmation. There is no printed pass to show; your details are linked to your passport.
Because you need a confirmed address and a working connection to complete it, fill it in before you leave home rather than scrambling for airport Wi-Fi after a long flight. One e-Arrival Card per traveller, including children.
Passport and length of stay
South Korea is unusually relaxed about passport validity: your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay, not the six months many countries demand. Even so, renew it if it is close to expiry, because airlines and connecting countries can apply stricter rules of their own.
The visa-free window is 90 days per entry for most nationalities. That is generous for a holiday, but it is a hard limit. Overstaying brings fines and entry bans, so count your days from the date stamped on arrival.
| Requirement | Status for visa-free tourists in 2026 |
|---|---|
| Tourist visa | Not required (up to 90 days) |
| K-ETA | Waived until 31 Dec 2026, optional |
| e-Arrival Card | Mandatory, free, within 3 days before arrival |
| Passport validity | Valid for the length of stay |
| Proof of onward travel | May be requested at check-in or immigration |
What happens at the airport
Most visitors land at Incheon (ICN), the main gateway near Seoul. Immigration is brisk and well signposted in English. Have your passport ready; your e-Arrival Card is already linked to it, so there is no paper to hand over.
You will pass through immigration, where fingerprints and a photo are taken for most adult visitors, then collect your bags and clear customs. Keep your accommodation address and return flight details accessible, on your phone or written down, in case an officer asks. From Incheon, the AREX train and limousine buses run straight into central Seoul.
If you want to stay longer
The 90-day visa-free stay is not designed to be stretched casually. There is no easy tourist-to-tourist extension, and you cannot simply hop to Japan and back to reset the clock without scrutiny. If you genuinely need longer, sort out the correct visa category with a Korean consulate before you travel rather than improvising on the ground. For almost every holiday, 90 days is far more than you will use.
Filling the forms and staying connected
Every step here runs on a connection: submitting the e-Arrival Card, pulling up your hotel booking at immigration, then finding the AREX platform and ordering a Kakao T taxi when you walk out. Google Maps is restricted in Korea, so you will be on Naver Map or KakaoMap from the start, and those need data.
Rather than queue for a SIM card after landing or pay roaming rates, activate an eSIM for South Korea before you fly. You are online the moment you land, on Korea’s 4G/5G network, among the fastest in the world.
- Visa-free for up to 90 days for the EU, UK, US, Canada and Australia.
- K-ETA waived until 31 December 2026; do not pay for one you do not need.
- The e-Arrival Card is mandatory and free, at e-arrivalcard.go.kr only.
- Submit the e-Arrival Card within three days before arrival, ideally before you fly.
- Have your first accommodation address ready; you need it for the form.
- Keep a live data connection for the form, maps and the airport train.
With Orange, the service from a brand trusted by over 300 million customers, you travel with peace of mind: 200+ destinations covered, 24/7 human support, and a full refund if you never use your eSIM.
Clear the forms, then land in Korea already online.
