Visa-exempt travellers from select nationalities have the option to apply for a South Korean Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) until December 31st, 2026. Although not mandatory, travellers who acquire an ETA are not required to submit an arrival card at the port of entry.

Beginning January 1st, 2027, travellers are required to apply for an ETA before travel.

Travellers can apply for and purchase an ETA entirely online. Once the application is approved, travellers receive their ETA confirmation electronically.

Travellers without a Korean Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) must complete an e-Arrival Card Travel Declaration form a maximum of 3 days before travelling to South Korea. Travellers with an ETA are not required to complete an e-Arrival Card before travelling to South Korea.

Travellers need a valid passport to enter South Korea. The traveller's passport must be valid when the traveller arrives in South Korea.

Registered foreign residents who have departed on or after April 1st, 2022, and intend to re-enter South Korea after spending more than 1 year abroad from the date of departure (2 years maximum) must obtain a multiple re-entry permit before departing for international travel from South Korea.

This permit requirement doesn’t apply to travellers with the following statuses:

• Diplomats (A-1), Government Officials (A-2), International Agreement (A-3), or Overseas Korean (F-4) are not required to apply for a Re-Entry Permit;
• Foreign residents who have departed on or after April 1st, 2022, and will be returning within the 1-year allowance (2 years for permanent residents);
• Nationals of Suriname, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, France, Finland, and Chile.

Travellers with prescriptions for controlled substances such as amphetamines (Adderall, Dexedrine), opiates (Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, Codeine), or benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, Klonopin), must submit a written application to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) before travelling and receive approval in order to travel with these medications.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) will review applications within 10 business days.

Please see the source for more details.

Travellers should consider:

• Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B vaccines;
• Typhoid vaccine for visits to smaller cities or rural areas;
• Routine vaccines including Measles;
• Japanese Encephalitis vaccine for extended stays or rural activities (not recommended for short-term travel to urban areas or travel to areas with no clear Japanese Encephalitis season).

Additional vaccine recommendations may apply. Consult your healthcare provider and check the source for details.

Travellers bringing pets (dogs and cats) into South Korea must ensure they are implanted with an ISO-compliant microchip and accompanied by a government-issued health certificate stating the microchip number. Pets aged 90 days or older from non-rabies-free countries must also pass a rabies neutralising antibody titer test with a minimum result of 0.5 IU/ml, valid for up to 24 months from the blood draw. The test results must be included on the health certificate.

The traveller must bring their own scanner if the pet's microchip is not ISO-compliant.

The traveller must submit an advance notification to the APQA to get prior approval for quarantine facilities if bringing 10 or more pets.

The traveller must ensure that cats from Australia, and dogs or cats from Malaysia, have a Hendra and Nipah virus-free certificate, or they will face a mandatory 21-day quarantine.

Airlines have their own policies and requirements for transporting pets (dogs and cats). Check with your airline to determine airline-specific requirements, and the government source for more details.

• Health screening: While not always required, officials might ask for a health certificate or a medical exam upon arrival. This is more likely if you're coming from an area with a health outbreak or if you show signs of illness.