Korea e-Arrival Card: A First-Time Visitor Guide

Answer first: If you are a first-time visitor who must submit Korea’s arrival declaration, use the official e-Arrival Card website within the official three-day window before arrival (Korea Standard Time). The government form is free and replaces the paper arrival card, not a visa or K-ETA. Check the official eligibility guide for your entry basis before filing; recheck entry requirements before travel.

Information checked: September 28, 2026 (Korea Standard Time). Entry rules, eligibility, and online forms can change. Use the official Korean government sources linked in this guide before you travel.

What the Korea e-Arrival Card is—and is not

The e-Arrival Card is Korea’s online arrival-declaration form. When it has been submitted successfully, it has the same validity as the paper arrival card, so you do not need to complete a paper card as well. The official guide says it is free; do not pay a lookalike site.

It is not a visa, and it is not the same system as the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA). Your visa, K-ETA, passport, nationality, and reason for travel can affect which entry steps apply to you. Do not use an arrival-card guide as a substitute for checking whether you need a visa or K-ETA.

Do you need to submit an e-Arrival Card?

Start with the government’s Individuals Subject to Declaration Guide, not a blog post or a search-result summary. The official guide lists valid Korean visa holders and K-ETA-exempt individuals among people subject to declaration. It also lists several exclusions, including Korean citizens, holders of a Korean Residence Card, and K-ETA holders.

One detail matters: the same official page says a person who holds K-ETA but enters using a visa must complete the e-Arrival Card. If your situation is unusual—or your travel documents changed after you planned the trip—use the official eligibility guide and the relevant visa or K-ETA channel before submitting anything.

When can you submit it?

The official e-Arrival Card guide says filing opens three days before arrival in Korea, based on Korea Standard Time. It also says the submission automatically loses validity 72 hours after submission. For a first visit, the practical approach is simple: wait until your arrival date and flight details are settled, then submit within the official window rather than completing a form weeks in advance.

If your flight itinerary changes after submission, do not assume the old declaration is still suitable. The official service allows you to check and edit certain information before Korean immigration inspection; its guide gives specific limits for correcting an arrival date. Open the official record and confirm the fields that apply to your trip.

What to prepare before you start

The official guide lists these items for an e-Arrival Card submission:

a valid passport;
a valid email address;
your date of entry and entry flight number;
information about where you will stay in Korea; and
your departure date and departure flight number, if available (the guide marks these as optional).

Have the details in front of you before opening the form. Your accommodation confirmation, flight booking, and passport should agree on the dates and spelling you enter. If you are still deciding between hotels, avoid inventing an address just to finish the form; use the official service’s edit/check function if your real stay information changes and the form permits the correction.

How to complete Korea’s e-Arrival Card online

Open the official .go.kr site. The service is free. Be cautious of paid third-party sites that look like a government application page.
Choose the individual e-Arrival Card flow. Read the terms and enter an email address you can access during your trip. A government notice says a verification-code entry step applies from May 6, 2026; allow time to receive it.
Enter passport details carefully. Use the passport you will present for entry. A typo in a passport number, name, or date can create avoidable trouble at the border.
Add your travel itinerary and stay information. Check the arrival date and entry flight number against your booking before continuing.
Review, then submit. The official procedure shows a review step before submission. Save the issuance number or a copy of the completed card. The official guide says printing is not required, but the number can be useful. The official email-delay notice advises saving a copy immediately when using an affected email provider.

The government’s Declaration Procedures page describes the individual flow as agreeing to terms and entering an email address, entering passport information, entering travel itinerary details, checking the information, and submitting.

After you submit: what to keep and what to recheck

The official guide says the issuance number is sent by email and bringing the card to inspection is not required. However, the government email-delay notice reports occasional delays or failures with Gmail, Outlook.com, Hotmail.com, and QQ.com. If using one of these, consider another email provider or save a copy immediately after completing the form; keep the number available offline if you receive it.

Before leaving for the airport, run a short final check:

Is the passport in your hand the one used in the declaration?
Does the entry date and flight number still match your booking?
Does your hotel or other place of stay still match the current plan?
Have you checked the official eligibility page for your visa or K-ETA situation?
Do you have access to the email address used for the submission?

Once immigration is complete, your next practical task may be getting into the city. For a separate, post-arrival transport decision, see our guide to buying and using a physical T-money card. It covers local transport payment, not immigration paperwork, so it should be read after you have confirmed your entry requirements.

Common first-timer questions

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

No. The official e-Arrival Card guide explicitly describes it as a separate system that replaces the paper arrival declaration. K-ETA is a different entry-authorization system. Check the official K-ETA website and the entry-requirement guidance that applies to your passport and travel purpose.

Do I need an e-Arrival Card if I have a valid K-ETA?

The official eligibility guide lists K-ETA holders among people excluded from declaration. However, it adds an important exception: a person holding K-ETA who enters with a visa must complete the e-Arrival Card. Confirm your actual entry basis instead of relying only on a previous approval.

Do I have to print the e-Arrival Card?

No. The official guide says you are not required to bring the card for entry inspection. If you receive the issuance number by email, keep it accessible; the government also recommends saving a copy immediately if your email provider has delivery delays.

Can I submit the form far in advance?

No. The official guide says filing is available starting three days before arrival, based on Korea Standard Time, and that the submission loses validity after 72 hours. File only inside the official window and recheck the official site if your flight changes.

Official sources

Also checked the official notice list on September 28, 2026 (KST); its latest dated notice concerned August 31 system maintenance, not an eligibility or fee change.

Final reminder: This guide was checked on September 28, 2026 (KST). The official e-Arrival Card website, K-ETA website, Korea Visa Portal, or a Korean diplomatic mission should be your final source for current entry requirements before travel.