K-ETA 2026-2027: who is exempt until 31 December, and what we know about 2027

22 countries, including France, are exempt from K-ETA until 31 December 2026. No extension for 2027 announced as of 27 October. Price, official site, e-Arrival Card.

Updated 28 October 2026 · Dari team · 2 min read

Machine translation from French, being reviewed. Read the French version (reference)

_Traduction automatique / Machine translation_

K-ETA is South Korea's electronic travel authorization for visa-exempt travellers. A temporary exemption covers 22 countries and territories, and it ends on 31 December 2026. Here is what is confirmed as of 28 October 2026.

Who is exempt until 31 December 2026?

Nationals of these 22 countries and territories do not need a K-ETA from 1 January to 31 December 2026 (Korea time)⁵⁶²: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macao, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States (including Guam).

It is the same list as the first exemption in April 2023, renewed every year since²⁵.

You can still apply for a K-ETA during the exemption. The benefit: you no longer have to fill in the e-Arrival Card⁵⁷.

What about from 1 January 2027?

As of 28 October 2026, we found no announcement of an extension. The official notice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (5 January 2026) sets the end of the exemption at 31 December 2026 and does not mention 2027⁶; travel guides updated in September report no new announcement either¹⁰. If nothing changes, travellers from these 22 countries will need a valid K-ETA to board from 1 January 2027. We will update this article as soon as an official announcement is made.

Price and official website

• K-ETA costs ₩10,000, with no other fees³.
• Apply only on k-eta.go.kr or in the official K-ETA app. No agency is authorised³.
• Unofficial sites charge up to 20 times the price³.
• Apply a few days before your flight, not the night before.

Other nationalities

K-ETA only applies to visa-exempt countries. If your country is not on the visa-exempt list, you need a visa. For your nationality, check the official visa portal (visa.go.kr)⁹ or the Korean embassy in your country.

e-Arrival Card: don't mix them up

Since 1 January 2026, every non-Korean traveller fills in a free e-Arrival Card, unless they hold a valid K-ETA⁵⁷. It is done on e-arrivalcard.go.kr within the 72 hours before arrival, arrival day included (Korea time), and stays valid for 72 hours; after that, you must submit a new one⁵⁷⁸.

Exempt: registered residents (Permanent Resident Card, Overseas Korean Resident Card), holders of a valid K-ETA, and crew on flights to or from Korea⁷⁸.

What it means for you

• Travelling before 31 December 2026 on a passport from one of the 22 countries: no K-ETA, but an e-Arrival Card within 72 hours of arrival.
• Travelling in 2027: watch k-eta.go.kr; without an announcement, get your K-ETA in advance.
• Your country is not visa-exempt: K-ETA doesn't apply to you; you need a visa.

FAQ

Does a French citizen need a K-ETA in 2026?

No, not until 31 December 2026: France is one of the 22 exempt countries⁵. They must fill in the e-Arrival Card instead⁷.

How much does K-ETA cost?

₩10,000 on the official site k-eta.go.kr, with no extra fees³.

Will the exemption be extended into 2027?

No official announcement as of 28 October 2026. This article will be updated as soon as a decision is published.

Sources

1. EY Global Tax News, prolongation de l'exemption de K-ETA jusqu'au 31/12/2026 · checked on 5 January 2026
2. LoyaltyLobby, liste des 22 pays et territoires dispensés · checked on 2 January 2026
3. Gouvernement de la République de Corée (MOFA), avis sur les faux sites K-ETA · checked on 26 October 2026
4. Wego, règles d'entrée 2026 (K-ETA, e-Arrival Card) · checked on 26 October 2026
5. KPMG GMS Flash Alert 2026-024 : exemption K-ETA 2026, liste des 22 pays, e-Arrival Card · checked on 30 January 2026
6. Ministère des Affaires étrangères de Corée, avis de prolongation de l'exemption K-ETA du 1er janvier au 31 décembre 2026 (publié le 05/01/2026, relu le 28/10/2026, aucune mention de 2027) · checked on 5 January 2026
7. gogohanguk, e-Arrival Card : délai de 72 h et dispenses · checked on 17 August 2026
8. Prince of Travel, lancement de l'e-Arrival Card et dispenses · checked on 25 February 2025
9. Portail officiel des visas de Corée (visa.go.kr) · checked on 28 October 2026
10. TripProf, K-ETA en 2027 : aucune troisième prolongation annoncée · checked on 19 September 2026