Korea Visa & K-ETA Policy Timeline
Korea's K-ETA and visa policies change frequently. Below is a chronological log of official changes since 2024, each linked to the original government announcement.
Mandatory e-Arrival Card takes effect
All foreign visitors entering Korea must now submit the e-Arrival Card online (e-arrivalcard.go.kr) before or on arrival; this replaces the paper disembarkation card. Important: travelers with an approved K-ETA are exempt from the e-Arrival Card requirement — only one of the two is needed.
K-ETA exemption for 22 countries extended through end of 2026
Korea's Ministry of Justice announced a second extension of the temporary K-ETA exemption for citizens of 22 designated countries — Japan, USA, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Austria, Poland, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macao — for tourism and transit through 31 December 2026.
e-Arrival Card pilot service launched
Korea launched the e-Arrival Card service at e-arrivalcard.go.kr as a voluntary pilot. The service lets travelers submit their entry declaration online instead of filling in the paper card at the airport. The pilot phase ran until end of 2025 before becoming mandatory on 2026-01-01.
K-ETA exemption first extended through end of 2025
The Ministry of Justice announced the first extension of the 22-country K-ETA exemption — originally set to expire 31 December 2024 — through 31 December 2025. Coverage and country list remained unchanged.
F-1-D Workation (Digital Nomad) visa launched
Korea launched the F-1-D Workation visa allowing remote workers from abroad to live in Korea for up to 2 years (1+1) while working for a foreign employer. Eligibility: 1+ years employment at a foreign company, annual income ≥ 2× Korea's gross national income per capita, private health insurance covering Korea. Spouse and minor children can accompany.
K-ETA validity extended from 2 to 3 years
Applications submitted on or after 3 July 2023 receive a K-ETA valid for 3 years (or until passport expiry, whichever comes first), up from the previous 2-year validity. Existing approvals issued before this date retain their original 2-year term.
Initial K-ETA exemption for 22 countries (temporary)
As part of "Visit Korea Year 2023–2024," Korea began temporarily exempting citizens of 22 designated countries from K-ETA for tourism and transit. The original window ran 1 April 2023 through 31 December 2024 before being extended twice.
K-ETA becomes mandatory
After a pilot phase that began 3 May 2021, K-ETA became mandatory for travelers from visa-waiver countries on 1 September 2021. Modelled on the US ESTA and Canada eTA, K-ETA is pre-boarding screening run by the Korea Immigration Service.
K-ETA pilot program begins
Korea launched K-ETA as a free, optional pilot for travelers from visa-waiver countries starting 3 May 2021. The system was modelled on similar electronic travel authorizations in the US (ESTA) and Canada (eTA). The pilot ran four months before becoming mandatory in September 2021.