K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) is an online permission that visa-free travellers normally obtain before boarding a flight to South Korea. It costs KRW 10,000 (about US$7–8) and stays valid for 3 years.
Check the exemption before you apply
This is the point most guides get wrong. South Korea has temporarily suspended the K-ETA requirement for a number of countries and regions until 31 December 2026. If your passport is on that list, you do not need K-ETA and paying for one gains you nothing.
The number of exempt countries has been reported inconsistently. Rather than trust a number, check your own passport against the official list on k-eta.go.kr before doing anything else.
It is not a visa
K-ETA does not grant entry. It confirms you are cleared to board. An immigration officer still decides admission on arrival, and can refuse it.
It does not set how long you can stay
Your permitted stay comes from the visa-waiver agreement between Korea and your country — typically 30 to 90 days. Two travellers arriving on the same flight with the same K-ETA can receive different lengths of stay.
More about K-ETA
Do I need K-ETA?
Many nationalities are temporarily exempt from K-ETA. How to check your own passport, and what applies if you are not exempt.
How to apply
Applying for K-ETA on the official site: what you need in front of you, where people get stuck, and what happens after you submit.
Cost
What K-ETA actually costs on the official site, why third-party sites charge more, and when the cost is zero.
What you need
What you must have ready to complete a K-ETA application, and the photo and name rules that cause most rejections.
Processing time
Official guidance on K-ETA processing, what makes it slower, and why no paid service can speed it up.
Validity
How long a granted K-ETA lasts, what ends it early, and when you have to apply again.