K-ETA Exemption 2026: Why Chinese Passport Holders Still Need to Apply
Bottom line: If you're traveling to Korea on a mainland Chinese passport, you are NOT on the list of 22 countries/regions that get a K-ETA waiver through the end of 2026. You still have to apply for K-ETA online and get it approved before you fly — even though your Japanese, Taiwanese or Hong Kong travel companions may not need to.
If you didn't know: hearing that travelers from Japan, Taiwan or Hong Kong skip K-ETA can make you assume you can too — then you apply at the last minute. Processing normally takes up to 72 hours and there's no express option. If you show up at the airport without approval, the airline can refuse to let you board, and you'd be the one paying for a new ticket.
Fee 10,000 won, credit card only · Processing usually within 72 hours, no express service · Apply at the official site k-eta.go.kr or the K-ETA app · You'll need your passport details, an email address and a color photo · The 22 exempted countries/regions are Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore in Asia; the US (including Guam) and Canada in the Americas; 13 countries in Europe; and Australia and New Zealand — mainland China is not on this list · The waiver period runs from April 1, 2023 to December 31, 2026, with no confirmed word yet on an extension.
The most common mix-up: travelers hear that "foreigners don't need K-ETA anymore" from friends holding Japanese, Taiwanese, Hong Kong, Macau or Singaporean passports — or American, Canadian, European, Australian or New Zealand ones — all of whom can enter visa-free without K-ETA through December 31, 2026. Mainland Chinese passport holders are not included in that list, so this waiver has nothing to do with you. You still need to apply for K-ETA yourself on the official site or app and get it approved before boarding. The 10,000 won fee can only be paid by credit card. Processing is usually done within 72 hours, and the official guidance is clear that there is no faster, paid express option, so it's safer to apply at least 72 hours before your flight. The application asks for your passport information, an email address, and a color photo of your face. You can also check the "exemption" pop-up that appears when you select your nationality during the application — for a Chinese passport, that pop-up does not show an exemption. This article summarizes official information and is not legal, medical, or financial advice.
The fact that the K-ETA waiver covers 22 countries/regions, that it breaks down into 5 in Asia (Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore), 2 in the Americas, 13 in Europe and 2 in Oceania, that mainland China is not included, and that the waiver runs from April 1, 2023 to December 31, 2026 were checked on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (mofa.go.kr) notice page, posted by Korea's embassy in Spain, on November 8, 2026. The 10,000 won fee and the "usually within 72 hours" processing time were checked on the official K-ETA website's (k-eta.go.kr) FAQ page on November 8, 2026. The exact validity period of an approved K-ETA was not given as a specific figure on the official screens checked, so it is not included in this article.
Journey stage: Before you go · Verified 2026-11-08
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