South Korea e-Visa for citizens of Russia: online application, fees and processing time 2026

For a tourist stay, the formality verified for this route is an electronic travel authorisation, the K-ETA, which is compulsory before boarding and issued online. It is checked by the airline and then by Korean immigration on arrival. The length of stay permitted at each entry is set by the Korean authorities and stated on the official page mofa.go.kr: check it before fixing your dates. To work, study or stay for a long period, a regular visa is still required and must be requested from the competent South Korean embassy or consulate.

The published fee is the government charge alone. Two or three other lines are added before the visa is in the passport, and they are what makes the final bill.

• Government fee10 USD

  Paid to the state, non-refundable if the visa is refused.

• Agency or online serviceOptional, added on top

  Never compulsory. An intermediary fills the form for you, it does not change the decision or the processing time.

We only display amounts published by an official source. Confirm the total before paying anything.

The observed fee is 10 USD, paid online when applying. You need a valid passport (the minimum validity required is stated on the official portal), an email address you can access, an ID photo in the requested format, the address of your first accommodation in South Korea and a payment card. No document has to be presented at a consulate. On arrival, keep your return ticket and accommodation booking within reach, as immigration may ask for them.

Go to k-eta.go.kr (or the official app of the same name), start the application, enter your passport data, contact details, address in South Korea and purpose of travel, then upload a recent ID photo. Pay the fee by bank card and wait for the approval email; then check the status on the portal. No intermediary is needed: websites offering to "file your K-ETA" charge several times the price for the same procedure and add the risk of data-entry errors.

The regime follows your nationality, not where you live. If you reside in Russia but travel on another country's passport, the rule on this page is not yours. Filing usually still happens from your country of residence, at the post competent for it, but the requirement itself comes from your passport.

The observed processing time is 24 to 72 hours, but it can lengthen at busy times or if additional checks are made: apply well before the flight, not the day before. Reread every field before paying: an error in the passport number makes the authorisation unusable and forces a new paid application. Note the K-ETA validity shown on the approval, which is distinct from the permitted length of stay. Check the official page before departure, as the scheme has already been adjusted by nationality.

Using a commercial site imitating the official portal and paying several times the 10 USD. Waiting until the last minute when the observed processing time is 24 to 72 hours. Entering a wrong passport number or using a non-compliant photo. Confusing the authorisation's validity with the length of stay granted at entry. Believing that the K-ETA allows you to work or study: it covers short stays only.