The quick answer
Korea's e-Arrival Card is an online entry declaration operated by the Ministry of Justice. The only official website is www.e-arrivalcard.go.kr. Submission is free. The official service says a declaration can be completed beginning three days before arrival in Korea, based on Korea Standard Time.
e-arrivalcard.go.kr before entering passport information.Who needs an e-Arrival Card?
The general rule is that a foreign national who is required to make an entry declaration may submit it online. Important exclusions apply, so a passport alone is not enough to answer the question.
The official target guide lists major excluded groups including:
- Korean citizens;
- holders of a valid Korean Residence Card, Permanent Resident Card, or Overseas Korean Resident Card;
- travelers entering with a valid K-ETA;
- certain group-visa or visa-free group-tour participants; and
- foreign flight crew entering Korea.
Other categories have detailed conditions. Use the official declaration target guide or the navigator on the official homepage for the final check. Koursea cannot determine immigration eligibility from a nationality or itinerary alone.
K-ETA and the e-Arrival Card are not the same thing
A K-ETA is a travel authorization for eligible visa-free travelers. An e-Arrival Card is an entry declaration. A traveler entering with a valid K-ETA is generally listed as excluded from the declaration, but the official guide adds an important exception: someone who holds a K-ETA but enters using a visa must complete the e-Arrival Card.
Do not choose between them based on an old blog post. Check which document you will actually use for entry, then run that combination through the official navigator.
A traveler who is temporarily K-ETA-exempt may still apply for a K-ETA and pay the application fee. The official K-ETA notice says an approved K-ETA carries the benefit of not having to submit an arrival card. That is an optional trade-off, not a reason to buy a third-party arrival-card service.
When can you submit it?
The official service opens submission three days before the scheduled arrival date in Korea, calculated using Korea Standard Time. Submitting too early can leave you outside the valid window. If your itinerary changes, check or edit the declaration on the official site before immigration inspection rather than filing repeatedly through third-party services.
Use the arrival date in Korea, not the date your flight leaves home. An overnight flight can cross a calendar date, and a connection can change again after a delay. The official homepage displays the dates currently available for declaration; use that live display instead of calculating the window from a screenshot.
What to have ready
- A valid passport;
- an email address you can access while traveling;
- arrival and departure details;
- your purpose of entry;
- the address and contact details for your planned stay; and
- accurate occupation and itinerary information requested by the form.
Use the same spelling and passport number shown in the passport you will present at immigration. If your first accommodation changes, update the stay information through the official check/edit function.
Prepare the stay address carefully
Use the real first accommodation rather than a neighborhood name, booking platform or tourist attraction. Copy the address from the accommodation's own confirmation and keep the Korean version available if provided. If the booking is canceled or the first stay changes, use the official edit function before immigration inspection.
Do not invent a local phone number to make the form submit. Review the current field instructions and use the contact information connected to the stay or itinerary as permitted by the official form. Koursea does not collect or check passport numbers, declaration issue numbers or accommodation records.
The official five-step flow
What happens after submission?
The official guide says an issue number is sent by email. You do not need to carry a printed electronic card for immigration inspection, although saving the issue number or confirmation can make it easier to retrieve the declaration. The official site also provides a check/edit function using the issue number or email verification.
Purpose of entry, stay details, and departure information can be changed before immigration inspection. If the arrival date changes beyond the allowed edit range, follow the current instructions on the official site rather than guessing.
If the confirmation does not arrive
Check the spam folder and verify that the email address was entered correctly. Then use the official check/edit route by typing the government domain directly; do not follow a message from an unknown “support agent.” Avoid creating multiple declarations simply because an email is delayed. The live service instructions determine whether to retrieve, edit or submit again.
If the passport or flight changes
A renewed passport, corrected passport number or new arrival date can affect core identity or timing information. Do not assume every field is editable. Open the current official guide and follow its instructions before inspection; if necessary, use an official immigration contact channel. A travel agency or airline message is not a replacement for the entry declaration record.
How to avoid fake paid websites
- Type the official address directly instead of using a sponsored search result.
- Confirm the Korean government domain ends in .go.kr.
- Do not provide card or payment information; the official declaration is free.
- Do not send passport scans to an unofficial “arrival service.”
- If unsure, leave the page and reopen the link from the Ministry of Justice notice.
A submission agent cannot change whether you are legally required to file. The official navigator is the safer place to start.
Korea e-Arrival Card questions
What is the Korea e-Arrival Card?
It is Korea’s online entry declaration operated by the Ministry of Justice. It is not a visa or K-ETA, and the official government submission is free.
Can I submit the Korea arrival card online?
Yes. Use only the official e-arrivalcard.go.kr service. The official service opens submission three days before the scheduled arrival date in Korea, calculated in Korea Standard Time.
Do U.S. citizens need a Korea e-Arrival Card?
Nationality alone is not enough to decide. The requirement depends on the document used for entry and current exclusions. A traveler entering with a valid K-ETA is generally excluded, while a traveler using a temporary K-ETA exemption may still need the declaration. Use the official target navigator for the final check.
Is the e-Arrival Card the same as a customs declaration?
No. The e-Arrival Card is an immigration entry declaration. Customs declarations cover goods, food, medicines, currency and other reportable items. A traveler may need to consider both processes separately.
Official sources
Entry rules can change. These pages were checked on August 27, 2026.
Editorial note: This is a practical summary, not an immigration decision. Use the live government navigator for your documents and entry status.