Do visa-free visitors still need K-ETA?
Most visa-free passports must apply for K-ETA before travel. The list, fee and validity move — use the current justice-ministry notice.
Pass-Atlas
Südkorea travel, immigration and PR
Korea uses K-ETA for visa-free visitors and points plus D-class visas for people who stay. F-5 PR and nationality are a separate bar.
ReisenEinwanderung
Openness rank
#60
Entry openness
110
Visumfrei
62
Briefing updated
2026-09
Länderprofil
Hauptstadt
Seoul
Bevölkerung
51.2 million
Fläche
98,480 km²
Währung
South Korean won KRW
Sprache
Korean
Zeitzone
UTC+09:00
Im Ausland geboren
1.8 million · 2024
Migrantenanteil
3.5%
Ethnische Gruppen
Korean
Im Ausland Geborene: UN-Migrantenbestand über die Weltbank (meist 2024). Ethnische Gruppen folgen den veröffentlichten Kategorien des Landes. Die meisten Staaten erheben keine Hautfarbe. Nur Richtwerte.
Visa und EinwanderungswegeVisa-freie ListeUnterlagen und PassfotosVisa siteImmigration site
Für wen dieser Ratgeber ist
For short trips, study, IT and manufacturing work, or F-2 residents lining up F-5.
Einreise und Aufenthalt
Many passports are visa-free but must obtain K-ETA before departure; validity follows the justice ministry. Most Chinese passports still need a C-3 or similar visitor visa. Stays are often 90 days. Visa-free status is not permission to work.
Arbeiten und Wohnen
Work is commonly E-7 skilled or E-9 non-professional; study is D-2; job-seeking is D-10. Points-based F-2 turns income, age, Korean and credentials into residence. Employer sponsorship and points invitations run in parallel.
Niederlassung und Staatsangehörigkeit
F-5 usually needs years of lawful stay, income or investment, Korean and conduct. Visitor time does not count. Naturalisation is separate; dual nationality is allowed in some cases. Confirm with Korea Immigration.
Time to PR：Usually 5 years; points or investment can shorten
Einreise beliebter Pässe
FAQ
Is F-2 points the same as PR?
No. F-2 is renewable residence; F-5 is PR. High points only get you closer — years and income still apply.
Does a Chinese passport need a visa?
On this site’s matrix the result is “eVisa”. confirm length of stay with the destination. The port and mission are authoritative.
Does a US passport need a visa?
On this site’s matrix the result is “Visumfrei”. typical stay on the matrix is 90 days. The port and mission are authoritative.
Verwandte Ratgeber
TaiwanHandbooks summarise public sources so you can cross-check the visa matrix and policy playbooks. They are not legal advice. Quotas, stay lengths and visa-free lists move — confirm with the destination government and its missions before you travel or file.