South Korea To Allow Visa-Free Entry To 8 Countries

The South Korea online visa waiver, or K-ETA, will be made available to citizens of 8 countries for the first time from 1 November 2022.

This will mark the first time that visitors from these 8 nations have qualified for visa exemption to South Korea since travel restrictions were introduced during the pandemic.

The Korea Disease Prevention and Control Agency (KDCA) issued a press conference stating that the decision had been made after consultations with various agencies in the country, including the justice ministry.

The South Korean K-ETA is an electronic travel authorization obtained online. Visa-exempt travellers may use this waiver instead of going through the lengthier, in-person process of applying for a visa.

The Return to Visa-Free Travel

The K-ETA was launched in September 2021 to visitors from 49 of the 112 countries and territories that had previously been visa-exempt.

Since then, the online visa waiver has been opened up to more and more of the 112 nations. Only 8 previously visa-exempt countries have been ineligible for the K-ETA. Those travelling on passports issued by these nations have been required to apply for a visa to visit South Korea instead.

From 1 November 2022, all 112 visa-exempt nationalities will be able to get the K-ETA.

The K-ETA is now a requirement for visa-free travel to South Korea. It can be used for vacations, business trips, and other visits for non-profit-making activities.

Countries Eligible For K-ETA From November

From the beginning of November 2022, it will be possible to apply for the K-ETA visa waiver to South Korea using a passport issued by any of the following nations:

Japan
Kiribati
Macau
Micronesia
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Taiwan
Tonga

Japan, Macau, and Taiwan had previously been granted the K-ETA temporarily during August 2022 for the Seoul Festa. However, nationals of these countries became ineligible once again from September 1.

Now, the K-ETA has been made available to citizens of these nations on a permanent basis.

As well as the latest 8 additions to the list, there are a further 104 countries that are already eligible for the K-ETA, including the US, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and all European Union (EU) countries.

Travellers from countries that are not permitted visa-free entry to South Korea need to apply for a visa.

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