K-ETA 2027 for US Citizens: When You Need One

Status on 5 November 2026: US citizens are exempt from K-ETA until 31 December 2026 (KST). The US State Department says they will need one from 1 January 2027. Korea has posted no 2027 notice. The K-ETA site has posted a service pause for Wednesday 11 November 2026.

US citizens do not need a K-ETA for trips that land in Korea by 31 December 2026. For landings from 1 January 2027, the US State Department's Korea page says US passport holders will need one, and Korea had not posted its own 2027 notice when we checked on 5 November 2026. They file the free e-Arrival Card instead in 2026. We re-read the K-ETA site and the State Department page on 5 November 2026. The change log at the bottom lists each check and its date.

We first read the K-ETA site and Korean embassy notices on 15 October 2026. If a number or a rule did not appear on an official page, we write "not confirmed".

The 3 things to check on k-eta.go.kr before you fly:

• The notice list. A 2027 decision would appear there as a new notice.

• The exempt pop-up. The site shows it when you scan an exempt passport.

• Service pauses. The newest notice, posted 3 November 2026, is about a pause on 11 November 2026.

So, until 31 December 2026 a US passport needs no K-ETA, and for 2027 plan on one unless Korea extends the waiver.

The short answer

Note: "The Ministry of Justice decided to extend the temporary exemption period for 1 more year to stimulate the tourism industry, the exemption will be effective until December 31, 2026 (KST)." The period is "From January 1, 2026 (Thu) to December 31, 2026 (Thu) (KST)." It applies to "the countries/regions that are currently exempt from K-ETA." Exempt travelers who still apply pay the fee, and K-ETAs already issued stay valid but are not refunded (K-ETA site notice dated 23 Dec 2025, English version, read 15 Oct 2026; the Korean embassy in the USA posted its English notice on 29 Dec 2025)

Do you need K-ETA in 2026

If your passport is on the exempt list, no. The K-ETA site checks this for you. The notice says exempt applicants see a pop-up when the passport photo page is scanned.

If your country is visa-free for Korea but not on the exempt list, you do need one. Ireland is an example. The K-ETA site lists Ireland as eligible, and we did not find it on the exempt list.

If you skip it, you file the e-Arrival Card.

The exemption list

Note: The Korean embassy in Switzerland lists these for the temporary exemption, valid to 31 December 2026. Asia: Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macao. Americas: Canada, the US, Guam. Europe: the UK, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein. Oceania: Australia, New Zealand (notice of 30 Dec 2025, read 15 Oct 2026). Its title reads "Switzerland and Liechtenstein (and the 23 countries/regions)", so the full list is 25

The Korean embassy in the USA notice says the US and the other exempt countries are covered, but it does not print a list. Some older notices count 22 or 23 because they leave out Switzerland and Liechtenstein, or count Guam with the US. If your passport is near the edge of the list, the K-ETA site shows a pop-up when you are exempt.

The K-ETA site also lists people who never need one. These include children and adults by age: since 3 July 2023, people aged 17 or under and 65 or over are not required to have a K-ETA.

Note: Not required to apply, per the K-ETA site's FAQ Q57 and its notice of 28 Dec 2021 (our translation): Korean citizens and dual nationals with a valid Korean passport, active-duty SOFA members, crew and seafarers, ABTC holders, transit passengers, registered foreigners and visa holders, UN passport holders, holders of diplomatic or service passports, people aged 17 or under or 65 or over on the entry date, and cruise tourists. A transit passenger who changes plans or must collect bags in Korea has to apply first (K-ETA site, read in Korean on 15 Oct 2026)

Fee, review time and validity

Price: ₩10,000 per person (about US$7–8), plus an online payment fee of usually about 3%. The fee is for the review and "will not be refunded regardless of the result." Cards accepted: VISA, MASTER, JCB, AMEX, Diners Club, DISCOVER, UnionPay, Alipay+ (our translation, K-ETA fee page, read in Korean on 15 Oct 2026)

Hours: Usually within 72 hours, and it can be longer. Review is in order of application, and the site says there is no express service. Valid for three years, or to passport expiry if that is sooner, for many entries (K-ETA application guide, read 15 Oct 2026)

Apply before you board. The guide warns that applying after boarding, or after you are already in Korea, can lead to denial or limits on entry.

You need a valid passport, a valid email address, a face photo and a card to pay. If you reissue your passport, or your criminal record or infectious disease information changes, you must apply again, even if the K-ETA has time left. If your trip details change, update them on the site, or you may be refused entry.

If you hold both a K-ETA and a Korean visa or residence card, the visa or card sets your status and stay length.

A K-ETA does not change how long you can stay. The limit depends on your passport. The site's list shows 90 days for the US, UK and Ireland, six months for Canada, and three months for New Zealand and the Netherlands, in the form the site prints it. Check your country on that list.

