This is the question most guides answer wrongly, because they copy the format used for other travel authorisations. A K-ETA is permission to board and to be assessed on arrival. It does not contain a length of stay. Your permitted stay comes from the visa-waiver arrangement between Korea and the country that issued your passport, and it is typically somewhere in the range of 30 to 90 days.
Why no single number exists
- Each visa-waiver arrangement is negotiated separately, so the figure differs by nationality
- The K-ETA record itself carries no stay period
- The immigration officer at the airport sets the actual permitted stay on entry
How to find your number
Check the visa-waiver arrangement for your nationality on the official portal before you book. If a site tells you a single figure that applies to everyone, it is not describing how this works.
The two things that are separate
- K-ETA validity — 3 years, or until your passport expires
- Permitted stay — set per entry, from your country's arrangement (30 to 90 days)
Source: K-ETA official portal
⚠️ Many nationalities are temporarily exempt from K-ETA until 31 December 2026. Being exempt from the K-ETA does not change your permitted stay — that still comes from the visa-waiver arrangement.
More about K-ETA
After you land
K-ETA gets you on the plane. What comes after — arrival card, e-gates, cash, tax refunds, transport, healthcare, emergencies — checked with official sources.
Public holidays
Korea's official holiday dates for late 2026 and all of 2027, including Seollal, Chuseok and the substitute holidays — and two holidays added in 2026.
Leaving and returning
A K-ETA covers multiple entries for 3 years, so you do not reapply for each trip. What resets on re-entry is your permitted stay, not your right to enter.
Passport and details
The K-ETA is linked to the passport you applied with. A renewed passport ends it early, and mismatched details stop you at check-in.
At the border
Immigration, quarantine and customs are three separate checks. Knowing which one asks what is the difference between ten minutes and an hour.
Quarantine
Failing to declare animal or plant products on arrival in Korea can bring a fine of up to KRW 5 million under the Contagious Animal Diseases Prevention Act.