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Korea e-Arrival Card: Who Needs It and How to Submit (2026)

Checked against official sources on October 20, 2026

Gimpo International Airport and western Seoul seen from an arriving aircraft

Summary

Korea's e-Arrival card replaces the paper arrival card. It is free and filed only at e-arrivalcard.go.kr, from 3 days before your arrival date (Korea time). It expires 72 hours after you submit it. Valid K-ETA holders, registered residents and some group tourists are exempt. As of October 2026 the official site still accepts paper cards as an alternative, with no end date given.

At a glance

Fee
Free
Submit from
3 days before arrival (KST)
Valid for
72 hours after submitting
Website
e-arrivalcard.go.kr
Exempt
Valid K-ETA holders
Paper card
Accepted per official site (Oct 2026)

Step by step

How to submit the Korea e‑Arrival card online

Step 1 of 12 · Who must submit it?

1K‑ETA exemption is not enough

Exempt from K‑ETA? You still submit this card

Read all steps as text

  1. 1. K‑ETA exemption is not enough

    Exempt from K‑ETA? You still submit this card

  2. 2. Who is exempt

    Valid K‑ETA holders entering visa-free: not required

  3. 3. Submit within 3 days before

    Submit from 3 days before arrival (Korean time)

  4. 4. Type the official address

    Type www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr yourself

    Korean you will see: .go.kr = Official Korean government domain

  5. 5. Individual or group

    Choose individual (1–9 people) or group (computer only)

  6. 6. Enter passport details

    Upload the passport photo page, or type the details

  7. 7. Flight and dates

    Add flight or ship number and your arrival date

  8. 8. Address in Korea

    Enter your address in Korea, usually your hotel, in English

  9. 9. Contact and code

    Add phone and email (type the email twice)

  10. 10. Save the confirmation

    Screenshot the confirmation; no need to print it

    Korean you will see: EA-0000-0000 = Issue number: keep it

  11. 11. Paper card is still accepted

    Paper cards are still accepted (official FAQ, Oct 2026)

    Korean you will see: 입국신고서 = Paper arrival card

  12. 12. Go to immigration

    At immigration, hand over your passport as usual

Details

The e-Arrival card (전자입국신고서jeonja ipguk singoseoElectronic arrival card) is the online version of the paper arrival card that foreign visitors used to fill in on the plane. Korea introduced it on 24 February 2025. It is free, takes one short web form, and the immigration officer sees it on screen, so you do not print anything.

Who must submit it

The arrival card and K-ETA are linked. Holding a valid K-ETA removes the arrival card. Being exempt from K-ETA does not.

You are... e-Arrival card
A citizen of one of the 22 K-ETA-exempt countries or regions with no K-ETA Submit
Aged 17 or under, or 65 or over, with no K-ETA Submit
Entering Korea on a visa Submit, even if you also hold a K-ETA
Holding a valid K-ETA and entering visa-free Not required
Holding a Korean alien registration card, permanent residence card or domestic residence report card Not required
Travelling on a group (electronic) visa, or in a Chinese visa-free tour group Not required
A Korean citizen (dual nationals must enter on the Korean passport) Not required
In transit without passing immigration Not required; submit if you enter to collect bags or check in again

Diplomatic and official passport holders, UN passport holders, APEC Business Travel Card holders and US forces under SOFA are also on the official list of people who submit. Foreign aircraft crew are exempt.

Not sure where you fit? The entry checker and the K-ETA guide explain which document applies to your passport.

Before you start

  • Your passport. You can upload a photo of the photo page to fill in the fields automatically, or type them.
  • Your flight or ship number and arrival date. Your departure date is required; the departure flight number is optional.
  • Your address in Korea, usually your hotel's address in English.
  • A phone number and an email address. You type the email twice. Since 6 May 2026 the site also asks you to enter a verification code, so keep your phone and email at hand.
  • Your occupation and purpose of visit.

No face photo is needed. The site works on a phone browser or a computer. There is no app. The screens come in Korean, English, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai and Russian, but you can type answers only in Korean or English.

