Visa-Free Travel to South Korea: Eligible Countries and Special Visa-Free Policies

Posted on April 30, 2026May 11, 2026 | by Turis Editor

In 2025, South Korea welcomed 18.9 million visitors, a number that’s higher than the pre-pandemic record in 2019 at 17.5 million visitors. The country aims to increase the number further to 30 million visitors by 2030, over 60% higher than the 2025 figure, which would require an average of 10% annual growth from 2026 to 2030. To achieve the target, we believe there will be interesting development on South Korea visa policies, especially the expansion of visa exemption programs.

In this article, we summarize various visa exemption policies enacted by the South Korean government, from the general visa-free entry policy applied on citizenship basis, regional visa waiver programs, and other conditional, constraint-based visa-free policies.

Countries with Visa-Free Entry to Korea

As of April 2026, visitors from 111 countries can enter Korea visa-free. Refer to the table below for the full list of the countries whose citizens are granted visa waiver to enter South Korea.

No	Region	Country / Special Government	Duration of Stay
1	Asia	Bahrain	30 days
2		Brunei	30 days
3		Hong Kong	90 days
4		Israel	90 days
5		Japan	90 days
6		Kazakhstan	30 days
7		Kuwait	90 days
8		Macao	90 days
9		Malaysia	3 months
10		Oman	30 days
11		Qatar	90 days
12		Saudi Arabia	30 days
13		Singapore	90 days
14		Taiwan	90 days
15		Thailand	90 days
16		Turkiye	90 days
17		United Arab Emirates	90 days
18	Europe	Albania	30 days
19		Andorra	30 days
20		Austria	90 days
21		Belgium	3 months
22		Bosnia-Herzegovina	30 days
23		Bulgaria	90 days
24		Croatia	90 days
25		Cyprus	30 days
26		Czech Republic	90 days
27		Denmark	90 days
28		Estonia	90 days
29		Finland	90 days
30		France	90 days
31		Germany	90 days
32		Greece	3 months
33		Holy See	30 days
34		Hungary	90 days
35		Iceland	90 days
36		Ireland	90 days
37		Italy	90 days
38		Latvia	90 days
39		Liechtenstein	3 months
40		Lithuania	90 days
41		Luxembourg	3 months
42		Malta	90 days
43		Monaco	30 days
44		Montenegro	30 days
45		Netherlands	3 months
46		Norway	90 days
47		Poland	90 days
48		Portugal	90 days
49		Serbia	90 days
50		Romania	90 days
51		Russia	60 days
52		San Marino	30 days
53		Slovakia	90 days
54		Slovenia	90 days
55		Spain	90 days
56		Sweden	90 days
57		Switzerland	3 months
58		United Kingdom	90 days (British citizen), 30 days (other British nationals)
59	America / Oceania	Antigua and Barbuda	90 days
60		Argentina	90 days
61		Australia	90 days
62		Bahamas	90 days
63		Barbados	90 days
64		Brazil	90 days
65		Canada	6 months
66		Chile	90 days
67		Colombia	90 days
68		Costa Rica	90 days
69		Dominica	90 days
70		Dominican Republic	90 days
71		Ecuador	90 days
72		El Salvador	90 days
73		Fiji	30 days
74		Grenada	90 days
75		Guatemala	90 days
76		Guyana	30 days
77		Haiti	90 days
78		Honduras	30 days
79		Jamaica	90 days
80		Kiribati	30 days
81		Marshall Islands	30 days
82		Mexico	3 months
83		Micronesia	30 days
84		Nauru	30 days
85		New Caledonia	30 days
86		New Zealand	3 months
87		Nicaragua	90 days
88		Palau	30 days
89		Panama	90 days
90		Paraguay	30 days
91		Peru	90 days
92		Samoa	30 days
93		Solomon Islands	30 days
94		St. Kitts and Nevis	90 days
95		St. Lucia	90 days
96		St. Vincent	90 days
97		Suriname	3 months
98		Tonga	30 days
99		Trinidad and Tobago	90 days
100		Tuvalu	30 days
101		USA	90 days
102		Uruguay	90 days
103		Venezuela	90 days
104	Africa	Botswana	90 days
105		Eswatini	30 days
106		Lesotho	60 days
107		Mauritius	30 days
108		Morocco	90 days
109		Seychelles	30 days
110		South Africa	30 days
111		Tunisia	30 days

