South Korea Visa Requirements for British Citizens (2026)
No — British citizens can enter South Korea without a visa. Maximum stay: 90 days. Every number on this page carries the date we last verified it.
Specifically for British passport holders
- •British citizens may visit South Korea without a visa as short-term visitors for up to 90 days. [1]
- •Other classes of British nationality — British Dependent Territories Citizen, British National (Overseas), British Overseas Citizen, British Protected Person and British Subject — are limited to 30 days. [1]
- •Visa-free entry categories include tourist/transit, Jeju tourist, short-term general, business visitor and airside direct transit. [12]
Required documents
- Passport valid for at least 6 months from date of arrival
- Return or onward ticket from South Korea
- Korea Electronic Travel Authorization or Q-Code for health declaration (if applicable)
Fees & processing
| Processing | ~90 working days |
|---|
From official-portal extracts (captured ):
- •Visa-free entry for British tourists costs nothing and no fee is payable for the 90-day stay.
- •After the exemption ends on 31 December 2026, the K-ETA application fee is KRW 10,000 per person (about USD 7-8), plus online payment processing fees of roughly 3%. [6]
- •The fee covers the K-ETA application and examination process and is non-refundable once paid, whatever the outcome. [6]
- •Payment can be made with Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners Club, Discover, UnionPay or Alipay+. [6]
How to apply
- No visa or K-ETA application is needed while the K-ETA exemption lasts, so travellers staying 90 days or less can simply fly.
- When a K-ETA is required, apply only at www.k-eta.go.kr or the official K-ETA mobile app, not through look-alike agency sites. [5]
- Complete the form by agreeing to the terms, verifying your email, entering your passport details, then your application information, and checking it before submitting. [8]
- Pay the KRW 10,000 fee online at the end of the application. [6]
- Assessment generally finishes within 72 hours, so apply well before your flight. [5]
Before you fly
- •The K-ETA exemption currently runs to 31 December 2026, so check the rule again if you fly after that date.
- •K-ETA applications are accepted only through www.k-eta.go.kr or the official mobile app; look-alike sites charge inflated fees. [5]
- •K-ETA assessment generally takes within 72 hours, so apply ahead of your flight. [5]
Full South Korea entry guide — customs, health, long stays — on the destination page.
Watch out for
British citizens can enter South Korea as a short term visit (e.g., tours, visiting relatives or friends, attending simple meetings) up to 90 days without a visa, though they should remain aware of the quarantine requirements. An onward or return ticket is mandatory. It is illegal to work on a tourist visa, whether as a teacher or in any other capacity.
One must be in possession of a Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) to enter Korea visa-free, which can be completed up to 24 hours before boarding a flight, and is valid for 3 years from the date of approval. There is a small, non-refundable charge.
Overstay: 2009 saw concern raised over Chinese nationals who overstayed their visas.
K-ETA fees are non-refundable even if the application is refused. [6]
If your card blocks overseas payments the K-ETA fee may not go through; contact your card issuer in that case. [6]
Beware phishing or look-alike sites that charge high fees for K-ETA applications. [5]
Recent changes
- · upcomingOn 25 February 2026, South Korea announced that it will be expanding the tour group visa-free policy towards citizens of Indonesia in the future.
- · confirmedQatar
- · confirmedUnited Arab Emirates
- · confirmedKazakhstan
- · confirmedRussia
- · confirmedUruguay
- · confirmedVenezuela
- · confirmedJapan
- · confirmedChile
- · confirmedGuatemala
- · confirmedLatvia
- · confirmedBrazil
Policy updates affecting this route
- · confirmedE-9 workers were assigned to a specific site; transfer to another site permitted only in limited cases → Allowed to transfer to another site belonging to the same construction company (same employer) where the new site meets E-9 requirements — South Korea loosens E-9 worksite transfer rules
Frequently asked
How long can British citizens stay in South Korea?
Up to 90 days visa-free.
What documents are required?
Passport valid for at least 6 months from date of arrival; Return or onward ticket from South Korea; Korea Electronic Travel Authorization or Q-Code for health declaration (if applicable).
What happens if I overstay in South Korea?
2009 saw concern raised over Chinese nationals who overstayed their visas.
How long does K-ETA approval take?
Assessment generally finishes within 72 hours of applying.
Who is exempt from applying for a K-ETA?
Korean passport holders and dual nationals, US Forces members under SOFA, flight attendants and seafarers, ABTC (APEC) card holders, and transfer passengers.
Do all British passport holders get 90 days?
No. British Dependent Territories Citizens, British Nationals (Overseas), British Overseas Citizens, British Protected Persons and British Subjects are allowed 30 days.
Sources & last verified
Fact data cross-checked against English Wikipedia “Visa requirements for British citizens” and “Visa policy of South Korea”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 — attribution, not copied text.
Official-source extracts captured : [1] k-eta.go.kr [2] visa.go.kr [3] visa.go.kr [4] visa.go.kr [5] k-eta.go.kr [6] k-eta.go.kr [7] visa.go.kr [8] k-eta.go.kr [9] visa.go.kr [10] k-eta.go.kr [11] visa.go.kr [12] visa.go.kr [13] k-eta.go.kr [14] visa.go.kr [15] visa.go.kr [16] visa.go.kr [17] visa.go.kr [18] visa.go.kr. Attribution to the publishing agencies; every bracketed number above points to its row here.
Last verified: . Entries, fees and rules change — confirm on the official portal before you travel.
This is general travel information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change and enforcement varies at the border — always confirm on the official portal before you travel.