6 hours ago
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February 23, 2025 | 02:02 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - South Korea will launch an electronic arrival card system for travelers on February 24, 2025. This policy will replace the traditional paper format for visa upon arrival. All foreign nationals must meet the requirements to obtain an electronic arrival card, except for registered residents of the Land of Ginseng, holders of valid Korea Electronic Travel Authorization, and flight crew.
Typically, at immigration, travelers have to hand in a paper to the officer, but now tourists can fill out this form online in advance. The system change aims to streamline the immigration process, making it smoother and more comfortable. In facilitating the transition, paper forms will still be available until the end of 2025, allowing visitors to choose between paper or electronic forms.
The electronic arrival card must be completed online and submitted 3 days before arriving in South Korea. The card remains valid for 72 hours after issuance, but if visitors do not arrive in the Land of Ginseng within that time, the arrival card will no longer be valid. When making the card, required documents include a passport, flight details including flight number, address and contact information for accommodation, and email address.
How to make an electronic arrival card
The process of submitting the South Korean e-arrival card begins with an application through the official portal, followed by agreement to the terms and conditions of the form, which states that children under the age of 14 need to be supervised, and family members must submit a statement on their behalf. Then, upload a photo of the passport's biodata page; if having difficulty taking a picture, personal information can be manually filled in.
Next, input travel information such as date of arrival, departure, flight number, and destination of stay. Finally, submit the declaration, visitors can directly download the card free of charge, and travelers do not need to receive approval for the declaration. If there are changes to the information after submission, travelers can edit it on the website before going through inspection.
For individual declarations, travelers can submit up to nine individuals by adding additional passengers. As for 10 individuals or more, the group declaration feature must be used. When entering the country, visitors are not required to bring the submitted e-arrival card.
With a modernized immigration system, South Korea aims to enhance the travel experience, ensure smooth and unobstructed entry processes for international visitors. Additionally, the latest service system is considered more efficient than using paper forms as it simplifies entry procedures, enhances security measures, and reduces data verification steps.
In addition to South Korea, several other countries have already adopted this approach, and some also plan to implement similar policies, such as Thailand, which plans to implement a Digital Arrival Card starting May 1, 2025, to save time at airports and enhance the security of visitors' personal information.
NIA NUR FADILLAH | TRAVEL AND LEISURE ASIA | IMMIGRATION KOREA
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