South Korea is introducing a K-ETA electronic travel authorisation for visa-exempt nationals. This new electronic device is designed to regulate entry to South Korea. It is compulsory for anyone wishing to make a short stay in the country. The digital pass is valid for 2 years for stays of up to 90 days in the country (for Europeans). What tips can you use to stay longer in South Korea? Find out here.
Staying in South Korea for more than 90 days with a K-ETA is not possible
French or European visitors authorised to enter South Korea with the K-ETA are required to comply with a number of conditions. maximum period of 90 days in the country. Canadians can extend their stay to 180 days. In reality, the new electronic document is issued for a short stay in the country. The South Korean authorities will not tolerate any overstay, depending on the traveller's citizenship.
However, it is possible tomake several short stays once you have obtained a new travel authorisation. As the K-ETA is valid for 2 years, all individuals are authorised to travel to and from the country until their passport expires or their authorisation expires. If your passport expires during this period, the K-ETA short-stay visa must be renewed.
Tacitly, after a short stay of 90 days, you are obliged to return to your country of residence. On average, you have up to eight (8) stays in South Korea before the permit expires.
All you need to know about South Korea's K-ETA licence
The K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) is not an electronic visa (e-visa). It is issued from 1 September 2021 to people who intend to travel to South Korea and who are normally exempt from short-stay visas for :
- tourism
- visit relatives or close friends
- non-profit commercial projects
- take part in events (meetings, festivals, etc.).
This electronic document is inspired by the advanced border management systems of countries such as the United States (ESTA), Australia (eVisitor) and Canada (AVE). It aims to prevent contagious diseases and limit the number of undocumented immigrants settling in the country.
The K-ETA system marks the start of the resumption of travel to South Korea following the various restrictions imposed by the coronavirus. It is a travel requirement specific to 112 countries.
How K-ETA works for short stays
The new visa system for short stays in South Korea applies to nationals of 27 European countriesincluding Switzerland. They must expressly request the K-ETA electronic travel authorisation via the Internet at least 24 hours before departure.
This electronic travel authorisation for South Korea covers a period of 2 years. The K-ETA system therefore allows you to make several visits to the country. The length of stay depends on the citizenship of the holder of this e-travel visa. For this purpose, French nationals and Europeans are authorised to remain in the country for three months90 days with K-ETA.
Other useful information about travelling to South Korea
We recommend that you submit your K-ETA application at least 72 hours before your flight to avoid any last-minute problems. In fact, due to a lack of documents, your application may be extended by three days or more. It is therefore advisable to apply with a significant margin of time to avoid any eventuality. In practice, the application procedure is similar to that for an e-visa application. You need to fill in the required information (without any mistakes) and register a passport photo in a specific format.
To avoid problems and obtain authorisation quickly, you can turn to e-visa authorisation experts. There are internet platforms that will take care of the procedure for obtaining your K-ETA on your behalf. However, if you opt for a professional, you will have to pay extra for the service. It is therefore advisable to choose well-known and recommended sites.
An agency service 