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Contents
- Visa-free entry: what 90 days means
- K-ETA: what it is and do you need it?
- e-Arrival Card: why you can't forget it
- When to fill it in
- What you need
- How to fill it in
- Passport validity requirement
- What to have at the border
- Money and insurance
- The most common mistakes at the Korean border
- Mistake 1: paying for the e-Arrival Card
- Mistake 2: filling it in too early
- Mistake 3: not saving the confirmation
- Mistake 4: not checking your K-ETA status
- Mistake 5: a wrong address on the e-Arrival Card
- Mistake 6: your passport expires during the trip
- Quick summary: what to do before your flight
- FAQ
- Do Lithuanians need a visa for South Korea?
- Do Lithuanians need a K-ETA?
- What is the e-Arrival Card and is it mandatory?
- How long before my flight should I fill in the e-Arrival Card?
- How long must my passport be valid for South Korea?
- What if I forgot to fill in the e-Arrival Card before my flight?
- Read also
Your tickets to Seoul are booked, the route is planned, and then it hits you: there’s something you still need to fill in online before the flight. K-ETA? e-Arrival Card? Both? Neither? This article answers exactly that.
The good news: South Korea is visa-free for Lithuanians. The not-so-good news: the rules change, and the internet is full of outdated information. That’s why it’s worth checking official sources before every trip — and here’s what you need to know right now.
In short, so you get the big picture straight away: before flying to Korea, four things matter most — a valid passport, checking your K-ETA status, the e-Arrival Card, and knowing what you can’t bring in. Everything else is detail, which we’ll cover below. If you’re in a hurry, jump straight to the part you need — and at the end you’ll find a short summary with the full checklist.
Visa-free entry: what 90 days means
Lithuanian citizens can enter South Korea without a visa and stay for up to 90 days. The same applies to almost all EU countries — the arrangement is based on agreements between Seoul and the European Union.
What do 90 days mean in practice? It’s not 90 days per year, but 90 days per entry. If you leave and come back, the count starts again — but immigration officers may check whether you’re staying too long by constantly hopping across the border. For a tourist, that’s more than enough time — if you want ideas on how to use it, take a look at my South Korea travel guide.
Visa-free entry covers tourism, visiting family or a short business trip. If you plan to work or study, that’s a different story, and you’ll need a separate visa.
One more common misunderstanding: visa-free doesn’t mean nobody will ask you anything at the border. The immigration officer has the right to ask where you’re staying, how long you’ll be in the country and whether you have a return ticket. That’s normal and means nothing — just answer calmly and clearly. It almost always ends there, and the answers to these questions are already in your completed e-Arrival Card.
K-ETA: what it is and do you need it?
K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) is South Korea’s electronic travel authorization, similar to the US ESTA or Australia’s ETA. The system covers almost all visa-free countries, including Lithuania.
South Korea has introduced a temporary K-ETA exemption for many countries, including Lithuania. This means Lithuanians can currently fly without a K-ETA.
Why does this matter? Because exemptions get extended, but they’re not guaranteed forever. Before every trip, check the official website of the South Korean Embassy in Vilnius or k-eta.go.kr — only there will you find reliable, up-to-date information. If your trip is a while away, the situation may have changed by then.
The temporary exemption applies not only to Lithuania but also to many other visa-free countries, including a large part of the European Union. That’s handy if you’re travelling with friends from other EU countries — the same conditions probably apply to them. Still, everyone should check their own nationality separately, because the list isn’t identical for every country.
And if the exemption ever ends and you need a K-ETA — it’s not a complicated process. You fill in an application online at k-eta.go.kr, pay a fee (about 10,000 won, roughly €7), and get approval within a few days. A K-ETA is valid for several years or until your passport expires.
But the most important thing to understand is this: K-ETA status changes. What applies today may not apply later. Never plan a trip based on a friend’s story or a post in a travel group on social media — check directly with the official source.
