Australian ETA for South Korean Citizens: Complete 2026 Guide
Updated: 25 June 2026
South Korean citizens holding a Republic of Korea passport are among the eight nationalities eligible for Australia's Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601). The ETA lets you visit Australia for tourism, family visits, or business activities, with multiple entries over twelve months and stays of up to three months each. Most applications are decided within minutes through the Australian ETA app.
Independent guide — not a government service. Australian Visa Online is an independent information resource. We are not affiliated with the Department of Home Affairs and do not lodge applications on your behalf. Always verify current requirements before you travel.
Quick Facts: ETA for South Korean Passport Holders
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Visa subclass | 601 (Electronic Travel Authority) |
| Who qualifies | Republic of Korea passport holders |
| Purpose | Tourism, visiting family, business visitor activities |
| Validity | 12 months from grant (or passport expiry, if sooner) |
| Maximum stay | Up to 3 months per visit |
| Multiple entries | Yes |
| Work rights | No (business visitor activities permitted) |
| Apply via | Australian ETA app (iOS/Android) |
| Cost | See the current visa fee schedule |
Are South Korean Citizens Eligible for the ETA?
Yes. South Korea (the Republic of Korea) is one of only eight countries and territories whose passport holders can apply for the Electronic Travel Authority. The eligible list is:
- Brunei
- Canada
- Hong Kong SAR
- Japan
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- South Korea (Republic of Korea)
- United States of America
The key requirement is the passport itself. You must hold a valid Republic of Korea passport to use the ETA pathway. If you are a Korean national but travel on a different country's passport, your eligibility follows that passport, not your Korean citizenship.
A few points that matter specifically for Korean travellers:
- Biometric (e-passport) required. The ETA app reads the NFC chip inside your passport. Modern Korean passports are biometric, so this is rarely an issue, but a very old non-chip passport will not work with the app.
- The passport you apply with is the passport you travel on. Your ETA is linked electronically to one specific passport number. Renewing your Korean passport invalidates an existing ETA.
- Dual nationals choose one document. If you hold both a Korean passport and, say, a European Union passport, you can use the ETA on the Korean one — or you could instead look at the eVisitor (subclass 651) on the EU passport. You only need one valid authority.
If you do not hold an eligible passport for any reason, the alternative is the Subclass 600 visitor visa, which is open to all nationalities.
How South Korean Citizens Apply for the ETA
Since 2022, the ETA is applied for exclusively through the Australian ETA mobile app. There is no desktop website, no ImmiAccount form, and no paper application for this visa. Any site claiming to "process your Australian ETA" online is a third-party agent or a scam — the genuine app is published by the Department of Home Affairs.
Here is the process for a Korean passport holder, step by step.
Step 1 — Download the Australian ETA app. Search "Australian ETA" on the Apple App Store or Google Play. The app interface supports several languages; confirm you have the official Department of Home Affairs publisher.
Step 2 — Scan your Korean passport. Hold your phone against the bio-data page so it can read the NFC chip. This pulls your name, date of birth, and photo directly from the chip, which avoids the spelling and date-format mistakes that are easy to make when transliterating Korean names into the Latin alphabet.
Step 3 — Take a selfie. The app matches your live photo against the chip photo using facial recognition. Follow the lighting and framing prompts.
Step 4 — Answer the declaration questions. A short set of yes/no questions about your character, health, and reason for travel. Answer honestly — a false declaration can lead to cancellation and future entry bans.
Step 5 — Pay the service charge. Pay by card inside the app. For the exact current amount, check the Australian visa fee schedule, since service charges are set by the government and can change.
Step 6 — Receive your ETA. Most decisions arrive within minutes via an app notification. The ETA is electronic and linked to your passport — there is no label or stamp. Save a screenshot for your own records.
For a deeper walkthrough that applies to every eligible nationality, see the main Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601) guide.
Validity, Stay Length, and Multiple Entries
The ETA is a multiple-entry authority valid for 12 months from the date it is granted, or until your Korean passport expires — whichever comes first. Within that window you can enter and leave Australia as often as you like, as long as each individual stay does not exceed three months.
This structure suits a lot of Korean travel patterns: a family visiting relatives in Sydney twice a year, a business traveller meeting Australian partners each quarter, or a tourist combining Australia with a wider Asia-Pacific trip. One ETA covers all of those visits across the year.
The three-month limit resets each time you leave and re-enter. Flying to New Zealand or back to Korea and returning gives you a fresh three-month period. However, the ETA is intended for genuine visits, not for living in Australia by chaining back-to-back stays. The Department monitors entry patterns and can cancel an ETA or refuse entry at the border if it looks like you are effectively residing in Australia on a visitor authority.
Processing is usually instant, but it is not guaranteed. Apply at least a few days before you travel rather than at the airport. For typical timeframes when an application is referred for manual checking, see the visa processing times guide.
