South Korea Visa, Passport & Money Advice

Visa & Passports

If you are travelling to South Korea with a British passport for less than 90 days, you do not need a visa or K-ETA (Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) to enter the country. This exemption is currently in place until 31 December 2026, so it’s always worth double-checking the entry requirements closer to your travel date. However, all visitors must complete a free e-Arrival Card online, up to 72 hours before you land. It only takes a few minutes and covers your flight details, accommodation address in Korea, and a short health declaration. Just make sure your passport is valid for the full duration of your stay, and keep proof of your onward or return flight handy, as you may be asked to show it at the border.

Handy Hint: before departure make copies of your passport, bank cards and insurance documents and leave them with family or friends in the UK. Also keep a copy in your luggage, in a separate place from your original documents, and e-mail yourself scanned copies too. This will make things easy if you lose any paperwork during your visit.

Money Matters

The currency of South Korea is the Won (KRW). Notes come in 50,000, 10,000, 5,000 and 1,000 denominations, with coins between 1 and 500 KRW (you’ll rarely see the smallest coins in circulation). South Korea is one of the most card-friendly countries in Asia – contactless payment is everywhere, even at small cafés and street stalls – but it’s still worth carrying some cash for traditional markets, smaller family-run eateries and rural areas.
ATMs are widely available in cities and towns, including inside convenience stores such as 7-Eleven, CU and GS25. Look out for machines marked “Global” or displaying your card network’s logo, as these are set up to accept foreign cards; not all Korean ATMs do. It’s best to withdraw a reasonable lump sum rather than making lots of small withdrawals, as each transaction usually carries a small fee. Visa, MasterCard and most major cards are widely accepted, though a passport may be requested as ID for larger purchases.

Tipping

Tipping is not part of Korean culture and isn’t expected in restaurants, taxis, hotels or salons – prices already include everything you need to pay, and leaving extra can sometimes cause confusion rather than delight. The one exception is with English-speaking tour guides on day trips (for example to the DMZ), who may graciously accept a small thank-you of around 10,000–20,000 KRW for a job well done, though this is entirely optional.

Eating in South Korea

As with any holiday, the cost of eating out varies depending on where you are and what you fancy. Korea is fantastic value for food lovers on a budget, where a bowl of bibimbap, kimchi jjigae or kimbap with all the trimmings typically costs around £4-6, and you can often eat very well for £15-20 per person, per day. Street food markets, such as Gwangjang Market in Seoul, are brilliant for trying a bit of everything cheaply, with snacks like tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) from around £1-2 a cup. If you fancy treating yourself, a sit-down Korean BBQ dinner is well worth the extra – expect to pay a little more, but it’s an experience not to be missed.