One more nuance: K-ETA and the e-Arrival Card are not the same thing, even though both are filled in online and sound similar. K-ETA is permission to travel, which you need before you board the plane. The e-Arrival Card is an arrival declaration that replaced the paper card. If the K-ETA exemption applies to you, you still need the e-Arrival Card.
e-Arrival Card: why you can’t forget it
All foreigners entering South Korea without a K-ETA must fill in the e-Arrival Card — a digital arrival declaration. It replaced the paper form you used to fill in on the plane or at the airport. If the K-ETA exemption applies to you, the e-Arrival Card concerns you directly.
It’s completely free. If you see a website asking for money, it’s a scam. The only official website is e-arrivalcard.go.kr.
When to fill it in
You can fill in the e-Arrival Card no earlier than 72 hours before arrival. The form is valid for 72 hours after submission, so there’s no point filling it in too early — an expired form is no longer valid and you’ll have to do it again.
The recommended time is a day or two before your flight. That gives you time to fix mistakes, and you won’t be checking your hotel address at the last minute at the airport.
What you need
- The photo page of your passport (the system reads the details automatically)
- Flight number and arrival date
- Full accommodation address in Korea — not just the hotel name, but street, building number and city
- Email address to receive the confirmation
- Purpose of travel (tourism, business and so on)
How to fill it in
The process is simple: go to e-arrivalcard.go.kr, accept the terms, enter your email, upload a photo of your passport (the system fills in your name, surname and passport number automatically), then manually enter your flight details and hotel address, review and confirm. The whole thing takes just a few minutes.
Once you receive the confirmation email, save it or take a screenshot. In theory you don’t need to show it at the border (the system works automatically when your passport is scanned), but having the confirmation on your phone is sensible.
One practical tip: if you’re travelling with family or friends, each person fills in their own e-Arrival Card — one form doesn’t cover the whole group. Children also need a separate declaration, filled in by their parents.
If you forgot to fill it in, it’s not a disaster. The airport has Wi-Fi and kiosks where you can do it while queuing for immigration.
Passport validity requirement
South Korea requires your passport to be valid for at least 6 months after your planned departure date. This is a standard requirement in many Asian countries.
What to have at the border
Border control in South Korea is quick and orderly — Incheon Airport is one of the most efficient in the world. If your documents are sorted in advance, you’ll get through in a few minutes.
It goes roughly like this: after landing you walk towards immigration, where an officer checks your passport and may ask a couple of questions, then you collect your luggage and go through customs. Incheon has clear signs in English, and staff usually help anyone who looks lost. If the flight was long and you’re tired, just follow the crowd and the signs — the system is designed so travellers don’t get lost.
Here’s what’s useful to have at hand:
- A valid passport — the essential document; without it, nobody lets you in
- e-Arrival Card confirmation — a screenshot or the email on your phone
- Accommodation details — hotel name and address (you may be asked verbally)
- Return ticket or proof of onward travel — officers may, in theory, ask you to show you plan to leave within 90 days
- Enough funds for the trip — a credit card or cash (officially you may be asked to prove you can support yourself, although in practice this rarely happens)
Customs is simple: if you have nothing to declare, just walk through the green “nothing to declare” channel. If you have goods to declare (expensive purchases, food products from abroad), go through the red channel or use the Korea Customs Service app with a QR code.
Important: meat products — sausages, jerky, salami — are banned even in vacuum packaging. The fine can reach millions of won, which is serious money. It’s really not worth the risk for a sausage from home — try Korean food locally instead.
The same principle applies to other animal products and to fresh fruit, vegetables and plants — they’re checked for disease and pest risks. If you’re unsure whether you can bring something, the simplest solution is not to take it, or to declare it at the border. Once it’s declared, officers decide whether the product can be brought in, and there’s no fine for declaring honestly — only for hiding things.
If you’re staying longer than a week, it’s worth sorting out local connectivity in advance. An eSIM for Korea can be activated before you fly, so you have internet the moment you land.
Money and insurance
South Korea is very card-friendly — you can pay by card almost everywhere, even in tiny cafés and taxis. Still, a little cash in won comes in handy at markets, temples or small food stalls, which sometimes only take cash. The easiest option is to exchange money locally, at the airport or in city centres, rather than at home. I’ve worked out how much money you’ll actually need in my article on the South Korea travel budget.