What South Korean Visitors Can and Cannot Do
The ETA covers two categories of activity: tourism and business visitor activities. It does not grant work rights.
| Activity | Allowed on an ETA? |
|---|---|
| Holidays, sightseeing, road trips | Yes |
| Visiting family or friends | Yes |
| Recreational activities (diving, hiking, surfing) | Yes |
| Short-term study, up to 3 months | Yes |
| Medical treatment | Yes |
| Attending conferences, seminars, trade fairs | Yes (business visitor) |
| Business negotiations and contract discussions | Yes (business visitor) |
| Working for an Australian employer | No |
| Freelance, contract, or paid services in Australia | No |
| Selling goods or services to the public | No |
The trap most visitors fall into is the line between "business visitor activities" and "work". Attending a trade fair to make enquiries is fine. Being paid to deliver a keynote, install equipment, or provide a service while in Australia counts as work and needs a different visa. If your trip involves earning income for activity performed on Australian soil, the ETA is the wrong tool.
If you want to stay longer than three months, study for a full course, or work, you will need a different visa entirely. The Subclass 600 tourist visa allows longer visits, while study and work each have their own subclasses.
What Differs for a South Korean Passport Compared to Other Nationalities
The ETA conditions — 12-month validity, 3-month stays, no work rights — are identical for all eight eligible nationalities. There is no separate "Korean ETA"; the subclass 601 rules are the same whether you hold a Korean, Japanese, or Canadian passport. What differs is mostly practical:
- Name transliteration. Korean names romanised on the passport (for example, different spellings of the same surname) should be entered exactly as printed. Because the app reads the chip directly, this is handled for you — but double-check the result matches your passport before paying.
- European passport holders use a different visa. This is worth flagging for dual nationals: if you also hold a passport from one of the ~36 European eVisitor countries, that document is not eligible for the ETA. It uses the eVisitor (subclass 651) instead. Korea is firmly in the ETA group, not the eVisitor group.
- Choosing between ETA and eVisitor never applies to a Korean-only traveller. If your only passport is Korean, the ETA is your route — full stop. The ETA vs eVisitor comparison is only relevant if you hold a second, European passport.
ETA vs Other Visitor Options for Korean Travellers
| Feature | ETA (601) | eVisitor (651) | Tourist Visa (600) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Korean passport eligible? | Yes | No | Yes |
| Eligible nationalities | 8 countries incl. South Korea | ~36 European countries | All countries |
| Maximum stay | Up to 3 months | Up to 3 months | 3, 6, or 12 months |
| Multiple entries | Yes | Yes | Depends on grant |
| Apply via | ETA app | ImmiAccount | ImmiAccount |
| Work rights | No | No | No |
For most South Korean tourists and business visitors, the ETA is the fastest and simplest option. You would only move to a Subclass 600 if you need to stay beyond three months, cannot use the app (for example, a non-biometric passport), or have a travel history that makes a fuller application more appropriate.
Before You Fly: A Short Checklist for Korean Citizens
- Your Korean passport is biometric and valid well beyond your travel dates.
- You applied with the same passport you will present at the airport.
- You have not renewed your passport since the ETA was granted (renewal invalidates it).
- Each planned stay is three months or less.
- Your activities fall within tourism or business visitor categories — no work.
- You have a screenshot or note of your ETA grant for your own records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do South Korean citizens need a visa to visit Australia?
Yes. South Korean passport holders cannot enter Australia visa-free, but they qualify for the Electronic Travel Authority (subclass 601), which functions as a visa. You apply through the Australian ETA app, usually receive a decision within minutes, and travel for tourism or business with no paper visa label required.
How long can a South Korean citizen stay in Australia on an ETA?
You can stay up to three months per visit. The ETA itself is valid for twelve months from the date it is granted (or until your passport expires), and it allows multiple entries. The three-month limit resets each time you leave Australia and re-enter, but the ETA is for genuine visits, not continuous residence.
Can I work in Australia on a South Korean ETA?
No. The ETA does not grant work rights for any nationality, including South Korean citizens. You may attend conferences, make business enquiries, and conduct negotiations as a business visitor, but you cannot be employed, freelance, or provide paid services while in Australia. Work requires a separate visa subclass.
What happens to my ETA if I renew my Korean passport?
Your ETA is linked to one specific passport number. If you renew your Korean passport, the existing ETA becomes invalid even if it has not expired, because the new passport has a new number. You will need to apply for a fresh ETA through the app using your new passport before you travel.
How much does an Australian ETA cost for South Korean citizens?
The ETA carries a service charge that is the same for all eligible nationalities, set by the Australian government. Because these amounts can change, we link to the current figure rather than quote a number that may go out of date — see our Australian visa fee schedule for the latest cost.
Is the ETA the same for South Korean citizens as for Japanese or Canadian citizens?
Yes. The subclass 601 conditions — twelve-month validity, three-month stays, multiple entries, and no work rights — are identical across all eight eligible nationalities. There is no special "Korean ETA". The only practical differences are around passport romanisation and the fact that dual nationals with a European passport would use the eVisitor visa on that document instead.
