How to get the South Korea K-ETA from India in under 10 minutes (2026 guide)

Most Indians planning a South Korea trip assume they need to apply for a tourist visa — agency fees, document checklist, 2-week wait. They don't. Indians are eligible for the K-ETA, which is an electronic travel authorisation you apply for online in about 10 minutes. It costs 10,000 KRW (roughly ₹500) and approval typically comes within hours to a day.

Here's the full process:

1. Go to the official site: www.k-eta.go.kr
2. Create an account and fill in your passport details, travel dates, and accommodation address
3. Upload a passport-size photo (standard specs, nothing unusual)
4. Pay 10,000 KRW via international card
5. Wait for approval email — usually same day, occasionally up to 72 hours

That's it. Print the approval or keep it on your phone. Present at Korean immigration along with your passport.

A few things worth knowing before you apply:

K-ETA is valid for 2 years from approval and allows multiple entries, so if you're planning more than one Korea trip, one application covers both. Maximum stay per visit is 90 days. It's tourist and short-term visit only — if you're going for work or staying longer, you'll need a separate visa category.

The one thing that trips people up: the photo requirements are stricter than you'd expect. Plain white background, face centred, no glasses. Rejections on first attempt are almost always photo-related. Get this right and the rest is straightforward.

Don't use visa agencies for this. The official site is genuinely simple and agencies charge ₹2,000–4,000 for something that takes 10 minutes and costs ₹500 directly.

Anyone done Korea recently — has the K-ETA processing time stayed consistent, or are there delays worth knowing about for summer 2026?