Entry rules · Canada passport

Do Canada passport holders need a visa for South Korea?

No visa needed for a short visit. Canada passport holders can stay in South Korea visa-free for up to 180 days.

Checked against official sources on 31 Oct 2026. Two independent checks agreed.

The rule

Entry
Visa-free. No visa needed for a short visit.
Stay
Up to 180 days
Status
Verified 31 Oct 2026
Official source
Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, K-ETA Center
Applies to
A short tourist visit with an ordinary Canada passport.

What the official sources say

The passages the two checks relied on, with where they come from. Quotes are shown as published, in the source’s language.

Entry: visa-free

캐나다 체류 가능 일자 : 06 Months

Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, K-ETA Center · 신청 가능 국가 / 대상 · Government page, retrieved 30 Oct 2026

"localeNatNm":"CANADA","localeNatNm2":null,"korExcYn":null,"natUseYn":null,"aplcExmpNatYn":"Y"

Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, K-ETA Center · Government page, retrieved 30 Oct 2026

* K-ETA 한시 면제 연장 기간: 2026. 1. 1.(목) ~ 2026. 12. 31.(목) (KST)

Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, K-ETA Center · Government page, retrieved 30 Oct 2026
More quotes (8)

현재 K-ETA 한시 면제 조치가 적용되고 있는 국가들에 대해 연장되며, 대상국 국민인 경우 전자여행허가(K-ETA) 신청 중 여권 인적면 사진 스캔 시 'K-ETA 면제 대상' 팝업이 표출되어 해당 여부를 확인할 수 있습니다.

Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, K-ETA Center · Government page, retrieved 30 Oct 2026

2026. 1. 1.부터 2026. 12. 31.까지 일본을 포함한 아래 22개 국가∙지역에 대해서

Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Hiroshima · Government page, retrieved 30 Oct 2026

미주 (2개국) | 미국(괌 포함), 캐나다

Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Hiroshima · Government page, retrieved 30 Oct 2026

Nationals eligible for K-ETA, who wish to enter the Republic of Korea without a visa, must obtain K-ETA approval before boarding the flight or ship.

Korea Immigration Service / Ministry of Justice — official K-ETA portal · Information on K-ETA(Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) · Government page, retrieved 31 Oct 2026

K-ETA is NOT a visa and only fulfills some of the requirements for entering the Republic of Korea without a visa. Please note that an approved K-ETA does not guarantee entry into the Republic of Korea. The final decision will be made by a Korea Immigration Service officer at the port of entry.

Korea Immigration Service / Ministry of Justice — official K-ETA portal · Information on K-ETA(Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) · Government page, retrieved 31 Oct 2026

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Macao, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, UK, US(including Guam)

Embassy of the Republic of Korea to New Zealand · [NOTICE] K-ETA Exemption for NZ Nationals (until Dec 31, 2026) · Government page, retrieved 31 Oct 2026

※︎ The exemption period will be extended by one year from 1st January 2026 (Thu) to 31st December 2026 (Thu).

Embassy of the Republic of Korea to New Zealand · [NOTICE] K-ETA Exemption for NZ Nationals (until Dec 31, 2026) · Government page, retrieved 31 Oct 2026

* Extended K-ETA temporary exemption period: From January 1, 2026 (Thu) to December 31, 2026 (Thu) (KST)

Korea Immigration Service / Ministry of Justice — official K-ETA portal · Notice on Extension of K-ETA Temporary Exemption · Government page, retrieved 31 Oct 2026

Stay: up to 180 days

Canadian passport holders do not require a visa for the entry purpose of a short term visit (e.g Tourism, Visiting friends or relatives, attending business meetings) up to 180 days.

Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Canada · For Canadian passport holders · Government page, retrieved 30 Oct 2026

Canadian passport holders do not require a visa for the entry purpose of a short term visit (e.g Tourism, Visiting friends or relatives, attending business meetings) up to 180 days. Permission to stay is given at the time of entry. If Canadian citizens wish to engage in commercial activities during their stay in Korea, they must obtain a Korean visa.

Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Canada · Government page, retrieved 31 Oct 2026

The visa-free stay period for a single entry varies by country, so please refer to the [Countries/Targets Available for Application] page.

Korea Immigration Service / Ministry of Justice — official K-ETA portal · Information on K-ETA(Korea Electronic Travel Authorization) · Government page, retrieved 31 Oct 2026

South Korea for other passports

Visa-freeUp to 90 daysPublic data
Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates
Visa-freeUp to 90 days
Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States
Visa-freeUp to 30 daysPublic data
Bahrain, Brunei, Cyprus, Fiji, Kuwait, Oman, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Tonga
eTAUp to 90 days
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Botswana, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Malaysia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago
eTAUp to 30 days
Eswatini, Guyana, Mauritius
eTAUp to 30 daysPublic data
Solomon Islands, South Africa
eTAUp to 60 days
Lesotho
Visa required
Bangladesh, Belize, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, India, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Malawi, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How this rule was checked

On 31 Oct 2026 we checked this rule against the official sources that govern entry to South Korea, chiefly Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Korea, K-ETA Center. Two independent checks reached the same result.

Public visa data (as of 17 Feb 2026) said the same; the check confirmed it.

See this check in the log of checks and changes, and how verification works in the methodology.

Something here is wrong or out of date? Report a wrong rule.

Government travel advice for South Korea

United States
Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
United Kingdom
No advice against travel
Canada
Exercise normal security precautions

What these governments tell their own citizens about travel to South Korea as a whole, as of 30 Sept 2026. It is not about visas, and it reflects each government’s relations and consular reach as well as conditions on the ground.

Plan your trip

Before you travel

This page answers whether you need a visa and how long you can stay on a short tourist visit. It does not cover passport validity, other documents or permission to work. Entry rules change, sometimes without notice, and border officials make the final decision: confirm the requirements for your trip with the official immigration website or embassy of South Korea.