As can be seen in the table, as of April 2026, visa-free entry to South Korea is applicable to citizens from 17 countries / special governments in Asia, 41 countries / special government in Europe, 45 countries in America / Oceania, and 8 countries in Africa. Liberia was also in the list but the visa-free agreement is currently suspended. Those who visit Korea from visa-free countries will obtain B-1 (Visa Exemption) or B-2 (Tourist in Transit) status during the stay in Korea.

It is important to note that even though you are from a visa-waiver country, you may need to obtain pre-approval to enter South Korea. This is since South Korean government applies travel authorization under Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) scheme.

K-ETA as Pre-Approval for Entry to South Korea

K-ETA (in Korean: 사전여행허가서) was first implemented on September 1, 2021, primarily as a measure to address the growing number of foreign nationals overstaying their visas or stay permit. An official web portal (K-ETA web portal) was also launched to handle the electronic travel authorization application and issuance process.

To apply for K-ETA, you simply visit the portal and create a new application. You will be guided to input various details that include your email address, passport info, and also some details about your travel to Korea. You will be charged a non refundable fee of KRW 10,000 (around $7) for your application, and you can pay with credit card. Your K-ETA application will then be processed within 72 hours after submission.

*Snapshot of K-ETA official web portal (April 2026)*

After your K-ETA is issued, it will remain valid for 3 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. You can use your K-ETA multiple times as long as it is still valid. So, when you visit Korea the next time, a new K-ETA application is not needed as long as you still have a valid K-ETA document.

Another benefit that you get with a valid K-ETA is that you don’t need to submit arrival card when entering South Korea.

K-ETA Exemption as of 2026

You may be wondering if K-ETA turns into an impediment instead of an incentive for those who plan to visit South Korea. To attract more visitors to Korea, the South Korean government introduced a series of K-ETA exemption policies to alleviate perceived disincentive caused by K-ETA requirement.

In 2023, the South Korean government announced K-ETA exemption for 22 countries to be implemented from April 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024. In December 2024, the Korean government through Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced one year extension of K-ETA exemption from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025. More recently, in December 2025, it was announced that K-ETA exemption would be extended for another year, which is from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026. The list of countries that are exempted for 2026 is the same with the original announcement in 2023.

If you are from a country that is included in the K-ETA exemption countries / special regions below, you don’t need K-ETA for visiting South Korea:
– Asia: Hong Kong, Japan, Macao, Singapore, Taiwan
– America: Canada, United States (including Guam)
– Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
– Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

If you’re not from the 22 countries /special regions above but your country is in the visa-free list, you need to obtain K-ETA prior to your departure to South Korea unless you qualify for age-based exemption.

Age-based K-ETA exemption was first introduced in July 2023. The age-based exemption specifies that individuals aged 18 to 64 are required to obtain K-ETA, while those aged 17 or younger and 65 or older are exempt, regardless of the nationality. To put it another way, if you’re from a country with visa-free entry to Korea, you are automatically exempt from applying for K-ETA if you are 17 or younger, or 65 or older.

Additional K-ETA Exemption (Unannounced)

Besides the 22 countries officially exempt from K-ETA, there are more countries that are also exempt from K-ETA even though the official document is not yet released by South Korea’s Ministry of Justice. The exemption information can be found in a form of popup message that is shown to a user while filling out K-ETA application on the official K-ETA web portal.

The list of countries included on K-ETA exemption that is only available on K-ETA website (K-ETA exemption popup message) is as follows:

Asia: Bahrain, Brunei, Israel, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE
Europe: Andorra, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Holy See (Vatican), Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland
America: Chile, Colombia, Mexico
Oceania: Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Island, Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Island, Tonga, Tuvalu
Africa: South Africa

Korea’s Special Visa-Free Policy

In addition to the standard visa-free policy formulated based on the country of origin, the South Korean government has also introduced special visa-free policies. These special policies usually come with certain restrictions or conditions that must be met in order to qualify.

