South Korea
How long you can stay in South Korea without a visa, by passport.
Checked November 7, 2026 against the sources listed below.
Short stays
| Passport | Entry | How long | Before you go | Longer stays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | No visa | 90 days per visit Visa-free entry for up to 90 days per entry. | K-ETA is temporarily waived for US citizens from 1 Jan to 31 Dec 2026 (KST). If the waiver is not extended, K-ETA (KRW 10,000, valid 3 years, apply at least 72 hours before boarding at k-eta.go.kr) is needed from 1 Jan 2027. Travellers aged 17 or under, or 65 or over, are exempt from K-ETA regardless. | No official source fetched confirms the conditions for extending a visa-free stay. |
| Canada | No visa | 180 days per visit Canadians can enter visa-free for up to six months. | K-ETA is temporarily waived for Canadians until 31 Dec 2026 (KST). Otherwise K-ETA costs KRW 10,000, is valid 3 years, and should be obtained at least 72 hours before boarding. | No official source fetched confirms the conditions for extending a visa-free stay. |
| United Kingdom | No visa | 90 days per visit Visa exemption agreement: up to 90 days per entry. | K-ETA is temporarily waived for UK nationals until 31 Dec 2026 (KST). Otherwise K-ETA costs KRW 10,000, is valid 3 years, and should be obtained at least 72 hours before boarding. | No official source fetched confirms the conditions for extending a visa-free stay. |
| EU country | Online travel authorization | 90 days per visit Most EU states have a visa exemption agreement for 90 days per entry. Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Sweden: 90 days in any 180-day period. | K-ETA (KRW 10,000, valid 3 years, apply at least 72 hours before boarding) is required for most EU nationals. Nationals of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden are temporarily exempt until 31 Dec 2026 (KST). | No official source fetched confirms the conditions for extending a visa-free stay. |
| Australia | No visa | 90 days per visit Visa-free entry for up to 90 days per entry. | K-ETA is temporarily waived for Australians until 31 Dec 2026 (KST). Otherwise K-ETA costs KRW 10,000, is valid 3 years, and should be obtained at least 72 hours before boarding. | No official source fetched confirms the conditions for extending a visa-free stay. |
Digital nomad visa
Workation (digital nomad) visa
Official name: Workation visa (F-1-D)
| Length | 1 year per grant, multiple entry |
|---|---|
| Renewal | Renewable. Under the pilot, the 1-year stay could be extended by 1 year at a local immigration office, for 2 years in total. Secondary sources report that the visa became a formal category on 30 June 2026 (Ministry of Justice press release dated 7 July 2026), renewable each year up to 3 years in total. The 3-year maximum is not confirmed from an official source. |
| Income | ₩104,830,000 a year 2x Korea's previous-year GNI per capita (Bank of Korea), after tax. The KRW 104.83m figure uses 2025 GNI (KRW 52.41m) and comes from a secondary source. Official embassy pages state the 2x GNI rule with the older 2022 figure of KRW 84.96m. From mid-2026, lower thresholds reportedly apply: 1.5x GNI for ages 35+ outside the Seoul metro area or ages 18-34 inside it, and 1x GNI for ages 18-34 outside it. |
| Where to apply | Korean embassy or consulate (visa issuance) |
| Who can apply | all (no nationality restriction stated on the official pages) |
| Taxes | The official pages give the income threshold as after-tax income only. They give no tax-residency guidance. |
Sources: Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ireland (MOFA), Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines (MOFA), KLawGuru, Business Today
What we couldn't confirm
- The K-ETA temporary exemption ends 31 Dec 2026 (KST). As of a non-official source updated 19 Sep 2026, no further extension had been announced, so US, CA, GB, AU and 11 EU nationalities may need a K-ETA from 1 Jan 2027. Re-check before publishing.
- The KRW 10,000 K-ETA fee and 3-year validity come from a 2024 embassy notice. The k-eta.go.kr portal itself could not be fetched.
- Conditions for extending a visa-free stay could not be confirmed from an official source.
- Stay periods come from a Korean embassy's (Oman) list, not the HiKorea or MOJ master list. Cyprus is inconsistent on that page (30 vs 90 days).
- F-1-D: the June/July 2026 formalisation (3-year maximum, age- and location-tiered income of 1x/1.5x/2x GNI, KRW 104.83m for 2x based on 2025 GNI) comes from non-official sources (k7, k8). The MOJ press release could not be fetched. Official embassy pages confirm the 2x GNI after-tax rule and a 1-year stay.
Sources
- Visa waiver / visa-free entry countries and permitted stays, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Oman (MOFA)
- Extension of K-ETA temporary exemption (1 Jan - 31 Dec 2026), notice of 29 Dec 2025, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA (MOFA)
- K-ETA temporary exemption: list of 22 countries/regions, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Netherlands (MOFA)
- K-ETA information (fee, validity, timing, exemptions), Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ireland (MOFA)
- Workation (Digital Nomad) Visa announcement, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ireland (MOFA)
- Workation (Digital Nomad) visa F-1-D notice, 6 Jan 2026, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines (MOFA)
- Update: South Korea's Digital Nomad (Workation) Visa, the F-1-D, KLawGuru (unofficial, used only to corroborate)
- South Korea launches digital nomad visa: 3-year stay, relaxed income requirements, Business Today (unofficial, used only to corroborate)
- Do Americans need a K-ETA for Korea? What changes January 1, 2027, TripProf (unofficial, used only to corroborate)
Thinking of staying in South Korea longer?
FlagSeek's free Big Picture looks at your budget, work, health needs and priorities, and shows where longer stays might fit. It also helps Advisor tailor its answers to you.