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.
Atlas de pasaportes
Corea del Sur 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.
ViajeInmigración
Openness rank
#60
Entry openness
110
Sin visado
62
Briefing updated
2026-09
Ficha del país
Capital
Seoul
Población
51.2 million
Superficie
98,480 km²
Moneda
South Korean won KRW
Idioma
Korean
Huso horario
UTC+09:00
Nacidos en el extranjero
1.8 million · 2024
Cuota de migrantes
3.5%
Grupos étnicos
Korean
Nacidos en el extranjero: stock de migrantes de la ONU vía Banco Mundial (sobre todo 2024). Los grupos étnicos siguen las categorías publicadas de cada país. La mayoría no censa por color de piel. Solo orientativo.
Visados y vías migratoriasLista de exención de visadoDocumentos y foto de pasaporteVisa siteImmigration site
A quién va dirigida esta guía
For short trips, study, IT and manufacturing work, or F-2 residents lining up F-5.
Cómo visitar y cuánto tiempo
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.
Trabajo y residencia
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.
Residencia permanente y nacionalidad
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
Cómo entran pasaportes populares
Preguntas frecuentes
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 “Sin visado”. typical stay on the matrix is 90 days. The port and mission are authoritative.
Guías relacionadas
TaiwánHandbooks 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.