Visa-Free Entry for Diplomatic / Government Official Passport Holders

A special visa exemption policy is implemented by the South Korean government for diplomatic or government official passport holders from some countries whose regular passport holders are required to obtain visa. The special policy also governs special period of stay for diplomats/government officials from countries with visa-free entry to Korea. The list of countries whose diplomats / government officials can visit Korea visa-free or can be granted different period of stay compared to regular passport holders is summarized in the following table.

No	Region	Country	Duration of Stay	Passport type
1	Asia	Bangladesh	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
2		Cambodia	60 days	Diplomat / gov. official
3		China	30 days	Diplomat / gov. official
4		India	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
5		Indonesia	30 days	Diplomat / gov. official
6		Iran	3 months	Diplomat / gov. official
7		Iraq	30 days	Diplomat
8		Japan*	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
9		Jordan	90 days	Diplomat
10		Kuwait*	90 days within 180-day period	Diplomat / gov. official
11		Kyrgyzstan	30 days	Diplomat / gov. official
12		Laos	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
13		Lebanon	30 days	Diplomat / gov. official
14		Mongolia	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
15		Myanmar	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
16		Oman*	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
17		Pakistan	3 months	Diplomat / gov. official
18		Philippines	No restriction	Diplomat / gov. official
19		Qatar*	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
20		Saudi Arabia*	90 days within 180-day period	Diplomat / gov. official
21		Tajikistan	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
22		Turkmenistan	30 days	Diplomat / gov. official
23		Uzbekistan	60 days	Diplomat
24		Vietnam	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
25	Europe	Armenia	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
26		Azerbaijan	30 days	Diplomat / gov. official
27		Belarus	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
28		Croatia*	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
29		Cyprus*	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
30		Georgia	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
31		Moldova	90 days within 6-month period	Diplomat / gov. official
32		Ukraine	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
33	America / Oceania	Argentina*	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
34		Belize	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
35		Bolivia	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
36		Ecuador*	Assignment period	Diplomat
			3 months	Gov. official
37		Paraguay*	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
38		Vanuatu	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
39	Africa	Algeria	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
40		Angola	30 days	Diplomat / gov. official
41		Benin	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
42		Cameroon	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
43		Cape Verde	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
44		Egypt	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
45		Equatorial Guinea	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
46		Gabon	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
47		Ivory Coast	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
48		Mozambique	90 days	Diplomat / gov. official
49		Tanzania	90 days within 180-day period	Diplomat / gov. official

* Visa-free entry for regular passport holders

For diplomats and government officials from countries not covered by the special exemption policy above, the visa rules are the same as those for regular passport holders.

Jeju Visa Waiver Program

Jeju Island is a special administrative region in the southern coast of Korea. The island is famous for natural attractions such as Halla Mountain, Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak), Manjanggul (Manjang Cave), Jeongbang Waterfall, among others. In 2022, a special act was passed to allow visa-free entry to Jeju Island starting on June 1, 2022.

With the special act, international visitors especially those who are normally required to obtain visa to enter Korea, can visit Jeju Island visa-free for a period of up to 30 days under B-2 (Tourist in Transit) status. Visitors should only stay in Jeju Island to benefit from the visa-free status. If the visitor plans to visit other region in Korea during the trip, visa may be required in accordance with the regular visa policy applied by the South Korean government for the visitor’s country of origin.

Jeju visa waiver program is not applicable for citizens from the 23 countries listed below:

Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Syria, Uzbekistan, Yemen
Europe: Kosovo
Africa: Cameroon, Egypt, Gambia, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan
America / Oceania: Cuba

If your country is not in the list of 23 countries excluded from Jeju visa waiver program above and you would normally need visa to enter South Korea, you can consider visiting Jeju Island instead, as it allows visa-free entry.

Visa-Free Entry for Travelers in Transit

Visa-free entry for travelers in transit was reimplemented by the South Korean government beginning April 30, 2023 after being suspended during COVID-19 pandemic. This policy is aimed at eligible travelers who fly to a final destination with a layover or stopover in Korea. Travelers who qualify for visa-free entry through travelers in transit scheme can stay in Korea for up to 30 days under B-2 (Tourist in Transit) status.

