Travel Guide Korea

Korea e-Arrival Card: Do You Need to Submit One?

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osungcta1

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As of 2026-11-11 · Updated 2026-11-11

In short
  1. The official website is www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr only. The e-Arrival Card is free. Any site that asks you to pay is not official.
  2. It is a digital arrival card, not a visa and not K-ETA. The two systems are separate.
  3. People who are temporarily exempt from K-ETA are listed as subject to the e-Arrival Card declaration. People who hold a K-ETA are generally excluded, unless they enter with a visa.
  4. You can file starting 3 days before arrival in Korea, based on Korean Standard Time. The card loses validity 72 hours after submission, and also after you have completed immigration.
  5. If you have already submitted the e-Arrival Card, you do not need to fill in a paper arrival card.

Open the official e-Arrival Card website

The e-Arrival Card is the online version of the paper arrival card you may be asked to submit at Korean immigration. It lets you enter the same information before you land.

It does not replace a visa. It also does not replace K-ETA. Use www.hikorea.go.kr, www.visa.go.kr, www.k-eta.go.kr, or your nearest Korean consulate for entry requirements.

Use only the official website

The official address is www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr. Official notices say the service is completely free, and that fake sites with similar names have been found asking for payment or personal information.

Check for the government domain go.kr. Type the address yourself. Do not click an unverified link from a message or an ad.

Go to www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr

Do you need to submit one

This is the point many travelers miss. A K-ETA exemption does not automatically cancel the arrival card.

The official “Individuals Subject to Declaration Guide” includes K-ETA-exempt individuals, including citizens of countries temporarily exempt from K-ETA, and citizens of K-ETA-eligible countries who are under 17 or over 65. It also includes people with a valid Korean visa until the scheduled entry date, with the details listed on that page.

The same official page excludes K-ETA holders from the declaration. There is one official exception: people who hold a K-ETA but enter with a visa must complete the e-Arrival Card.

Your situationOfficial page says
Valid K-ETA, no visaExcluded from declaration
K-ETA, enter with a visaMust complete e-Arrival Card
Temporarily K-ETA-exemptSubject to the declaration
Age-exempt, did not applySubject to the declaration
Korean citizen or residentExcluded from declaration
  1. Valid K-ETA, no visa. You have a valid K-ETA and you are entering with that authorization, not with a visa. K-ETA holders are listed as excluded from the declaration.
  2. K-ETA, enter with a visa. You hold a K-ETA, but you enter with a visa. You must complete the e-Arrival Card.
  3. Temporarily K-ETA-exempt. You are temporarily exempt from K-ETA and you did not apply for one. K-ETA-exempt individuals, including citizens of temporarily exempt countries, are listed as subject to the declaration.
  4. Age-exempt, did not apply. You are 17 or under, or 65 or over, and you are K-ETA-exempt because of age, and you did not apply. This group is also listed as subject to the declaration.
  5. Korean citizen or resident. You are a citizen of the Republic of Korea, or you hold a valid Korean residence, permanent resident, or Overseas Korean Resident Card. These groups are listed as excluded. Dual nationals who have Korean nationality must use a Korean passport for immigration inspection and are not required to fill out an arrival card.

The official page also lists other included or excluded groups, such as some visa holders, UN document holders, ABTC holders, and certain crew members. If your case is unusual, read the official guide rather than this summary.

If you want the official benefit of skipping the arrival card, you need a K-ETA approval. Exempt travelers may apply voluntarily and will be charged the K-ETA fee. That process is explained in the K-ETA exemption guide and the official website guide.

When to submit, and how long it stays valid

RuleOfficial wording (short)
Earliest filing timeFrom 3 days before arrival (KST)
Validity after you submitLost 72 hours after submission
After you pass immigrationLost after immigration in Korea
Re-entrySubmit a card again on re-entry
EditsEdit before immigration; see below
  • Earliest filing time. Filing is available starting 3 days before arrival in Korea, based on Korean Standard Time.
  • Validity after you submit. Validity is automatically lost 72 hours after the time of submission.
  • After you pass immigration. Validity is also lost after you have undergone immigration in Korea.
  • Re-entry. You must submit an arrival card again when you re-enter.
  • Edits. You can view and edit purpose of entry, stay information, or departure date on the official website before immigration inspection. The arrival date can be corrected only within 3 days from the initial submission date.

