Are you a tourist without a visa and would like to visit South Korea? It is now possible to enter this Asian territory with the K-ETA. This electronic travel authorisation was introduced by the French government at the beginning of September 2021 to enable French nationals and nationals of 112 other countries to make a short stay in the country. Find out how it differs from the visa and which travellers are exempt.
The K-ETA is different from the visa
Like countries such as Australia, Canada, the United States, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the European Union, the South Korea has made visa-free entry official. The travellers concerned must have a stay tourism or professional and remunerated business. However, they must obtain K- authorisation. ETA.
What is K-ETA?
In South Korea, this sesame is called the K-ETA. This means that Korea Electronic Travel Authorization. It works in the same way as the ESTA for the USA, i.e. you need a travel authorisation to travel to South Korea and benefit from visa-free travel. Eligible nationals are required to provide all the personal information that will enable the Korean authorities to detect them easily. This information must be filled in meticulously to avoid any mistakes; if you make a mistake, you will not be allowed to leave the airport.
K-ETA and visa: what's the difference?
Unlike the traditional visa, the K-ETA is quick and easy to obtain. It costs less KRW 10,000 (7 €excluding agency fees). It is an alternative way to help you spend a few days in the " land of still mornings ". It's a way of staying in South Korea for the duration of your stay. 90 days maximum. It is valid for two years.
Travellers exempt from K-ETA
If you are an international traveller without a visa, you are not required to apply for a K-ETA. However, you are required to meet certain conditions.
Criteria to be taken into account
There are several reasons why you are not obliged to hold this document. You must, however, meet certain conditions:
- require a visa;
- be in transit ;
- want to visit Jeju island only;
- have a valid South Korean visa
The travellers who hold a diplomatic passport or who have applied for one prior to departure are also eligible. exempt of the K-ETA. This also applies to members of the US armed forces in the Republic of Korea.
Furthermore, you cannot work or go to university in South Korea with this document. You must apply for a visa profession or studies before your flight.
Eligible countries
Before starting your request, it is important to check whether your nation is authorised. It should be noted that the electronic pass for South Korea has long been on trial. This ended on 31 August 2021 and covered very few external territories. Today, nationals of 112 countries are affected by this decision. The French, Canadians, Swiss and Belgians, to name but a few, can apply for this document if they do not hold a Korean visa.
Nationals of the Schengen area and the European Union are also entitled to the same rights. eligible. The request is only made for short stays, particularly for tourism, business or family visits. The period depends on where you are coming from. For example, if you are a national of France, Belgium or Switzerland, you may stay for a maximum of 90 days. However, if you come from Canada, you will be entitled to 180 days.
How to apply
The procedure for obtaining the K-ETA is entirely online. Go to the South Korean Ministry of Justice. On the site, you will be asked to fill in a form. This will only take a few minutes, as it is much simpler than a standard visa application. All you need to do is fill in the details of your valid passport, your personal details and information relating to your profession. You then pay the card issuing fee, which can be as much as [mcg_convertor amount="10000″ default_currency="KRW"]. Once the process has been completed, you will be given a processing time. All you have to do is wait until you receive your electronic travel authorisation by e-mail.
Agencies specialising in obtaining visas can help you with all the details of the document.
* The authorities have announced that 22 nationalities will be exempt from the K-ETA until the end of 2024 as part of the "Visit Korea Year". I'll let you read our article.
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