Fast answer: K-ETA and Korea’s e-Arrival Card are different. If you will enter with a valid K-ETA and without a visa, VISITKOREA says you are exempt from the arrival card. The official e-Arrival guide states that a traveler who holds K-ETA but enters with a visa must complete the arrival card. If your passport is exempt from obtaining K-ETA, that exemption alone does not exempt you from the arrival declaration; use the official e-Arrival Card Navigator to check your case. K-ETA is a travel authorization for eligible visa-free travelers when it applies, while the e-Arrival Card is an online arrival declaration.
- Use the official e-Arrival Card Navigator and select every category that will be valid upon entry. The portal’s interface labels are VISA, K-ETA, RESIDENCE CARD, and NONE.
- Submit an e-Arrival Card only within 3 days before arrival in Korea if the official check says you need one.
- Do not pay for the e-Arrival Card. The official service is free, and the government warns about lookalike sites that request payment.
- Check K-ETA separately. Temporary exemptions and eligibility rules can change.
Current K-ETA-site alert, checked October 23, 2026 KST: The portal displays a Special Entry Procedure Declaration banner stating that Korea is in a disaster situation and that foreigners wishing to enter must report before entry. The banner text does not explain how this declaration interacts with ordinary K-ETA, residence-card, or arrival-card exemptions. Check the live banner and its linked instructions close to travel, but do not infer from the banner alone that an existing K-ETA or e-Arrival Card is canceled, replaced, or automatically requires a second filing. If the linked instructions do not clearly resolve your status, confirm through an official Korean immigration or consular channel before departure.
The K-ETA portal also warns of delayed email reception for Gmail users and says Outlook or Hotmail may face the same issue. If you must submit a K-ETA application, use an email address you can access reliably, save your application details, and check the official result page rather than depending only on an email notification.
Source check: This guide was reviewed on October 23, 2026 KST against the official K-ETA portal, the official e-Arrival Card portal, and VISITKOREA’s immigration guidance. It is a travel-planning guide, not legal or immigration advice. Recheck official sources before departure.
Fast decision box
| Your valid document on arrival | Best next step |
|---|---|
| K-ETA, entering without a visa | Use the official e-Arrival Card Navigator. VISITKOREA says valid K-ETA holders entering without a visa are exempt from the arrival card. |
| K-ETA holder entering with a visa | Complete the arrival card. The official e-Arrival guide expressly lists this as an exception to the normal K-ETA-holder exemption. |
| RESIDENCE CARD | Use the Navigator and follow your status-specific guidance. VISITKOREA says valid residence-card holders are exempt from the arrival card. |
| VISA, but no K-ETA or RESIDENCE CARD | Do not guess. Select every Navigator category that will be valid upon entry to see whether an e-Arrival Card is required. |
| NONE | First confirm that your passport and trip qualify for visa-free travel. Then use the Navigator to check the arrival declaration. |
| A website asks for an e-Arrival Card fee | Stop. Go directly to www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr. The official service says no fee is required. |
Who should use this guide
Use this guide if you are taking a short tourist trip to Korea and need to sort out entry paperwork before flying. It is most useful for first-time visitors, K-ETA-exempt travelers, families preparing together, and anyone worried about fake arrival-card websites.
Skip this guide and use an embassy, immigration office, or other official channel if your case involves work, study, long-term residence, a previous entry refusal, an overstay, or unusual documentation. Those cases need status-specific advice.
K-ETA and the e-Arrival Card solve different problems
K-ETA stands for Korea Electronic Travel Authorization. It concerns authorization to travel without a visa for eligible travelers when the system applies to their passport and trip.
The e-Arrival Card is Korea’s online arrival declaration. The official portal describes it as an e-entry declaration and asks travelers to select the valid documents they will hold on arrival: a visa, K-ETA, residence card, or none.
A valid K-ETA is not an unconditional arrival-card exemption. The official e-Arrival guide says a traveler who holds K-ETA but enters with a visa must complete the arrival card. Select every valid document in the Navigator rather than choosing only the one that appears most convenient.
That distinction matters because a traveler can be exempt from K-ETA but still need to check the arrival declaration. The safest order is:
- Confirm whether your passport and trip require a visa, K-ETA, or neither.
- Open the official e-Arrival Card Navigator and select every document that will be valid when you enter Korea.
- If the Navigator says you need the declaration, submit it within the official 3-day window.
- Check the K-ETA portal for current banners and service notices; read the linked scope before deciding whether any additional step applies to you.
The Ministry of Justice’s current exemption notice extends the temporary K-ETA exemption for the countries and regions already covered through December 31, 2026 KST. It does not establish what will happen in 2027. If your trip crosses into 2027, do not rely on the 2026 exemption; check the official portal again before booking and before departure.
What the official e-Arrival Card portal confirms
The official portal checked on October 23, 2026 states:
- the e-Arrival Card has no fee;
- it should be completed and submitted within 3 days before arrival in Korea;
- it loses validity 72 hours after submission, so timing should keep it valid through immigration;
- individual submission is available for 1 to 9 people;
- group or travel-agency submission is available for 2 to 1,000 people;
- a submitted declaration can be checked or edited using an issue number or email verification; and
- the only official domain is www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr.
The site also displays a fake-site warning: a website requesting payment information for an e-Arrival Card is not the official service. Type the government domain directly rather than trusting the first sponsored or unfamiliar result.
When to submit
The submission window is based on your arrival date in Korea, not simply the date your flight leaves home. VISITKOREA gives this example: for a January 31 arrival, the earliest submission date is January 29.
The official e-Arrival Card guide also says the declaration loses validity 72 hours after submission. Submit within the permitted three-day window, but close enough to arrival that it will still be valid when you reach Korean immigration.