Official site vs agency sites

The official portal is www.k-eta.go.kr. There is also a K-ETA phone app.

Note: The K-ETA home page says: "K-ETA applications can be made only at www.k-eta.go.kr or the mobile app (K-ETA)", fee about US$7–8, and warns about look-alike agent and phishing sites that charge high fees for "application services or express services." A notice of 16 Dec 2022 says the Korean government "has not designated any official K-ETA agent" (K-ETA site, read in Korean on 15 Oct 2026)

Type the address yourself. The site's Korean-language notices say the center does not take phone or in-person questions. It points to the "Contact" form at the bottom of the site.

Note: A K-ETA notice dated 11 March 2026 says email to Gmail addresses was delayed and asks applicants to use another email address. It adds that US addresses such as outlook.com and hotmail.com may be delayed too. The homepage listed a newer "Gmail" notice dated 13 October 2026. We did not read it, so the current status of the delay is not confirmed

If you are denied

Note: The K-ETA application guide says false or wrong information can lead to denial or cancellation at any time, plus punishment or an entry ban, and that this applies equally to everyone on the application. The fee is not refunded even when the application is denied (K-ETA site, read in Korean on 15 Oct 2026)

A notice of 14 July 2022 says repeat applicants are blocked. If you have three repeat applications within six months, you cannot re-apply until six months after the review date of the first one. A simple mistake in personal details does not count toward the three. If you are blocked and still want to enter, the notice says to apply for a visa at a Korean embassy or consulate in your country.

We did not find an official page on appeals or on the reasons for denial. That is not confirmed.

If you live in the US but are not a US citizen

The US exemption is for US passport holders. It does not cover you because you live in the US. What matters is your passport.

The K-ETA site's list of eligible passports does not include India, China or the Philippines. We checked the list in Korean on 15 October 2026. So a K-ETA is not available to those passports.

Note: A US visa or US green card does not replace a Korean visa in anything we read. We did not find an official Korean page that says it does, and that is not confirmed. Ask the Korean consulate that serves your state before you book (K-ETA eligible-passport list, read 15 Oct 2026)

A holder of a Korean visa does not need K-ETA, according to the exemption list above. Holders of a Korean visa still file the e-Arrival Card.

What changes in 2027

Note: The US view: the US State Department South Korea page says the K-ETA exemption for US passport holders "was extended through December 31, 2026" and that "K-ETA is required starting January 1, 2027." It also says: "Starting January 1, 2027, you will need a Korean Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) before traveling to South Korea" (read 4 and 5 Nov 2026)

Note: The Korean view: on 5 November 2026 the K-ETA notice list still had the 3 November 2026 service pause notice at the top, and no notice about 2027. The exemption notice gives 31 December 2026 (KST) as the end

The K-ETA home page lists the extension notice with a date of 20 March 2026, but the notice page itself, which we opened again on 4 November 2026, is dated 23 December 2025 and gives the same 31 December 2026 end. So the March date is a listing date.

What this means by landing date:

• You land on or before 31 December 2026: no K-ETA. File the free e-Arrival Card.

• You land on or after 1 January 2027: plan on a K-ETA, as the State Department says. Apply early, because review can pass 72 hours.

• Korea extends the waiver in late December: then the 2026 rules carry on. The 2026 extension was dated 23 December 2025, so a late notice is possible.

So, for a January 2027 trip, apply on k-eta.go.kr for ₩10,000 or check the notice list again in mid-December.

Change log

So far, Korea has posted nothing for 2027, and the US says a K-ETA is required from 1 January 2027.

What we checked and what can change

Read on 5 November 2026: the US State Department South Korea page (opened in a browser, since it blocks our fetch tool) and the K-ETA notice list.

Re-read on 4 November 2026 on k-eta.go.kr: the home page notice list (newest notices dated 3 November 2026, 13 October 2026 and 20 March 2026), the extension notice dated 23 December 2025 (period 1 January to 31 December 2026, KST, nothing on 2027), and the fee and review-time lines.

Read on 15 October 2026 on k-eta.go.kr, in Korean: the home page, the application guide, the fee page, the list of eligible countries, the FAQ list including Q57, and notices dated 16 December 2022, 28 December 2021, 28 June 2023, 14 July 2022, 6 April 2022, 11 March 2026 and 23 December 2025. Also read on 15 October 2026: the Korean embassy in the USA notice of 29 December 2025 and the Korean embassy in Switzerland notice of 30 December 2025.

Not confirmed: any Korean 2027 decision, the hours of the 11 November 2026 service pause, the text of the 13 October 2026 Gmail notice, the Chinese and Filipino visa routes, whether a US visa or green card changes anything, and the reasons for denial. We did not read a US Embassy Seoul page.

K-ETA rules change by notice. Check the live site in the week you fly.