Do not file too early. If you submit more than 72 hours before you reach immigration, the card can expire. File inside the official 3-day window, and keep the 72-hour limit in mind if your trip is delayed.

What you need, and official steps

The official guide says to prepare a valid passport, a valid email address, your date of entry and entry flight number, and information on your place of stay. Your date of departure and departure flight number are optional.

On a smartphone, you can submit up to 9 people at once. On a PC, you can submit up to 1,000 people at once. A person aged 14 or younger cannot be a representative declarant.

The official procedure page lists these steps for individual (mobile) filing:

  1. Agree to the terms and conditions and enter your email address twice.
  2. Enter passport information (you can photograph the passport or type the details). Check that every field matches the passport.
  3. Enter your travel itinerary, including arrival and stay information.
  4. Check the information again.
  5. Submit the form. Save or print the PDF, which includes the issue number. The issue number is also sent to the email address you entered.

You are not required to bring the e-Arrival Card to the inspection, but the official guide says it may help if you know the issuance number. An official notice dated 29 April 2026 also says that, from 6 May 2026, a verification code step was added at submission.

If your plans change, edit the form on the official website before immigration, within the limits above.

Read the official e-Arrival Card guide

Paper card, fee, and accuracy

The official guide still describes a choice between the electronic card and a paper card. If you have already submitted the e-Arrival Card, you do not need to fill out a paper one. The two have the same validity.

The official fee is zero. If a website asks for payment, leave that site and go to www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr.

If you submit false information, you may face penalties or an entry restriction under Korean law. The same can apply if someone submits false or inaccurate information on your behalf.

Common mistakes

  • Thinking “I am exempt from K-ETA, so I can skip every form.” The arrival card is a different form.
  • Paying a look-alike website. The official card is free.
  • Submitting too early, then arriving after the 72-hour validity has ended.
  • Entering a passport number or name that does not match the passport.
  • Confusing this website with www.k-eta.go.kr.

FAQ

Q1. What is the official Korea arrival card website?

The official website is www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr.

Q2. Is the e-Arrival Card free?

Yes. Official notices say it is free of charge. A site that asks you to pay is not official.

Q3. I am from the United States, the UK, Australia, or Singapore, and I am exempt from K-ETA. Do I still need an arrival card?

If you did not obtain a K-ETA, the official e-Arrival Card page lists citizens of temporarily exempt countries as subject to the declaration. If you hold a valid K-ETA and you are not entering with a visa, K-ETA holders are listed as excluded.

Q4. Do I have to bring a printout or a QR code?

The official guide says you are not required to bring the e-Arrival Card to the inspection, but it may help to know the issuance number. It also lets you save or print a PDF. This article does not treat a QR code as an official requirement, because the official guide pages checked today describe the issue number, email, and PDF, not a QR rule.

Q5. Can I still use a paper arrival card?

The official guide describes both the electronic card and the paper card. If you already submitted the e-Arrival Card, you do not need the paper form.

Q6. Is the e-Arrival Card the same as K-ETA?

No. The official guide says they are separate systems. K-ETA is a travel authorization for eligible visa-free entry. The e-Arrival Card is the arrival declaration form.

Q7. Who can I contact?

An official notice lists email earrivalcard@korea.kr (Korean and English, in order). It also lists the Immigration Contact Center 1345, or from overseas +82-2-1345 or +82-2-6908-1345 to 1346, from 09:00 to 22:00 on weekdays (after 18:00, Korean, English, and Chinese).

Checklist

  • I typed www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr myself and I did not pay any fee.
  • I checked whether I am a K-ETA holder, a K-ETA-exempt traveler who did not apply, or a visa holder. I used the official “who must declare” guide if my case is unclear.
  • If I need the card, I will submit it no earlier than 3 days before arrival (KST), and I understand it expires 72 hours after submission.
  • I have my passport, email, flight number, and stay information ready.
  • I will save the issue number from the email or PDF.
  • If my stay details change, I will edit the form on the official website before immigration.
Related guides

These guides are separate. Open the one that matches your situation.

Sources（Checked 2026-11-11）

Rules can change. Check the official website again before you travel or apply.

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