US citizens can visit South Korea without a visa for up to 90 days for tourism, family visits or a short business trip. No K-ETA needed until 31 December 2026 (temporary exemption) — but you must fill in the free e-Arrival Card online, from 3 days before you land.
Stay length and K-ETA status come from the official K-ETA site’s country list (downloaded 2026-10-03); the other rules were checked on official pages on 2026-10-03.
Before you fly: checklist for US citizens
| Item | What US citizens need |
|---|---|
| Visa | Not needed for a visit of up to 90 days. Working, studying or living in Korea needs a visa for that purpose. |
| K-ETA | Not needed until 31 December 2026. You may still apply (₩10,000) if you want to skip the arrival card. |
| Arrival card | Required — the free e-Arrival Card at e-arrivalcard.go.kr, from 3 days before arrival (Korea time). |
| Passport | Valid for your whole stay. The Korean embassy says less than 6 months left is fine as long as the passport covers the stay. |
| Return ticket | The rules we checked set no onward-ticket requirement for visa-free visitors (it is written only for the 30-day transit entry). Keep your return booking and hotel address handy anyway. |
| Extending your stay | As a rule, a visa-free entry cannot be extended or changed inside Korea — leave before it runs out. |
At the airport in Korea
The United States is not on Korea’s Smart Entry e-gate list (42 countries and regions as of 1 October 2026), so you go through the immigration officer line.
Customs
Fill in a customs declaration only if you have goods to declare — one per family. Full item list (melatonin, vapes, food, cash): what you can bring into Korea.
| Item | Duty-free allowance |
|---|---|
| All goods (including Korean duty-free purchases) | US$800 |
| Alcohol | 2 L in total, worth up to US$400 (no bottle limit; age 19+) |
| Cigarettes | 200 |
| Perfume | 100 ml |
| Cash | Declare cash and other means of payment over US$10,000 |
Medicine: check before you pack
- Personal medicine: up to 6 bottles or a 3-month supply. Supplements: up to 6 bottles.
- Narcotic and psychotropic medicines need prior approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety — including ADHD stimulants (methylphenidate, amphetamines), zolpidem, alprazolam, codeine and oxycodone.
- CBD and THC products are treated as narcotics in Korea. Do not bring them.
Money
USD to Korean won today · Trip cost calculator · Tax refund for tourists
Next
- How to fill in the e-Arrival Card
- Visa-free stay and K-ETA for all 116 passports
- Incheon Airport to Seoul: train, bus or taxi
- Apps to install before you go
Entry requirements for other nationalities
- British citizens
- Canadian citizens
- Australian citizens
- New Zealand citizens
- Singaporean citizens
- Malaysian citizens
- Thai citizens
- Japanese citizens
- Taiwanese passport holders
- Hong Kong SAR passport holders
- German citizens
- French citizens
- Spanish citizens
- Italian citizens
- Dutch citizens
- Brazilian citizens
FAQ
Do US citizens need a visa for South Korea?
No, not for tourism, family visits or a short business trip of up to 90 days. A visa is needed only to work, study or live in Korea.
Do US citizens need a K-ETA in 2026?
No — the United States is on Korea’s temporary K-ETA exemption until 31 December 2026. You fill in the free e-Arrival Card instead. If you want, you can still apply for a K-ETA (₩10,000, valid 3 years) and skip the arrival card.
Do I need 6 months left on my passport?
No. The Korean embassy says a passport with less than 6 months left is accepted as long as it is valid for your whole stay.
Can US citizens use the e-gates at Incheon?
Not at the moment — the United States is not on the 42-country e-gate list published on 1 October 2026.
How much can I bring into Korea duty-free?
US$800 of goods in total, plus alcohol up to 2 L in total, worth up to US$400 (no bottle limit; age 19+), 200 cigarettes and 100 ml of perfume. Declare cash and other means of payment over US$10,000.
Can I bring my prescription medicine?
Personal medicine up to 6 bottles or a 3-month supply is allowed. Narcotic and psychotropic medicines — for example ADHD stimulants (methylphenidate, amphetamines), zolpidem, alprazolam, codeine, oxycodone — and anything with CBD or THC need approval from Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety before you travel.
Sources (checked 2026-10-03): K-ETA official site · Korean Embassy in Canada — K-ETA exemption to 2026 · Ministry of Justice — e-Arrival Card notice · Korean Embassy in Singapore — passport validity · Ministry of Justice — Smart Entry e-gate countries (1 Oct 2026) · Korea Customs — traveller allowance FAQ · Korea Customs — traveller allowance and cash · Korea Customs — medicine for personal use · Korea Customs — narcotics and psychotropic medicine. Rules and prices change — the official page wins if it differs. Page rebuilt 2026-10-03.
