Do Japanese Travelers Need K-ETA for Korea? The Exemption Ends December 31, 2026
Bottom line: As of November 2026, Japanese passport holders can enter South Korea without applying for K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization). But this is a temporary waiver — it ends December 31, 2026. If your trip is after that date, check for an extension notice first, and if none has been announced, apply for K-ETA before you fly.
If you didn't know: Assuming "Japan never needs K-ETA" after the waiver ends can get you denied boarding at check-in for missing paperwork. The official application fee is 10,000 won (about US$7–8), and approval usually takes up to 72 hours, so you need to decide at least three days before departure. Travelers who scramble at the last minute sometimes end up on unofficial "agency" sites that charge several times the real fee.
K-ETA temporary exemption period Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2026 (Korea Standard Time) · application fee 10,000 won · processing usually within 72 hours · official site k-eta.go.kr (app also available) · the separate e-Arrival Card can be filed at e-arrivalcard.go.kr, and filing it is optional, not mandatory · inquiries via the K-ETA customer center.
According to a notice on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' overseas safety site, the Ministry of Justice extended the K-ETA temporary exemption by one year, from January 1 to December 31, 2026 (KST), to support tourism. Multiple immigration-advisory sources (EIG Law, Loyalty Lobby, among others) consistently list Japan among the 22 exempted countries/regions, but the k-eta.go.kr notice that carries the full official list loaded only as JavaScript today, so the complete list itself could not be directly verified — check that notice again before you travel. The k-eta.go.kr application guide page states the fee is 10,000 won and approval usually takes up to 72 hours. A Ministry of Justice immigration notice says the e-Arrival Card, in effect since February 24, 2025, is a system you "may submit" online — it does not state that submission is mandatory or that the paper form has been scrapped; claims on some private travel sites that online filing is "required" could not be officially confirmed today. This was checked on 2026-11-03 on the MOFA (mofa.go.kr) overseas safety notice screen, the k-eta.go.kr application guide screen, and the Ministry of Justice immigration service (immigration.go.kr) notice screen.
This article summarizes official information and is not legal, medical, or financial advice.
Journey stage: Before you go · Verified 2026-11-03
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