Step by step

Step 1 — Open the official site

Type www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr yourself. The official site says the service is free and warns that sites with similar names may ask for fees. Check for the go.kr domain and the government emblem before you enter passport data.

Step 2 — Wait until you are inside the window

You can submit from 3 days before your arrival date, counted in Korea time, until you reach the immigration counter. The official FAQ gives this example: if you arrive on 31 January, you can submit on 29, 30 or 31 January.

Step 3 — Choose individual or group

An individual submission covers 1 to 9 people and works on phones and computers. A group submission covers up to 1,000 people on the same arrival date and flight, and works only on a computer. Children under 14 cannot submit alone; a parent or guardian fills in their card.

Step 4 — Enter your passport and trip details

Upload the passport page or type the details exactly as printed. Then add your flight number, dates, address in Korea, occupation, purpose and contact details.

Step 5 — Submit and save the confirmation

Enter the verification code, submit, and take a screenshot of the confirmation. You do not need to print it. The officer can see your submission electronically. If your details look wrong, the officer may ask for the document with your issue number, so keep the screenshot.

Step 6 — Go through immigration

At 입국심사ipguk simsaImmigration, hand over your passport as usual. Submitting the e-Arrival card does not give you access to the automated gates. Those need a separate registration. See arrival, immigration and customs.

Timing and cost

Item Detail (as of October 2026)
Fee Free
Earliest submission 3 days before your arrival date (KST)
Latest submission Before you reach the immigration counter
Validity 72 hours from the moment you submit
Changing the arrival date Possible within 3 days of your first submission
Number of entries One card per entry
People per form 1–9 (individual), up to 1,000 (group, computer only)

Is the paper arrival card still accepted?

Sources disagree, so here is what each one says:

  • February 2025, Ministry of Justice: paper cards would remain usable "until December 2025".
  • January–April 2026, travel blogs: several claimed the paper card was discontinued and online submission became mandatory from 1 January 2026. None cited an official notice.
  • 13 March 2026, VisasNews: quoted the e-Arrival card service as saying both forms continue in parallel until an official abolition announcement.
  • 20 October 2026, official e-Arrival card site: the FAQ says you can fill in either the electronic or the paper card before immigration. The English notice no longer contains the "until December 2025" sentence, and no abolition notice has been posted.

As of 20 October 2026, the newest official statement says paper is still accepted. Treat the e-Arrival card as the default. It is free, it saves time in the hall, and it protects you if paper cards stop. Check the official notice board before you fly.

Common problems

  • "The site will not let me submit." You are probably earlier than 3 days before your arrival date.
  • Your flight is delayed by days. If you do not enter Korea within 72 hours of submitting, the card becomes invalid. Submit a new one.
  • You thought K-ETA exemption meant no forms. Exempt travelers without a K-ETA still submit the arrival card.
  • You hold a K-ETA but have a visa now. Visa entrants submit the card regardless of K-ETA.
  • You paid a fee. The official service is free. If a site charged you, you were not on e-arrivalcard.go.kr.
  • You typed your hotel name in another script. Only Korean or English text is accepted.

Questions and answers

Is the e-Arrival card the same as K-ETA?

No. K-ETA is a travel authorization you get before boarding. The e-Arrival card is the arrival declaration. A valid K-ETA replaces it for visa-free entry.

Do I need the e-Arrival card for customs or health checks?

No. The official FAQ says it is separate from customs and quarantine declarations. Customs forms are needed only if you have goods to declare.

Can a travel agency submit it for me?

Yes, the FAQ allows it. You remain responsible for errors, and wrong details can delay your entry.

I arrive at 06:00 on Friday. When should I submit?

Any time from Wednesday (Korea time) onward, as long as you land within 72 hours of submitting. Submitting on Thursday is a safe choice.

Do I need it for Jeju?

Yes, if you are in a group that must submit. Nothing on the official site exempts Jeju arrivals, and Jeju International Airport appears in the site's airport list.

Official sources (11)

Last checked October 20, 2026Next check due November 19, 2026

Rules can change. Confirm on the official site before you travel.

Next stepArriving in Korea: Immigration and Customs at Incheon (2026)

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