Visitors entering the Republic of Korea (ROK) must hold a valid passport and visa to enter the country. Nationals of visa waiver or visa-free countries may enter the country without a visa for tourism purposes only. For any other purposes, such as employmentor education, proper visasare required. Nationals of non-visa waiver countries must apply for visas at the nearest Korean embassy or consulate prior to entering the ROK.
※ Countries that are granted visa-free entry for general passport holders. Nationals of the following countries are allowed to enter and stay in ROK for up to 30 days of visa-free sojourn for tourism or visitation.
Continent | Country / Region |
|---|---|
Asia | Japan, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Brunei (30), Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand |
Americas | United States, Canada (6 months), Guyana (30), Guatemala, Grenada, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Dominica, Mexico, Barbados, Bahamas, Venezuela, Brazil, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Suriname, Argentina (30), Haiti, Antigua & Barbuda, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras (30), Uruguay, Jamaica, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Trinidad & Tobago, Panama, Paraguay (30), Peru |
Europe | Andorra (30), Monaco (30), San Marino (30), Cyprus (30), Albania (30), Croatia, Slovenia, Vatican City (30), Bosnia-Herzegovina (30), Serbia, Montenegro (30), Greece, Netherlands, Norway (90 days within a 180-day period), Denmark (90 days within a 180-day period), Germany, Latvia, Russia (60 days / 90 days total within a 180-day period), Romania, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Lichtenstein, Malta, Belgium, Bulgaria, Sweden (90 days within a 180-day period), Switzerland, Spain, Slovakia, Iceland (90 days within a 181-day period), Ireland, Estonia (90 days within a 180-day period), United Kingdom, Austria, Italy, Czech Republic, Kazakhstan (30), Turkey, Portugal (90 days within a 180-day period), Poland, France, Finland (90 days within a 180-day period), Hungary |
Oceania | Australia, Guam (30), Fiji (30), Nauru (30), Palau (30), Kiribati (30), Marshall Islands (30), Solomon Islands (30), Micronesia (30), Samoa (30), Tuvalu (30), Tonga (30), New Zealand |
Africa & Middle East | Republic of South Africa (30), Mauritius (30), Seychelles (30), Swaziland (30), Botswana, Morocco, Saudi Arabia (30), Arab Emirates, Oman (30), Qatar (30), Kuwait, Bahrain (30), Liberia**, Lesotho (60), Israel, Tunisia (30) |
** Visa-waiver agreement with Liberia has been temporarily suspended as of July 18, 2019
Source: Korea Tourism Organization
※ Please note that the above information may be subject to changes.
※ Countries that are granted visa-free entry for general passport holders. Nationals of the following countries are allowed to enter and stay in ROK for up to 30 days of visa-free sojourn for tourism or visitation.
List of countries under the Visa Waiver Program (as of Oct. 2020)
Once disembarking from your plane, follow the signs to get to immigration. Non-resident foreigners must fill out an Arrival Card as pictured below.
0. Family Name (Surname)
1. Given Name(s)
2. Gender
3. Nationality
4. Date of Birth
5. Occupation
6. Address in Korea (Name of hotel, address, etc.)
7. Contact Number in Korea
8. Purpose of Visit ( Tour, Visit, Business, Employment, Others)
9. Signature
※ After going through immigration and baggage claim, you must pass through the customs checkpoint before exiting the terminal. You must present your customs declaration form even if you have nothing to declare. If traveling with family, you may fill outone card for the entire family.
Instead of going through immigration with a live agent, participants of the SES program can go through immigration through automatic gates in just 12 seconds.
※ Learn more at www.hikorea.go.kr
Duty-free items cannot exceed 1 bottle of alcohol (1 liter), 10 cartons of cigarettes, and 60 ml of perfume, while the purchasing age for alcohol and tobacco products in the ROK is 19 years and over. Generally, duties and taxes are not required on goodsworth up to a total of USD 400. Also, if you are entering the country with more than USD 10,000 (or its equivalent in foreign currency) in cash, this must be declared.
※ For more information on customs, please refer to the official website of the Korea Customs Service.
Website: www.customs.go.kr
※ For more information related to immigration, please refer to the official website of the Korea Immigration Service.
Website: www.hikorea.go.kr
※ Tel: 1345 (without area code)