The primary requirement for visa-free entry under “Travelers in Transit” program is to have a valid visa, long-term stay permit, or residency (including green card holder) from any of the 36 countries listed in the table below:

No	Region	Visa Issuing Country
1	America	Canada
2		United States
3	Oceania	Australia
4		New Zealand
5	Europe	Austria
6		Belgium
7		Bulgaria
8		Croatia
9		Cyprus
10		Czech Republic
11		Denmark
12		Estonia
13		Finland
14		France
15		Germany
16		Greece
17		Hungary
18		Iceland
19		Ireland
20		Italy
21		Latvia
22		Liechtenstein
23		Lithuania
24		Luxembourg
25		Malta
26		Netherlands
27		Norway
28		Poland
29		Portugal
30		Romania
31		Slovakia
32		Slovenia
33		Spain
34		Sweden
35		Switzerland
36		United Kingdom

Besides the primary long-term visa / residency requirements, there are other requirements that must be satisfied by a visitor who is interested in getting visa-free entry to Korea through “Travelers in Transit” program (Korea transit visa) as follows:

Has a confirmed flight ticket departing from Korea within the next 30 days after entering Korea
Not a citizen or passport holder of 23 countries that are excluded in the Jeju visa waiver program
Has not been denied entry to South Korea in the last 3 years
Has never been fined 5 million KRW or more for violating the law and has never been deported from South Korea
If the traveler enters a third country prior to transiting in Korea, the transit in the third country must not exceed 3 days or 72 hours

Cases where a traveler can benefit from visa-free entry under “Travelers in Transit” program:

A traveler flies from his/her home country with stopover in Korea to a destination country whereas he/she has a residence permit and the destination country is one of the 36 countries
A traveler flies from an eligible country whereas he/she has a residence permit to his/her home country with stopover in Korea
A traveler flies from a non home country to another non home country with stopover in Korea and the traveler holds a residence permit from one of the 36 countries

Concrete example: An Indian national holding US green card plans to travel to several countries through Korea.

Examples of routes where the Indian national is eligible for Korea transit visa:

India – Korea – United States
United States – Korea – India
India – Japan (2 days) – Korea – United States
Singapore – Korea – Japan
Singapore – India (2 days) – Korea – United States

Examples of routes where the Indian national is not eligible for Korea transit visa:

India – Korea – India
United States – Korea – United States
India – Hong Kong (2 days) – Korea – India
India – Japan (5 days) – Korea – United States
Singapore – Japan (5 days) – Korea – United States

Due to the possibility of different interpretation by the immigration officer on your planned flight route, it is recommended that you also consult the Korean embassy or consulate in your country to confirm your eligibility for the transit visa.

Visa-Free Entry for Group Tour

There are several visa-free entry policies for group tour as follows:

Visa-free entry for Chinese tourists in a group tour to Jeju Island by entering Korea through other airports
Visa-free entry for Chinese tourists holding Japan group tour visa with transit through Korea

Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Tourists To Jeju Island in a Group Tour

Chinese tourists departing from China including Hong Kong and Macao to Jeju Island with arrival at designated airports in Korea, may enter Korea visa-free. The allowed transit time after arrival is up to five days before departing to Jeju Island. The areas that can be visited are restricted, depending on the airport of arrival. The airport for departure is also restricted as summarized in the table below:

Airport of Arrival	Allowed Areas to Visit During Transit	Allowed Airports for Departure
Incheon Airport, Gimpo Airport	Seoul Metropolitan Area (Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi Province), Gangwon Province	Incheon Airport, Gimpo Airport, Jeju Airport, Yangyang Airport
Gimhae Airport (Busan), Daegu Airport	Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, North Gyeongsang Province, South Gyeongsang Province, Seoul Metropolitan Area	Gimhae Airport, Daegu Airport, Incheon Airport, Gimpo Airport, Jeju Airport
Yangyang Airport	Gangwon Province, Seoul Metropolitan Area	Yangyang Airport, Incheon Airport, Gimpo Airport, Jeju Airport
Cheongju Airport	Daejeon, Sejong, North Chungcheong Province, South Chungcheong Province, North Jeolla Province, Seoul Metropolitan Area	Cheongju Airport, Incheon Airport, Gimpo Airport, Jeju Airport
Muan Airport	Gwangju, North Jeolla Province, South Jeolla Province, Seoul Metropolitan Area	Muan Airport, Incheon Airport, Gimpo Airport, Jeju Airport

