Visa Application
Visa Requirements
Foreign nationals entering the Republic of Korea (hereinafter Korea) are required to possess a valid passport and a valid Korean visa issued by the Korean Embassy through the Diplomatic Missions of Korea in their country, or an E-Visa through the Visa Portal. However, there are many foreign nationals who are permitted visa-free entry for a limited period of time under certain conditions.
You may enter Korea without a visa if you are:
  • Reentering Korea with a valid re-entry permit before the permit’s expiration date, or waived of a re-entry permit;
  • A national of a country that has a Visa Waiver Agreement with the Republic of Korea and meet the requirements for exemption under the agreement;
  • Visiting Korea for international friendship, sightseeing or in the interests of Korea, etc., with entry permission you have obtained otherwise, as prescribed by Presidential Decree;
  • Departing Korea with a refuge travel document issued, and enter before the effective period of such certificate expires.
Visas
Visa is an entry permission granted by the country you are visiting. A visa has basic information about the traveler, such as the visa type, purpose of visit, status, sojourn period, etc. All foreign nationals must hold a valid Korean visa to enter Korea, unless they qualify for visa exemption under the Visa Waiver Agreement.

Travelers exempt from the visa requirement must apply for and obtain a K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization), a travel permit for foreigners from a visa-waiver country, before entering Korea.
Visa Types
  • Single-entry Visa: You can enter once before the expiration date
  • Double-entry Visa: You can enter twice before the expiration date (6 months)
  • Multiple-entry Visa: You can enter multiple times before the expiration date (1 year, 3 years, 5 years)
Visa Application Check Points
✓ Check if you need to obtain a visa based on your citizenship.
✓ If you are not eligible for a visa exemption, apply for a visa based on your visiting purpose and period.
✓ If you are eligible for a visa exemption and do not need a visa to enter Korea, apply for and obtain a K-ETA before you board the plane or ship

♤ Where to Apply for a Visa
* For up-to-date visa information and requirements, please check the Korea Visa Portal website.

Korea Visa Portal >>
(Korean, English, Chinese)                     HiKorea, e-Government for Foreigners >>
(Korean, English, Chinese)
Where to Ask for Help
For inquiries related to visas, call the Immigration Contact Center at +82-1345 from abroad, or 1345 without area code for domestic calls in Korea. Assistance is available only on weekdays from 09:00-22:00.

* Call hours 09:00-18:00 - Assistance is offered in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Mongolian, Indonesian, French, Bengali, Urdu, Russian, Nepali, Cambodian, Burmese, German, Spanish, Filipino, Arabic, and Sinhala
** Call hours 18:00-22:00 – Assistance is offered in Korean, English, and Chinese

K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization)
If you hold a passport that exempts you from the visa requirement, you must obtain a K-ETA before boarding a plane or ship. Once you get your K-ETA, it will be valid for three years or until your passport’s expiration date, whichever is first, and you can use the same K-ETA for multiple visits until it expires. The K-ETA validity period does not override the visa-free stay period guaranteed by the Visa Waiver Agreement; the visa-free stay period varies by country, so make sure to check in advance.

Please be aware that an approved K-ETA does not guarantee your entry into Korea, and the final decision is made by the Korean Immigration Officer at the port of entry.

Temporary Exemption of K-ETA
K-ETA is exempted for foreign nationals of designated countries from April 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025 to boost Korea tourism. The complete list of countries can be found at the K-ETA website.

Countries Exempted from K-ETA
- Asia: Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau
- North America: United States (including Guam), Canada
- Europe: United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Denmark, Austria
- Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

* For up-to-date information on K-ETA, please check the official K-ETA website.

♤ The Official K-ETA Website >>
(Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, French, Spanish, Malay, Thai)
♤ Check K-ETA Eligibility >>
(Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, French, Spanish, Malay, Thai)

Q-Code, Quarantine Pre-Entry System
If you are entering from or have traveled to one of the Quarantine Inspection Required Areas, you must either enter your information in Q-Code in advance or fill out and submit a Health Questionnaire.
You can enter your Q-Code information starting seven days prior to your arrival to Korea. If you complete your Q-Code registration before you board the flight, you can skip the Health Questionnaire and just show your Q-Code QR code instead during the quarantine screening.

This page was last updated on December 15th, 2025, and information may differ from what is presented here.
    Invitation Letter
Conference Organizing Committee may issue an Invitation letter to assist with your visa application. Please be noted as the following:

1. An invitation letter will only be issued upon the request after the completion of registration. Once your registration is completed, please contact info@wreconf.org to request a personalized letter of invitation;

2. Please consult Korean Embassy/ Consulate General in your local place about the required documents and approval period in advance for a smooth issuance.

3. Required information in an invitation letter:
• Full name (same with passport)
• Gender (Male / Female)
• Nationality
• Date of Birth: (e.g. March 25, 1960)
• Passport No.:
• Your paper number if you are an author

4. WRE 2026 is NOT authorized to assist with the VISA process beyond providing the Invitation Letter. The invitation letter may help but cannot guarantee you a Republic of Korea Visa. No registration fee can be refunded in case of Visa Refusal by local Korean authorities.