South Korea: do you need a visa?

Q: South Korea: do you need a visa?

Electronic travel authorisation required. British nationals travelling visa-free to South Korea are temporarily exempt from requiring a K-ETA until December 31, 2026. If you need to apply for a K-ETA, you should ensure that you apply through the Korean government’s official K-ETA website. It can take up to 72 hours for K-ETA approval to be granted. For any other purpose than short-term business or tourism, check visa requirements with the South Korean Embassy in the UK. Foreign nationals entering South Korea are required to submit an entry declaration form (arrivals card) to the immigration officer upon arrival. Passengers may submit an e-Arrival card online in advance instead of submitting a paper form to the immigration officers. — 90 days for short-term business or tourism — There is no fee to submit the e-Arrival card.

South Korea: visa, passport and entry requirements

At a glanceElectronic travel authorisation required

Passport · Passport validity: expiry date after the date you are leaving South Korea for tourism up to 90 days, at least 6 months after the date you arrive for long-term visa

Entry document

✓Passport
✕National ID card

Passport validity
expiry date after the date you are leaving South Korea for tourism up to 90 days, at least 6 months after the date you arrive for long-term visa

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen. — South Korean customs authorities allow you to bring small amounts of medication for your personal use, if it is kept in carry-on baggage. Take an English language prescription from your doctor at home for both your prescription drugs and non-prescription medicines. Consult the website of the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety before you travel to South Korea. Read best practice when travelling with medicines on TravelHealthPro.

Visa

Electronic travel authorisation required

British nationals travelling visa-free to South Korea are temporarily exempt from requiring a K-ETA until December 31, 2026. If you need to apply for a K-ETA, you should ensure that you apply through the Korean government’s official K-ETA website. It can take up to 72 hours for K-ETA approval to be granted. For any other purpose than short-term business or tourism, check visa requirements with the South Korean Embassy in the UK. Foreign nationals entering South Korea are required to submit an entry declaration form (arrivals card) to the immigration officer upon arrival. Passengers may submit an e-Arrival card online in advance instead of submitting a paper form to the immigration officers. — 90 days for short-term business or tourism — There is no fee to submit the e-Arrival card.

Apply online: K-ETA ↗

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Recommended vaccinations

Hepatitis A · Typhoid · Rabies · Yellow fever

Yellow fever risk areas (WHO list)

Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad*, Congo - Brazzaville, Congo - Kinshasa, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia*, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya*, Liberia, Mali*, Mauritania*, Niger*, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan*, Togo, Uganda

Americas: Argentina*, Bolivia*, Brazil*, Colombia*, Ecuador*, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama*, Paraguay*, Peru*, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago*, Venezuela*

* only in parts of the country

A country may apply its own list: the official text above prevails.

Source: WHO, International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022, revised 3 January 2023 ↗

This information is provided for guidance only and is accurate at the time of publication. Always check government websites and airline documents before booking and travelling.