South Africa to South Korea visa requirements

South African ordinary passport holders can visit South Korea visa-free for up to 30 days, but most travelers must obtain an approved K-ETA before boarding. South Africa is not listed among the nationalities temporarily exempt from K-ETA through 31 December 2026. South African ordinary passport holders are eligible to enter South Korea without a consular visa for short tourism, visiting relatives, events, conferences, or non-commercial business purposes for up to 30 days. However, South Africa appears on the official K-ETA eligible-country list with a 30-day stay and is not included in VISITKOREA's 2026 temporary K-ETA exemption country list. This means most South African visitors must apply for and receive K-ETA approval before boarding a flight or ship to Korea. The official K-ETA fee is KRW 10,000, plus a separate online payment fee; assessment usually takes 72 hours or less but can take longer. Approved K-ETA is valid for up to 3 years, or until the passport expires, and permits repeated trips within the validity period, but each stay remains capped at 30 days. K-ETA is not a visa and does not guarantee admission; final entry permission is decided by Korea Immigration Service at the port of entry. K-ETA-exempt travelers, such as travelers aged 17 or younger or 65 or older on the date of entry, should use the official e-Arrival Card process unless another arrival-card exemption applies.