South Korea announced a temporary exemption from its K-ETA requirement for travellers from 22 countries throughout 2026The exempted countries span Asia, Europe, North America, and Oceania, covering some of the world’s most travelled nationalitiesThe K-ETA is an electronic travel authorisation that eligible nationals normally need before entering South Korea without a visaPAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng! South Korea has announced a temporary exemption from its Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA) requirement for citizens of 22 countries, covering the full calendar year from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026.The K-ETA is an online pre-travel authorisation that nationals of visa-exempt countries are ordinarily required to obtain before entering South Korea. For the duration of this year, however, travellers from the listed nations can enter the country without going through that process.South Korea grants temporary K-ETA exemption to citizens of 22 countries. Images for illustration purposes only.
Photo Source: Getty Images/Bloomberg/Arkadiusz Warguła Source: Getty ImagesSouth Korea: 22 K-ETA-exempt countries in 2026According to the official notice published on the South Korean government website, the following countries and regions are currently covered by the exemption:PAY ATTENTION: From breaking news to viral moments. Follow Legit.ng on Instagram!Hong KongJapanMacaoSingaporeTaiwanCanadaUnited StatesAustriaBelgiumDenmarkFinlandFranceGermanyItalyNetherlandsNorwayPolandSpainSwedenUnited KingdomAustraliaNew ZealandWhat the South Korea exemption means for travellersThe exemption covers a broad spread of nationalities across Asia-Pacific, North America, and Europe. Citizens from these countries who previously had to complete the K-ETA application before booking their travel to South Korea no longer need to do so for trips taken within 2026.The government notice stated: “Travelers from the 22 countries/regions listed below are currently exempt from the K-ETA requirement during the period from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026.”It is worth noting that the exemption is temporary and tied specifically to the 2026 calendar year. Travellers planning visits that extend beyond or fall outside this window should verify the latest entry requirements before making travel arrangements.Canada lists 17 countries eligible for eTAMeanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Canada listed 17 countries whose citizens may be eligible to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) instead of a traditional visa for air travel.
The list includes two African countries, Morocco and Seychelles, while Indonesia and Malaysia were added to the programme. Source: Legit.ng Muhammed Hammed Olayinka (Human Interest Editor) Muhammed has worked with Oracle UNILORIN, Opera News Hub, Scopper News, Gistreel, and now LEGIT.ng. He won the NAPSS President Writing Skirmish (2017) and was first runner-up in the UNILORIN Senate Writing Contest (2018). He can be reached via email at muhammed.hammedolayinka@corp.legit.ng NIS – Nigeria Immigration ServiceDiaspora Ballon d or rankings Thinking messages Visa waiver programme Waec result Matteo berrettini wife girlfriend