Travel insurance isn’t an entry requirement for Korea, but you can get ill or injured anywhere. Medical care in the country is excellent, but foreigners pay for it.
The most common mistakes at the Korean border
Even a visa-free country has its traps. Here’s what people get wrong — and what to avoid.
Mistake 1: paying for the e-Arrival Card
Search online and you’ll find plenty of websites offering to “help” fill in the e-Arrival Card for ten or even several dozen euros. These are scams. The official website is e-arrivalcard.go.kr, and it’s completely free.
Mistake 2: filling it in too early
An e-Arrival Card submitted more than 72 hours before arrival isn’t valid. Filled it in a week ahead full of enthusiasm? You’ll have to do it again. The best time is the day before your flight.
Mistake 3: not saving the confirmation
The system works automatically, but the airport Wi-Fi near immigration can be slow. If an officer asks for your confirmation number and you don’t have it, it’ll be an awkward moment.
Mistake 4: not checking your K-ETA status
Your friend didn’t need a K-ETA before. You may or may not — but not necessarily the same way as them. Rules change, and exemptions may or may not be extended.
Mistake 5: a wrong address on the e-Arrival Card
Many people enter only the hotel name — that’s not enough. You need the full address: street, building number, city. Ideally, book your accommodation in advance, then just open the confirmation and copy the address. If your plans change, you can update the address on the website before arrival.
Mistake 6: your passport expires during the trip
Your passport looks valid? Check more carefully: the 6-month requirement means the passport must be valid for another half a year after you leave, not after you arrive. Count carefully so there are no surprises.
Quick summary: what to do before your flight
- Check your passport validity — at least 6 months must remain after your planned return date
- Check your K-ETA status officially (k-eta.go.kr or the Korean Embassy website) — the exemption may change
- Book your accommodation in advance — you’ll need the address for the e-Arrival Card
- Fill in the e-Arrival Card up to 72 hours before your flight at e-arrivalcard.go.kr — for free
- Save the confirmation on your phone
FAQ
Do Lithuanians need a visa for South Korea?
No — Lithuanian citizens can enter South Korea without a visa and stay for up to 90 days. The usual conditions apply: a tourist or business trip, a valid passport and sufficient funds. Longer stays or work require the appropriate visa.
Do Lithuanians need a K-ETA?
Not at the moment, because Lithuania is temporarily exempt from the K-ETA requirement. However, this exemption is temporary and is extended periodically. Before every trip, check the latest information on the Korean Embassy website or at k-eta.go.kr, as the rules may change.
What is the e-Arrival Card and is it mandatory?
The e-Arrival Card is a digital arrival declaration that replaced the paper form on the plane. It’s mandatory for foreigners entering without a K-ETA. It’s filled in free of charge only on the official website e-arrivalcard.go.kr, no earlier than 72 hours before arrival.
How long before my flight should I fill in the e-Arrival Card?
You can fill in the e-Arrival Card no earlier than 72 hours before arrival and no later than before you pass through immigration. The recommended time is the day before your flight. A form filled in too early will expire before you arrive.
How long must my passport be valid for South Korea?
Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your planned departure date from South Korea. Check your passport in advance and, if it expires in the coming months, renew it before the trip.
What if I forgot to fill in the e-Arrival Card before my flight?
You can fill it in at the airport — there’s Wi-Fi and digital kiosks before the immigration queue. The process takes a few minutes.
Read also
- South Korea Travel Guide: From Seoul to Jeju
- Korean Food: What You Must Try on Your Trip
- Jeju’s Women Divers: Where to See Them
Search for flights to Seoul here. If something goes wrong with your flight, you can claim compensation through AirHelp or Compensair.
I always recommend booking your airport transfer in advance — especially when you land at Incheon after a long flight. You can do it here.
Look for accommodation in Korea here — your booking confirmation will have the exact address you’ll need for the e-Arrival Card.
Travel Without Chaos: South Korea — 14-Day Itinerary Without a Car (+ National Parks)
14-day South Korea itinerary — complete PDF guide, no car needed. Seoul, Seoraksan, Jeonju, Jeju and Hallasan. Daily plans, budgets, hotels and transport.
