Most applications are decided within 72 hours. If the result is a denial, the practical position is that you cannot enter under the visa-waiver route and must apply for a visa instead.
Reapplying rarely helps
Submitting the same details again will normally produce the same outcome. If something was entered incorrectly — a passport number, a date of birth, a name spelled differently from the passport — that is worth correcting. Otherwise, the route is a visa application at a Korean diplomatic mission.
Do not travel to test it
Airlines check the status before boarding. Arriving at the airport with a denial on file means being refused at check-in, not at the border.
A denial is a decision about this application, not a permanent bar. A visa application is assessed separately and on its own documents.
Source: K-ETA official portal
More about K-ETA
Which one do I need?
Similar names, very different rules. Which scheme applies to which destination, what each costs, and the mistakes that come from mixing them up.
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.
Arrival card and e-gates
Without a K-ETA you file an arrival card (online from 3 days before). Since 16 March 2026, visitors aged 17+ from 42 countries can register for e-gates.
Liquids and power banks
Carry-on liquids: 100 ml containers in one sealed 1 litre bag. Since 20 April 2026, at most 2 power banks per person, and no charging on board.
Money and tipping
Cards are widely accepted, markets may want cash, and tipping is not expected. Cash and cheques over US$10,000 in total must be declared on arrival.
Tax refund
Visitors get VAT back on purchases of KRW 15,000+ at tax-free shops. On-the-spot refunds: under KRW 1,000,000 per purchase, KRW 5,000,000 per trip.