# Do United States citizens need a visa for South Korea?

Snapshot: approved-static-48d32b636f07abc8

No. American passport holders do not need a visa for short tourism stays in South Korea, per www.k-eta.go.kr (checked 2026-09-05).

## What this answer covers

This answer is about short tourist visits. It says what the official source states for an American passport on a short visit. Whether a traveller is admitted is decided at the border. The official page states the current conditions: https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/guide/viewetaalification.do?locale=EN (checked 2026-09-05).

## Conditions and stay length

- No further conditions are published with this answer.

The official page states the permitted stay length and the current conditions for South Korea.
Official source: https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/guide/viewetaalification.do?locale=EN (checked 2026-09-05).

This answer covers tourism only. Working or studying in South Korea is a different question with different rules — it is never answered by a tourism entry rule: [work routes for South Korea](/visas/south-korea/work/) · [study routes for South Korea](/visas/south-korea/study/).

## Related answers

- [Every destination answer for an American passport](/visas/passport/us/)
- [South Korea short-stay entry](/visas/south-korea/short-stay-entry/)
- [South Korea country page](/countries/south-korea/)
- More pair answers from this passport: [United Kingdom](/visas/pair/united-states-to-united-kingdom/) · [Japan](/visas/pair/united-states-to-japan/) · [Canada](/visas/pair/united-states-to-canada/) · [Australia](/visas/pair/united-states-to-australia/) · [France](/visas/pair/united-states-to-france/) · [Germany](/visas/pair/united-states-to-germany/)

This is reference information, not legal advice.