No visa needed from the US, UK, or Australia: 90 days visa-free, K-ETA waived until 31 Dec 2026 (required from 1 Jan 2027).
For a tourism or business trip of 90 days or less, you can book flights and accommodation now and handle no paperwork before departure.
This post lays out the per-country rules, K-ETA costs and processing times, visa fees when you do need one, and exactly what to carry at the border.
Contents
- Do I need a visa for Korea from us? 90 days, and K-ETA is waived through 31 Dec 2026
- K-ETA rules by passport — what’s waived and until when
- How much is K-ETA, where do I apply, and how long does it take?
- What do I need at the border for 90-day visa-free entry?
- When you do need a visa — work, study, or over 90 days
- Going the other way — ESTA for Koreans visiting the US
Do I need a visa for Korea from us? 90 days, and K-ETA is waived through 31 Dec 2026
As of the December 2025 announcements, US, UK, and Australian passport holders can visit Korea visa-free for up to 90 days with no K-ETA until 31 Dec 2026.
All three passports get the same 90-day visa-free entry for tourism or business, and all three are among the 22 countries under the temporary K-ETA exemption running through 31 Dec 2026.
The first thing I check before any Korea trip is whether that exemption end date has moved — the date on k-eta.go.kr beats any blog post, including this one.
If your whole trip fits inside 90 days and falls before 31 Dec 2026, you need no visa and no K-ETA.
If your trip starts on or after 1 Jan 2027, apply for K-ETA before travel.
If I were traveling inside the exemption window I’d skip K-ETA and just carry a printed return ticket and hotel address — it’s free, and that’s what the border officer actually asks for.
| United States | Up to 90 days per entry, no visa required |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Up to 90 days per entry, no visa required |
| Australia | Up to 90 days per entry, no visa required |
K-ETA rules by passport — what’s waived and until when
All three passports currently share the same K-ETA window — there is no per-country difference in K-ETA treatment among them right now.
| Passport | Visa-free stay | K-ETA exempt until |
|---|---|---|
| US | Up to 90 days per entry, tourism or business | 31 Dec 2026 |
| UK | Up to 90 days per entry, tourism or business | 31 Dec 2026 |
| Australia | Up to 90 days per entry, tourism or business | 31 Dec 2026 |
The exemption is one temporary window covering all three countries, so K-ETA is optional through the end of 2026 — though you may still apply voluntarily to skip the arrival card.
The full list of exempt countries is best confirmed on k-eta.go.kr, since only these three passports are covered here.
If your passport is from one of these three, plan on no K-ETA until the end of 2026.
If your passport is from another country, check the k-eta.go.kr list before booking.
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How much is K-ETA, where do I apply, and how long does it take?
Per k-eta.go.kr, K-ETA costs KRW 10,000 plus an online payment fee, is non-refundable, and is usually assessed within 72 hours — valid 3 years from issue or until the passport expires.
- Apply only at k-eta.go.kr — the official site — and pay the KRW 10,000 fee plus a small online payment charge; the fee is non-refundable even if your application is denied.
- Allow up to 72 hours for assessment, so apply well before departure rather than the day before.
- Once approved, K-ETA is valid for 3 years from issue (or until your passport expires, whichever is earlier) and covers multiple entries — and approved holders can skip the paper arrival card at Korean entry.
Only apply at k-eta.go.kr.
Third-party sites charge more, and since the official fee is non-refundable, a fake site takes your money with nothing to show for it.
During the exemption you can still apply voluntarily if you want the arrival-card skip, but if your trip is short and you’re inside the exemption window, the voluntary K-ETA saves you nothing but costs you KRW 10,000.
What do I need at the border for 90-day visa-free entry?
Visa-free entry to Korea requires a confirmed return or onward ticket out of Korea within 90 days, accommodation details, and a passport valid at the time of entry.
Airlines may deny boarding without a confirmed onward ticket, so carry a printed copy of your return flight and your hotel address.
For US passports, Korea has no 6-month validity rule — the passport just needs to be valid at entry.
At Incheon, eligible travelers can use the SeS auto-gates or counters, and a 90-day visa-free stamp is issued on arrival.
Even with every document in order, the final call is the border officer’s.
So carry the printed return ticket and hotel address, and keep your plans within the 90 days.
When you do need a visa — work, study, or over 90 days
Employment, teaching English, study, journalism, and any stay over 90 days all require the appropriate visa before travel — the 90-day visa-free entry does not cover this.
Fees to plan around: a short-stay single-entry visa costs USD 40, a longer-stay single-entry visa (91 days or more) is USD 60, and a multiple-entry visa is USD 90.
These figures come from an aggregator rather than the Korean embassy fee schedule, so verify them on the official visa portal before you pay.
Don’t count on extending a tourist stay — in-country extensions are rare for tourists and visa runs are disallowed, so plan to exit before day 90.
Overstaying can lead to exit bans, detention, fines, deportation, and future entry problems.
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Going the other way — ESTA for Koreans visiting the US
Under the US Visa Waiver Program, ESTA costs USD 40 (raised from 30 Sep 2025) and stays valid for 2 years — Korea’s K-ETA runs roughly USD 7 and lasts 3 years.
Koreans entering the US without a visa use ESTA: apply at least 72 hours before departure, and the approval is valid for 2 years or until the passport expires.
Max stay is 90 days with no employment, and approval does not guarantee entry — CBP makes that call.
If ESTA comes back "Travel Not Authorized," the only path is a B1/B2 visa through the embassy: DS-160 form, USD 185 fee, an interview, and issuance typically takes 2–12 weeks — USD 145 more than ESTA.
So K-ETA costs roughly one-sixth of ESTA and lasts one year longer.
If ESTA is denied for a US-bound Korean traveler, start the B1/B2 application early — the 2–12 week wait means applying at least 3 months before departure.
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Sources
- KRW 10,000 plus online payment fee, non-refundable, ~72h ass (canivisit.com)
- Country-by-country K-ETA checklist for trip planning; offici (comeonkorea.com)
- USD 40 as of Oct 2025, valid 2 years (tripstore.kr)
Dates to write on the calendar
- Before a 2027 trip, confirm on k-eta.go.kr whether the K-ETA exemption end date has moved.
- Flying in on a one-way ticket? Book a return or onward flight out of Korea within 90 days — airlines can deny boarding without it.
- Apply for K-ETA only at k-eta.go.kr — third-party sites charge extra and are not official.
- If you plan to work, teach, or study in Korea, secure the right visa before booking flights.
FAQ
Q. Do I need a visa for Korea from the US?
No, for tourism or business stays up to 90 days. US passport holders enter visa-free, and K-ETA is waived until 31 Dec 2026.
Q. Do I need a visa for Korea from the UK?
No, for stays up to 90 days for tourism or business. UK passports get 90-day visa-free entry and are under the K-ETA exemption through 31 Dec 2026.
Q. Do I need a visa for Korea from Australia?
No, for stays up to 90 days for tourism or business. Australian passports get the same 90-day visa-free entry and K-ETA exemption through 31 Dec 2026.
Q. How much is K-ETA and where do I apply?
KRW 10,000 plus a small online payment fee, non-refundable. Apply only at k-eta.go.kr, and allow up to 72 hours for assessment.
Q. Can I stay in Korea longer than 90 days without a visa?
No. Stays over 90 days, employment, teaching English, and study all require the appropriate visa before travel — and in-country extensions are rare for tourists.
Planning a trip inside the exemption window? Skip K-ETA, print your return ticket and hotel address, and go.
#Koreavisa #K-ETA #Koreatravel #USpassport #UKpassport #Australiapassport #Koreaentryrequirements #ESTA
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