Good news up front: Australians can enter South Korea in 2026 without a visa and without a K-ETA. South Korea extended its K-ETA exemption for Australian passport holders through 31 December 2026, confirmed by its Ministry of Justice in January this year. That means no pre-authorisation application, no KRW 10,000 fee, and no 72-hour waiting window before your trip.

What most people miss — and what immigration officers at Incheon will ask about — is the mandatory digital e-Arrival Card. It replaced paper landing cards entirely in 2026, and unlike the K-ETA, it is not waived. You need to submit it online within 72 hours before your flight departs, not on arrival.

The e-Arrival Card is a digital entry declaration covering your passport details, flight information, and accommodation address in South Korea. It is submitted through South Korea's official immigration portal at immigration.go.kr, takes under five minutes, and produces a confirmation you save to your phone or print out. Immigration may request it when you arrive at Incheon.

A few things to know before you submit:

If you already hold a valid K-ETA from a previous application, it remains valid through its original expiry date and exempts you from completing the e-Arrival Card — that is the main practical advantage of keeping an existing K-ETA rather than relying on the waiver.

Lock in your flights to Seoul Incheon (ICN) or Busan Gimhae (PUS) — multiple airlines serve the route from Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, and prices vary considerably depending on connection point.

Australia is one of the 42 nationalities eligible for South Korea's Smart Entry Service (SES) automated e-gates, rolled out at Incheon from March 2026. If you have submitted your e-Arrival Card and your biometric data is registered, you can clear immigration at an automated gate rather than a staffed counter — significantly faster during peak arrival periods. First-time visitors without pre-registered biometrics will go through the standard staffed counter regardless.

The K-ETA waiver ends on 31 December 2026 and South Korea has not announced an extension. From 1 January 2027, Australian travellers will likely need to apply for a K-ETA before each trip — it costs KRW 10,000 (around AUD 12), takes 24 to 72 hours to process, and is valid for up to three years. If your trip is January 2027 or later, factor this into your planning timeline.

Seoul, Busan, and Jeju all have experiences that benefit from advance booking. The Discover Seoul Pass, Everland, and Lotte World in particular sell out or run long queues during Korean school holidays. Browse things to do in South Korea and sort the tickets before you land.

The 90-day limit is firm and cannot be extended inside South Korea for tourist stays. If you need longer for work, study, or family reasons, the appropriate visa must be applied for through the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Canberra before you depart. Australians aged 18 to 30 are eligible for the Working Holiday Visa — spots are allocated annually and tend to fill quickly, so apply early in the year if this is your plan.

Compare flights to Seoul and Busan, browse hotels across Myeongdong, Hongdae, and Gangnam, and pre-book things to do through Traveloka — Southeast Asia's leading travel aplikasi. Traveloka accepts local Australian payment methods and keeps your flights, accommodation, and activity bookings in one account. Check deals for South Korea promotions, and download the Traveloka aplikasi before you go.