{"id":7021802,"date":"2025-11-28T10:07:06","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T09:07:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/?p=7021802"},"modified":"2025-11-28T10:07:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-28T09:07:21","slug":"south-korea-extends-keta-exemption-until-december-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/blog\/la-coree-du-sud-prolonge-lexemption-du-k-eta-jusqua-decembre-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"South Korea extends K-ETA exemption until December 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Korea, which continues to assert its status as a major global destination, is simplifying access to its territory in order to attract more visitors. In a strong move to promote post-crisis tourism recovery, the country has not only extended the exemption from its electronic travel authorization<\/strong>, the K-ETA, but has also accelerated the full digitization of its entry formalities<\/strong>, particularly to facilitate immigration controls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the 10th meeting on the national tourism strategy<\/a>, chaired by Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, it was confirmed that the K-ETA exemption would be temporarily extended until December 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u201cWe will extend the temporary exemption from the electronic travel authorization (K-ETA), which was due to expire this year, by one year (until December 2026).\u201d<\/p>Press release \u2013 September 25, 2025, in Seoul<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Exemption from the K-ETA electronic travel authorization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

L'K-ETA exemption<\/strong> (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization), introduced in 2021, allows many nationals, including Europeans, to travel to South Korea without having to obtain the mandatory K-ETA electronic travel authorization, provided that their stay is less than 90 days. Initially granted until December 31, 2025, it will be extended until December 31, 2026<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the \u00abVisit Korea Year 2023-2024\u00bb program to support growth in the tourism sector, this strategy has proven effective: Korea welcomed 16.37 million visitors in 2024, a spectacular increase of 48.4% compared to the previous year. France stands out in particular, now ranking as the leading European market<\/strong> for South Korea, with 137,000 French citizens visiting the country last year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if the K-ETA exemption is extended, travelers from 67 countries will still be required to obtain a visa. option to submit an optional K-ETA application<\/strong>. The advantage of this approach is that it avoids waiting time at the arrival airport. This online formality still allows you to simplify your procedures when immigrating<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E-Arrival Card form mandatory in 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Alongside K-ETA, South Korea has undertaken a major transformation of its arrival process. Introduced in 2025, the e-Arrival Card<\/strong> is a fully digital arrival card<\/a> which permanently replaces the paper document that travelers previously had to fill out at the airport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This new system allows visitors to complete this process. fully online<\/strong>, from the official platform of the authorities: e-arrivalcard.go.kr<\/a>. Travelers can complete it up to three days before their arrival<\/strong>. The advantage of completing this formality in advance is that you can pass through immigration controls more quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is important to note that this digital card will become mandatory starting in 2026<\/strong>. This transition ensures an \u00abeven more relaxed\u00bb vacation by eliminating paperwork upon arrival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Improvements to biometric controls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The innovations don't stop there. South Korea plans to to expand its digital control system <\/strong>in order to make entry into the country \u00abeven faster and smoother.\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The country plans to roll out self-check-in kiosks<\/strong> at airports. These kiosks will allow travelers to scan their documents and pass through immigration in just a few seconds. In addition, the biometric checks<\/strong>, using facial recognition or fingerprints, already in use at some airports, will see their use expand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to the extension of K-ETA until 2026 and the gradual adoption of the mandatory e-Arrival Card, entering South Korea has never been easier, allowing travelers to focus on planning their trip.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

South Korea, which continues to assert its status as a major global destination, is simplifying access to its territory in order to attract more visitors. In a strong move to promote post-crisis tourism recovery, the country has not only extended the exemption from its electronic travel authorization, the K-ETA, but has also accelerated digitization... Read the article<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":7021803,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[43],"class_list":["post-7021802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asie","tag-coree-du-sud"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7021802","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7021802"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7021802\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7021813,"href":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7021802\/revisions\/7021813"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7021803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7021802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7021802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.visamundi.co\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7021802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}