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Nationals of 22 countries, including France, will be exempt from K-ETA for the next two years

Until December 2024, French and nationals of 21 other countries will be exempt from using Korean travel authorization K-ETA.

After three years of pandemic and tourism restrictions, the Korean government announced its intention to exempt nationals of 22 countries, among which France, Belgium, and Canada, from using K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization), a travel authorization usually required for all short-term visitors under visa waiver wishing to enter South Korea. 

Adopted as part of the ‘Visit Korea Year’, a two-year period during which countless events, travel packages, and promotional campaigns will be available for travelers, this exemption is designed to boost tourism in the aftermath of COVID, and to attract more than 10 million visitors – compared to 3.2 million last year. The measure, which took effect on April 1st, 2023, will span until December 31st, 2024. 

In the meantime, the Korean government also indicated that the K-ETA system will soon be available in new foreign languages, among which French, and that the travel authorization’s validity period will be extended to three years (compared to two currently). 

N.B: Nationals of non-exempted countries are still required to apply for K-ETA before their arrival to Korea – a 10,000 KRW-procedure that can be carried out here. Nationals of exempted countries whose K-ETA has already been issued can keep using the document until its expiration date. 

In short 

Exempted countries/regions | Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macao, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, the UK, and the US (including Guam). 

Exemption period | From April 1st, 2023 to December 31st, 2024. 

Apply for K-ETA (non-exempted countries | HERE