A practical schedule is:
- One week before departure: confirm passport, entry status, flight details, and first-night accommodation.
- Within 3 days before arrival: use the official Navigator and submit the e-Arrival Card if required.
- After submission: save the issue number or keep access to the email used for verification in case you need to check or edit the declaration.
- Before boarding: recheck K-ETA or visa requirements separately if anything about your documents or itinerary has changed.
What to prepare before opening the form
The official declaration process asks for a valid passport, travel itinerary, and stay information. Prepare:
- passport details exactly as printed;
- arrival and departure information;
- the stay information requested by the official form;
- an email address you can access while traveling; and
- your issue number or email access if you may need to check or edit the submission later.
Your first hotel address is also the anchor for airport transport. Once it is confirmed, use the Korea arrival-day plan and the Incheon Airport to Seoul transport guide to decide what happens after immigration.
Do you need to print the confirmation?
VISITKOREA says that a submitted e-Arrival Card can be saved as a screenshot or PDF, but it does not need to be presented at immigration once it has been submitted successfully online.
Keeping a screenshot or issue number is still a sensible backup for your own records. Do not mistake that backup for an official rule requiring a printed page or QR code.
Arrival card, customs declaration, and Q-Code are not the same
These forms answer different questions:
- e-Arrival Card: arrival declaration for travelers who are required to submit one.
- Customs declaration: for goods that must be declared. VISITKOREA states that passengers with nothing to declare generally do not need the form.
- Q-Code: a health declaration for travelers arriving from designated quarantine-inspection areas, not a universal requirement for every tourist.
Check the latest official rule for your route. Do not complete unrelated forms just because an old travel checklist includes them.
Common mistakes
Ignoring a temporary banner because the normal rule looks familiar
Do not ignore a current government banner, but do not guess at its scope either. Read the linked instructions and confirm through an official immigration or consular channel if they do not explain how the declaration applies to your documents.
Relying only on a K-ETA email
The official K-ETA portal currently warns of delayed reception for Gmail and says Outlook or Hotmail may also be affected. Keep your application information and use the official result-check function instead of waiting for one inbox message.
Paying a lookalike site
The e-Arrival Card is free. A payment request is a warning sign. Confirm the address ends in e-arrivalcard.go.kr.
Assuming K-ETA exemption answers every entry question
K-ETA and the arrival declaration are separate. Use the official Navigator with the documents valid on your arrival date.
Using an old country list
Temporary K-ETA exemptions can expire or change. An old blog list cannot decide your current status. Check your passport on the official K-ETA site close to departure.
Submitting outside the 3-day window
The e-Arrival Card is a near-arrival task. Set the reminder from the Korea arrival date, especially when crossing time zones.
Forgetting to update changed details
If your flight or stay information changes, use the official check/edit function to review the submitted declaration and follow the portal’s current instructions.
What to do after the paperwork
Once entry checks are finished, prepare the first hour of the trip:
- Choose a Korea eSIM or SIM so you are not dependent on airport Wi-Fi.
- Install the travel apps you will actually use for maps, taxis, translation, and transit.
- Set up cards, cash, ATMs, and T-money before the first purchase.
- Choose AREX or an airport limousine bus based on your hotel area, luggage, and arrival time.
Official sources checked
- Official Korea e-Arrival Card guide — checked October 23, 2026 KST.
- VISITKOREA immigration guidance — checked October 23, 2026 KST.
- Official K-ETA portal — checked October 23, 2026 KST; use it for current passport eligibility, the Special Entry Procedure Declaration, and service notices.
- Official K-ETA temporary-exemption notice — confirms the current extension through December 31, 2026 KST.
- Official K-ETA email-delay notice — checked October 23, 2026 KST.
Entry rules can change. Confirm your exact passport, visa, K-ETA, and arrival-declaration status on official Korean government websites before departure.
Related Guides
- Korea Arrival Day Plan: Incheon Airport to Seoul
- Best eSIM and SIM Card Options for Korea Travel
- Korea Travel Apps for First-Time Visitors
- Korea Money and Payment Guide for a First Trip
- Incheon Airport to Seoul: AREX, Bus, Taxi, and Late-Night Options
FAQ
Is the Korea e-Arrival Card the same as K-ETA?
No. K-ETA is a travel authorization for eligible visa-free travelers when it applies. The e-Arrival Card is an online arrival declaration. Check each requirement separately.
Is the Korea e-Arrival Card free?
Yes. The official portal says no fee is required and warns that sites requesting payment information are not official.
When can I submit the e-Arrival Card?
The official portal says to submit within 3 days before arrival in Korea, and the declaration loses validity 72 hours after submission. Count from your Korea arrival date and submit close enough to arrival that it remains valid through immigration.
Who does not need an arrival card?
VISITKOREA states that holders of a valid residence card, K-ETA, or e-Group visa are generally exempt, but the official e-Arrival guide says a traveler holding K-ETA who enters with a visa must complete the arrival card. Use the official Navigator and select every document valid on arrival because the combination matters.
Do I need to print the e-Arrival Card?
VISITKOREA says a successful online submission does not need to be presented at immigration. A screenshot or PDF can be kept as a personal backup.
Can a family or group submit together?
The official portal offers individual submission for 1 to 9 people and a group/travel-agency route for 2 to 1,000 people. Use the option that matches your group and confirm every passport entry carefully.
Does the Special Entry Procedure Declaration replace K-ETA or the e-Arrival Card?
The banner does not say that it replaces K-ETA or the e-Arrival Card, but its displayed text also does not explain how it interacts with their normal exemptions. Check the live banner and linked instructions for your travel date. Do not claim that every traveler needs an additional filing unless the linked official guidance clearly says so for that traveler’s status.