Korea e-Arrival Card: who must file, when, and what it costs
Numbers checked against the official source on 2026-10-19
If you are a foreign visitor entering Korea, you generally have to fill in an arrival card, and you can do it online for free at www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr from 3 days before arrival (Korea time). The online card has the same effect as the paper one. It stays valid for 72 hours after you submit it, or until you pass immigration, whichever comes first.
FreeNo fee for the online card
3 daysEarliest you can file, counted in Korea time
72 hoursHow long a submitted card stays valid
PC or phoneBoth work; group filing is PC only
Do not confuse it with K-ETA. The e-Arrival Card replaces the paper form handed to immigration. K-ETA is a separate pre-travel authorization, and the arrival-card site itself says they are different systems.
Checklist 1: do you have to file?
The immigration ministry says that, in principle, every foreigner must fill in an arrival card, and the e-card has the same scope as the paper card. The e-Arrival Card site lists who is covered and who is not.
| You must file if you are... | You do not file if you are... |
|---|---|
|
A holder of a Korean visa valid through your entry date A national of a country with the temporary K-ETA waiver A national of a K-ETA country who is 17 or under, or 65 or over A diplomatic or official passport holder from a K-ETA country An active-duty SOFA member (valid US military ID and orders) A UN laissez-passer holder A valid ABTC holder A seafarer arriving to join a ship, or leaving a ship to depart as a passenger |
A Korean national (dual nationals enter on a Korean passport) A holder of a valid Korean alien registration card, permanent resident card, or overseas-Korean residence card A person who has a K-ETA A holder of a group (e-)visa: Chinese, Vietnamese, Philippine and Indonesian tourists with a group e-visa via the visa portal; Indian and Cambodian group tourists with a group visa from a Korean mission Chinese group tourists (visa-free) Group tourists using the Yangyang (Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia) or Muan (Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia) visa-free entry schemes Foreign crew of an aircraft landing in Korea |
- K-ETA caveat: if you hold a K-ETA but plan to enter on a visa, you still need to fill in the e-Arrival Card.
- The page says the Yangyang scheme ran until 2025-05-31 and the Muan scheme until 2026-03-31. Both dates have passed as of this check.
Where the two official pages differ
| Topic | Immigration ministry page | e-Arrival Card site | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who is exempt | Registered foreigners, holders of a valid K-ETA, flight crew "etc." | A longer list: also group visa holders, Chinese group tourists, Yangyang and Muan scheme tourists, Koreans | The ministry's list is short and ends in "etc." Use the longer list on the filing site. |
| Holders of a K-ETA waiver | Valid K-ETA holders are exempt | Nationals of temporarily waived countries must file (they hold no K-ETA) | A waiver is not the same as holding a K-ETA. If you were waived, you file. |
Checklist 2: what to have ready
- A valid passport (you can scan it or upload a photo; if the scan fails, type the details by hand)
- A working email address
- Entry date and flight number
- Where you will stay in Korea
- Departure date and flight number (listed as optional)
- Also asked: entry purpose and occupation. If you have a valid Korean visa, the visa's address and contact can be linked.
Checklist 3: filing steps
- Open the official site at www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr on a PC or phone browser. It offers English and other languages.
- Agree to the terms and enter your email twice. Under-14s cannot be the lead filer.
- Enter passport details (up to 9 people at once on a phone, up to 1,000 on a PC with the group filing).
- Enter travel information: entry and exit details, purpose, stay, occupation.
- Check everything, then fix any mistake before you submit.
- Submit. Save or print the PDF with your issue number. If you entered an email, a copy is also sent there.
Checklist 4: timing and changes
- Earliest filing: 3 days before arrival, by Korea Standard Time.
- Valid for: 72 hours from submission. After that it lapses automatically. It also lapses once you have been through immigration, so a later re-entry needs a new card.
- Changing details: before immigration, you can look up and edit purpose, stay information and departure date on the same site. The entry date can only be changed within 3 days of the first filing.
- Carrying it: you do not need to show the card at immigration, but knowing the issue number can help.
- Wrong information: false entries can lead to punishment or an entry ban under Korean law, including when someone filed on your behalf.
Common questions
How many hours before landing should I file?
The site opens the window 3 days before arrival and the card is valid 72 hours from submission. The pages do not give a latest filing time before landing.
Does it cost anything?
No. Both official pages say the online arrival card is free. A site that charges you is not the official one.
The arrival-card site and the ministry page print no revision date; they were read on 2026-10-19. The site pages are in Korean in the version we fetched; the English wording above is ours.
Official sources
- Korea Electronic Arrival Card — guide — free of charge, 3 days before arrival, 72-hour validity, editing rules, what to prepare; Korean version, no revision date (read on 2026-10-19) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Korea Electronic Arrival Card — who must report — lists of people who must file and who are excluded (checked 2026-10-19)
- Korea Electronic Arrival Card — filing process — 5 filing steps, group limits (9 on mobile, 1,000 on PC) (checked 2026-10-19)
- Ministry of Justice, Korea Immigration Service — key systems — e-Arrival Card summary: who files, 3 days before arrival, free, 72 hours; no revision date (read on 2026-10-19) (checked 2026-10-19)
Prices change. If an official page shows a different number from this page, the official page wins — and please tell us so we can fix it.
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