K-ETA in 2026: Who Needs It, the Exemption Ending December 31, the e-Arrival Card and How to Apply (Official Site Checked)
If you search "Korea K-ETA" you will find two kinds of pages: the official government site, and dozens of agency sites that look official and charge three to ten times the real fee. In between there is a lot of out-of-date advice, because the rules have changed almost every year since K-ETA started in 2021. So we went to the sources. On October 27, 2026 we read the official K-ETA website (k-eta.go.kr) and its notices, and we ran the Korean government's own e-Arrival Card Navigator to see what it tells a typical traveller. This guide is the result: who needs K-ETA right now, who does not, what changes after December 31, 2026, and how to apply without paying an agency. One note so you know what you are reading: we are based in Korea and do not need a K-ETA ourselves, so we did not submit an application. Everything below comes from the official pages, captured on the date above, and the Navigator tests we ran. Answer in three questions 1. Do you need a visa to visit ...