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 des passeports
Corée du Sud 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.
VoyageImmigration
Openness rank
#60
Entry openness
110
Sans visa
62
Briefing updated
2026-09
Fiche pays
Capitale
Seoul
Population
51.2 million
Superficie
98,480 km²
Monnaie
South Korean won KRW
Langue
Korean
Fuseau
UTC+09:00
Nés à l’étranger
1.8 million · 2024
Part de migrants
3.5%
Groupes ethniques
Korean
Nés à l’étranger : stock de migrants de l’ONU via la Banque mondiale (surtout 2024). Les groupes ethniques suivent les catégories publiées de chaque pays. La plupart ne recensent pas la couleur de peau. Indicatif seulement.
Visas et voies d’immigrationListe d’exemption de visaDossiers et photo d’identitéVisa siteImmigration site
À qui s’adresse ce guide
For short trips, study, IT and manufacturing work, or F-2 residents lining up F-5.
Visiter et durée de séjour
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.
Travail et résidence
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.
Résidence permanente et nationalité
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
Entrée des passeports populaires
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 “Sans visa”. typical stay on the matrix is 90 days. The port and mission are authoritative.
Guides connexes
TaïwanHandbooks 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.