Smart Entry Service Expands to 18 Countries, Cutting Immigration Wait Times

Korea's Ministry of Justice expanded the Smart Entry Service (SES), its automated immigration system, from 4 countries (Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau) to 18 countries effective December 1, 2025. The 14 newly added countries are Japan, the UK, France, Italy, Finland, Portugal, Czechia, the Netherlands, Hungary, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, and the UAE. To use SES, travelers register their passport and fingerprint/facial data at registration desks in the arrival halls of Incheon Airport Terminals 1 and 2. Registration is free for those 17 and older, and once registered, travelers can clear immigration in under 5 minutes on future entries and exits by simply scanning their passport. According to the Ministry, average wait times at regular immigration counters run 24-35 minutes, rising to as much as 92 minutes during peak season. However, this benefit covers only about 40% of all foreign arrivals — travelers from outside the 18 eligible countries cannot register for SES at all. Eligible travelers who stop at the registration desk right after arrival save time throughout their stay and again on departure. Korea Tourism Times Editorial Desk