South Korea entry requirements overview

Falling in love with Gyeongbokgung Palace, shopping in the lively Myeongdong district, relaxing on the beaches of Jeju Island, exploring its volcanic craters, and discovering the charm of Busan’s Gamcheon Culture Village are just some of the amazing things to do in South Korea.

To make the most of your visit, be sure you’re well-informed about passport validity, visa requirements, necessary vaccinations, and other essential documents. All the information about South Korea's entry requirements is explained below to help you plan the perfect trip.

Travel requirements for South Korea

Passport

One of the main South Korea entry requirements is to present a passport with a minimum validity of 6 months. Additionally, once you arrive in the country, you will be required to undergo an electronic facial recognition and fingerprint scan.

Visa

There are some nationalities that won’t need to apply for a traditional South Korean visa, but will need to obtain a K-ETA. A K-ETA is an electronic travel authorization valid for 3 years from the date of approval or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. It is essential to obtain and have a valid K-ETA in order to enter South Korea if you are visa-exempt. You can check if your nationality is eligible for a K-ETA using our eligibility checker. 

You can apply for a K-ETA through Visagov with a very simple process. Fill out the K-ETA application form for South Korea with accurate information, submit the application along with any required documents, pay the processing fee, and wait to receive the valid K-ETA directly in your email.

With this document, you can enter and exit the country multiple times and stay in South Korea for between 30 and 180 days per visit, depending on your nationality. You can read more about the K-ETA and other types of visas in our guide: "Navigating the process: How to get a visa for South Korean”.

Other nationalities will need to apply for a traditional South Korean visa along with an Arrival Card.

Upon arriving in South Korea, you must show your passport and K-ETA or traditional visa. Although not mandatory, it is advisable to have your hotel reservation, business invitation, or flight itinerary on hand, depending on the purpose of your trip.

Travel insurance

Having travel insurance for traveling to South Korea is not mandatory, but highly recommended since healthcare services in Korea are quite expensive.

Medical care is provided after paying a deposit that covers the anticipated cost of necessary services. In some cases, a guarantee from a South Korean citizen may be required. Get comprehensive travel insurance, especially if you plan to engage in higher-risk activities, to travel with peace of mind.

Vaccines and health requirements

There are no mandatory vaccines for traveling to South Korea. Only some travelers will need to show a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever if coming from a country with a risk of transmission.

Although there are no mandatory vaccines, there are several vaccines that are strongly recommended:

• Chickenpox
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Influenza (Flu)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
• Poliomyelitis
• Shingles
• COVID-19
• Hepatitis A and B

Additionally, depending on the type of trip and traveler, the following vaccines should be considered after consulting with your healthcare provider:

• Rabies: for travelers who will be in close contact with animals that may be infected with rabies.
• Japanese encephalitis: for trips longer than 1 month in rural areas where this disease is present, and for travelers who are moving to an area with Japanese encephalitis to live.

Malaria is not prevalent in South Korea, but it may be necessary to consider preventive treatment. In addition to certain medications, you should take precautions such as wearing long pants and long-sleeved shirts, avoiding dark-colored clothing, using insect repellent, and sleeping under mosquito nets in higher-risk areas.

Currency

The currency in South Korea is the South Korean won (KRW). You will find banknotes in denominations of 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, and 50,000 won, and coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 won.

In South Korea, you can use credit and debit cards since they are widely accepted in restaurants, hotels, attractions, and more. However, you should always carry some cash with you.

You can obtain South Korean won at:

• Major airports
• Banks
• Currency exchange offices in popular tourist areas such as Itaewon, Myeongdong, Hongdae, and Dongdaemun
• ATMs with the "Global" sign or the logo of the issuing bank, as these typically accept foreign cards. The daily withdrawal limit at ATMs is 1,000,000 KRW.

It is advisable to avoid exchanging money at airports, as they often offer less favorable exchange rates and higher fees. Additionally, when withdrawing or exchanging money at banks in South Korea, such as Woori Bank, KEB Hana Bank, Shinhan Bank, and Kookmin Bank, you must bring your passport.

Lastly, it’s important to know that tipping is not common in South Korean culture and may even be considered impolite.