What Is the South Korea e-Arrival Card?
The South Korea e-Arrival Card is an electronic arrival declaration for travelers who must provide arrival information before immigration inspection. It is an online alternative to the paper arrival card.
It is not a visa, it is not a K-ETA, and it does not independently authorize entry into South Korea. After successfully submitting an electronic declaration, travelers do not normally need to complete a second paper arrival card for the same entry.
An e-Arrival Card records arrival information for immigration purposes. It does not replace the visa, K-ETA or other entry conditions that may apply to the passport and travel purpose.
Who Needs a South Korea e-Arrival Card?
Whether you need an arrival declaration depends on the passport you will use, your nationality, whether you hold a valid K-ETA or Korean visa, your residence status in South Korea, and any applicable exemption. Use the official e-Arrival Card Navigator to check your own circumstances before travel.
Being temporarily exempt from K-ETA does not automatically exempt a traveler from the arrival declaration. For example, a visitor eligible for visa-free entry who is temporarily exempt from K-ETA and does not hold a valid K-ETA will generally need to submit an arrival declaration unless another exemption applies. When eligible, that traveler may use the electronic declaration or the paper arrival card.
Who Is Exempt from the Arrival Declaration?
The official guidance lists several categories that are excluded from the arrival declaration. The main examples include:
- South Korean nationals, including dual nationals entering with their Korean passport.
- Holders of a valid Korean Residence Card, Permanent Resident Card or Overseas Korean Resident Card.
- Travelers entering visa-free with a valid K-ETA.
- Holders of qualifying group electronic visas or group visas.
- Some airline crew members and travelers covered by specific immigration exemptions, such as certain active-duty personnel under the US–ROK Status of Forces Agreement.
Do not assume that every visa holder is exempt. In principle, a traveler entering with a valid Korean visa must complete the arrival declaration, including a person who also holds a K-ETA but enters using the visa.
When Should You Submit the South Korea e-Arrival Card?
You can submit the Korea e-Arrival Card during the three days before your scheduled arrival in South Korea, calculated in Korean Standard Time. For example, if you arrive on January 31, the submission window may open on January 29 in Korea.
This filing window is different from the declaration’s validity. An unused e-Arrival Card automatically loses validity 72 hours after submission. The 72-hour period is not the length of stay you are allowed in South Korea.
It is recommended to submit your e-Arrival Card before departure, within the official submission window. If you have not completed it online, you can still submit an arrival declaration before immigration inspection, either electronically or on paper, where available.
What Documents and Information Do You Need?
Prepare the following before starting your South Korea arrival form:
- A valid passport.
- An email address you can access.
- Your intended arrival date and flight number or vessel details.
- Your accommodation address or stay information in South Korea.
- Your purpose of travel.
- Your occupation, where the form requests it.
- Your expected departure date.
- Your departure flight or transportation details, if known and requested.
Some departure details may be optional. Enter passport details exactly as shown in the travel document and make sure your travel information matches your actual itinerary.
How to Fill Out the South Korea e-Arrival Card Step by Step
Step 1: Open the Form and Enter Your Email Address
Open the official South Korea e-Arrival Card service and choose the individual application process or the relevant group process. Read and accept the applicable terms, then enter the email address for the declaration.
Use an email account you can access during the process. The system may require an email verification step; an additional verification-code requirement took effect on May 6, 2026.
Step 2: Enter Your Passport Information
Enter your personal details, select the correct nationality and provide your passport information. When the passport upload option is available, you can upload a passport image and review the data extracted by the system. Manual entry may be available if passport recognition does not work correctly.
Check your full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and passport expiry date carefully. Incorrect passport data can create complications during immigration procedures.
Step 3: Complete Your Travel Details
Provide the requested itinerary and stay details, including your arrival date, flight or vessel information, purpose of visit, accommodation address, contact information and expected departure date. The form may also request your occupation and departure transportation details.
Use your real accommodation or contact location in South Korea. For example, if you are staying at a hotel, enter the hotel’s actual address rather than copying an example address such as “123 Example-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul.”
Step 4: Review All Your Information
Before submitting, review the declaration line by line. Pay particular attention to passport details, names, dates of birth, arrival date, arrival flight number, purpose of travel and accommodation address.
Correct mistakes before submission whenever possible. Inconsistent or inaccurate information may cause complications, even though an individual error does not automatically decide whether a traveler will be admitted.
Step 5: Submit the Form and Retrieve Your Confirmation
After the final review, submit the declaration. The system provides confirmation details and sends submission information to the registered email address. You can save or print the submitted declaration as a PDF, including its issue number.
A printed confirmation is normally not required for immigration inspection. Still, keep the email, PDF or issue number available in case you need to retrieve the declaration.
Can You Edit an e-Arrival Card After Submission?
You can check and edit certain submitted details through the official service before immigration inspection if your purpose of visit, stay information or departure date changes. The arrival date has a separate limit: it can only be corrected within three days of the initial submission date.
If your information is no longer accurate, use the official check-and-edit function before arrival. If you cannot confirm that a particular change can be made online, check the official service before traveling.
Can You Submit an e-Arrival Card for Your Family?
Yes, the individual submission process can be used for one to nine travelers and is available on desktop and mobile. A child aged 14 or under cannot act as the representative applicant.
The desktop group process is available for two to 1,000 travelers and is mainly useful for larger organized groups. Most families and small groups can use the individual process.
Is the South Korea e-Arrival Card Free?
The South Korea e-Arrival Card is free when submitted directly through the official government portal.
Travelers who prefer extra help may choose an independent paid assistance service. Depending on the service available, this may include a simplified process, help understanding requested information and a review of personal and travel details before submission. Such assistance is optional and is not provided by the South Korean authorities.
Electronic e-Arrival Card or Paper Arrival Card?
Travelers who are required to submit an arrival declaration can use the electronic option or the paper arrival card when both are available.
- Electronic declaration: Information is submitted online during the official filing window. After successful submission, you do not normally need to complete the same declaration on paper.
- Paper declaration: This remains an alternative for eligible travelers and must be completed before immigration inspection. You do not need to submit the online version as well.
South Korea e-Arrival Card vs. K-ETA vs. Visa
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| e-Arrival Card | Arrival declaration for travelers required to provide arrival information. |
| K-ETA | Electronic travel authorization for certain visa-exempt travelers. |
| Visa | Permission required for certain nationalities or travel purposes. |
An e-Arrival Card does not replace a visa or a K-ETA. Likewise, a K-ETA exemption does not necessarily remove the arrival declaration requirement. Travelers with a valid K-ETA are normally excluded from the arrival declaration when entering visa-free, while travelers entering with a visa may still need to submit it.
Not sure whether you need a visa or K-ETA for your trip? Check our guide to South Korea entry requirements to find out which formalities may apply to you.Practical Example: Visiting South Korea Without a K-ETA
Imagine a traveler whose passport benefits from a temporary K-ETA exemption and who plans a tourist visit. The traveler should first confirm visa-free eligibility for the passport being used, then confirm the K-ETA position and check whether an arrival declaration is required.
- Check the passport-specific entry conditions.
- Confirm whether K-ETA is required or exempted for the planned trip.
- Use the e-Arrival Card Navigator to determine whether an arrival declaration is required.
- Prepare passport, flight and accommodation details.
- Submit the e-Arrival Card during the official three-day window if it applies.
Other exemptions may apply depending on the traveler’s status and documents. An arrival declaration does not replace any separate entry requirement that applies to the trip.