Chinese tourists visiting Korea under the “Visa-free Entry for Chinese Group Tourists to Jeju” program will stay in Korea on a B-2 (Tourist in Transit) visa status with maximum stay of 15 days. The group tour operator must also be registered with Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism so that the tourists can be eligible for the visa-free entry program.

Visa-Free Entry for Chinese Tourists Holding Japan Group Tour Visa

Chinese tourists with valid Japan group tour visa may enter Korea visa-free when the following requirements are satisfied:

Participate in a group tour that is registered / recognized by Korean Ministry of Culture. Sports, and Tourism
Depart from China to Japan via Korea or from Japan to China or another country via Korea
The transit airport in Korea is not Jeju Airport

If the requirements are met, the visitors under the “Chinese Tourists Holding Japan Group Tour Visa” program may enter Korea visa-free on B-2 (Tourist in Transit) visa status with maximum stay of 15 days.

Summary of South Korea’s Visa-Free Entry Programs

The table below summarizes various visa-free entry programs implemented by the South Korean government:

No	Scheme	Status of Stay	Remark
1	Visa-free entry based on country / citizenship	B-1 (Visa exemption) or B-2 (Tourist in transit)	Applicable to 111 countries (April 2026)
2	Visa-free entry for diplomatic / official passport holders	A-1 (Diplomat) or A-2 (Official)	Special visa-free entry policy to diplomats and officials from 49 countries
3	Jeju visa waiver program	B-2 (Tourist in transit)	Not applicable to passport holders from 23 countries
4	Visa-free entry for travelers in transit	B-2 (Tourist in transit)	Applicable to visitors with long-term visa / stay permit / residency issued from 36 countries, provided they are not citizens of 23 countries excluded from the Jeju visa waiver program
5	Visa-free entry for group tour	B-2 (Tourist in transit)	Applicable to Chinese nationals visiting Jeju in a group tour or holding Japan group tour visa

Besides the programs listed in the table above, there are other visa-free entry initiatives that are not yet legally formalized, for example visa-free entry for Indonesian group tourists that is currently running as a pilot program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I enter Korea if my country is in the list of visa-free countries to Korea?
A: Only if your country is also in the K-ETA exemption list. If your country is not in the K-ETA exemption list, you need to apply for K-ETA to get pre-approval to enter Korea

Q: I am a US citizen. Should I apply for K-ETA when visiting Korea?
A: United States is in the list of K-ETA exemption. You don’t need to apply for K-ETA. However, you will be required to submit arrival card upon your arrival in South Korea.

Q: I am a US citizen and I already have my K-ETA. Do I still need to submit an arrival card when I arrive in South Korea?
A: No, you don’t need to submit arrival card when arriving in South Korea as long as your K-ETA document is still valid.

Q: I am a Filipino living in Philippines. Can I enter Korea visa-free?
A: As a Filipino, you are required to obtain visa to enter Korea. However, there are some cases where you can enter Korea visa free: 1) You travel to Jeju Island and immediately return to Philippines or 2) You have a valid visa from 36 designated countries.

Q: I am a Filipino holding US green card. I plan to travel home to Philippines from United States with layover in Korea. Can I enter Korea during my layover?
A: If your flight route is United States – Korea – Philippines, you can enter Korea visa-free during your layover for up to 30 days under “Travelers in Transit” program.

Q: I am a Filipino holding US green card. I plan to travel home to Philippines from United States through Korea. I already have my United States – Korea ticket. I plan to buy Korea – Philippines ticket after arriving in South Korea. With this plan, am I eligible for Korea transit visa?
A: You’re not eligible since you don’t have a confirmed flight ticket departing from Korea. If you want to be eligible, you need to have the ticket(s) for United States – Korea and Korea – Philippines (either a single ticket or separate tickets) before you leave for Korea from United States.