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The home base of Seoul, a lively metropolis where pop culture meets the old Buddhist heritage, picturesque countryside with historic villages and Natuurconserven, and a beautiful southern coast covered with unspoilt beaches, South Korea is a super trendy country to visit in 2025.
There is only one disadvantage if you go there this year:
If you arrive from the United States, you must now Required online form Before they come in, which is in line with other Asian destinations that have recently increased bureaucracy and raised similar mandates.
You cannot enter South Korea without filling in this form in 2025
As soon as February 24, 2025, if you fly to South Korea via a cruise port, You can’t cross the border Unless you have submitted an electronic arrival card (e-arrival card) prior to arrival.
It is worth noting that tourists have always had to fill in a customs form in the country, but before the e-arcal card was introduced, they could do this in the arrival hall, where piles of paper forms were available.
No more: the goal is to Replace the paper form completely With the online version towards the end of the year.
It is currently unclear whether South Korea-related travelers will be able to board their flights without showing the evidence that they have filled in the form, although we strongly discourage you to leave it until the last moment .
We all know how Laggy can be these official websites, and the last thing you want is to be excluded from boarding because you are missing all the correct documentation.
For the time being this does not seem to be the case, because during the rollout, last until December 2025, passengers can choose between filling in the form online or the paper version on arrival in South Korea.
Based on our Extensive travel experience, when there is an option to submit a customs form in advance, Do this To prevent extra queues and long waiting.
The South Korean border authorities have further confirmed that passengers do not have to pay at this time to submit their information in advance: the form is completely free.
That said, they have advised to send it three days before departure to ensure that immigration wakers receive the information on time and have the smoothest possible border experience.
The online form is immediately available on the e-arivalcard.go.kr Portal, which will be released soon.
Step-by-step manual to submit your E-Arrival card for South Korea
Upload your passport
As soon as the system goes live, you must have your passport at hand, as well as all the details regarding your trip to South Korea.
After you have accepted the conditions, you will be asked Upload a copy of your passport: More specific, the information page, including your photo, the passport number and other personal data, and especially, the machine-readable zone (MRZ).
Do you know that long series of numbers at the bottom of the ID page? That’s what the MRZ is.
After the passport upload has been completed, the information must be able to be extracted using the best-lekke optical drawing recognition of the platform.
There should be no mistakes, but we would still encourage you Re -see each input separately and make corrections if necessary, especially if your name or last name contains accents.
Enter your travel details
The next step is to provide information about your trip, including the goal of travel – are you a tourist? Visit your family? Maybe you are going to Zuid -Korea on a business company?
On this part of the form you must enter your arrival date, flight or canal number, your hometown in Zuid -Korea (this hotel or Airbnb), the planned departure date and finally the outgoing flight number.
Make sure you enter this carefully and truthful. As soon as you land in South Korea and go through immigration control, border authorities will rely on the information provided to formulate their questions.
All inconsistencies are marked immediately and you can run the risk of running longer at the border than necessary until they are remedied.
View and serve the form
The last step is to submit the declaration form, after which you can view your answers one last time.
Again, the service is free And requires no approval. This means that you immediately receive your e-arrival card in the PDF form, what you can do Download.
In addition, a report is sent to the E -mail address provided form. If you have to edit information or change an error that you only realize that you have been made later, you can change the statement before you spend border control.
Zuid -Korea is one of the many digital customs forms that Americans are now subjected when they travel to countless destinations worldwide. In Asia there are some examples of Cambodia, Malaysia and, soon enough, Thailand.
Americans also need a digital visa to enter South Korea From 2026
South Korea also has an electronic travel authorization system that applies to visa-free travelers such as us and Canadian passport holders.
For now it has been that Hung up to the end of 2025 To reduce bureaucratic procedures for travelers and to stimulate tourism, but as soon as January 2026, Americans will have to apply for a digital travel permit before they fly to South Korea.
Prior to the temporary suspension, the K-Eta allowance was 10,000 South Koreans wonOr approximately US $ 7, who remain valid for 3 years after issue.
It is likely that the value will be adjusted as soon as the system is re -launched.
Based on our understanding, Americans will have to show proof to South Korea from next year from both a completed e-arrival card, which is free but mandatory, and a K-eta, The equivalent of a digital visa.
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This article originally appeared on Traveloffpath.com
Opinions here are only the author, not those of a bank, credit card emitting, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been assessed, approved or otherwise approved by one of the entities that are included in the post.
