Ireland passport → South Korea

Do Irish citizens need a visa for South Korea?

Electronic travel authorisation (eTA)90 days

Irish passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) before travelling to South Korea for up to 90 days. It is a short online application, not a full visa.

Apply on the official site: k-eta.go.kr

Heads-up: some sources list this route as visa-free (90 days).

What this means for your trip

Apply only on the official government site; third-party sites charge extra.
Apply a few days before travel; most approvals are quick but some take longer.
The authorisation is linked to your passport. A new passport needs a new application.

Get trip-ready for South Korea

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South Korea at a glance

Capital: Seoul
Currency: South Korean won (KRW)
Languages: Korean
Calling code: +82
Region: Eastern Asia

Read the South Korea travel guide →

KR37.0°N · 127.5°EPhoto: 우승민 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Palaces, K-culture and late-night street foodGyeongbokgung Palace · Bukchon Hanok Village · Jeju Island

South Korea for other passports

IrelandeTA90 days
IndiaVisa required
United StatesVisa-free90 days
United KingdomVisa-free90 days
United Arab EmiratesVisa-free90 days
ChinaeVisa
SingaporeVisa-free90 days
PakistanVisa required
BangladeshVisa required
Sri LankaVisa required
NepalVisa required
NigeriaVisa required
PhilippinesVisa required

Nearby in Eastern Asia for Irish passport holders

ChinaVisa-free30 days
Hong KongVisa-free90 days
JapanVisa-free90 days
MacaoVisa-free90 days
MongoliaVisa-free30 days
TaiwanVisa-free90 days
North KoreaVisa required

Common questions

Do Irish citizens need a visa for South Korea?

Irish passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) before travelling to South Korea for up to 90 days. It is a short online application, not a full visa.

How long can Irish citizens stay in South Korea?

Up to 90 days under the current eta rule. Longer stays need a different visa.

Can Irish citizens get a visa on arrival in South Korea?

Not under the standard rules.

How many countries can Irish citizens visit without a visa?

159 destinations allow entry without a visa arranged in advance (visa-free, visa on arrival or eTA). The Ireland passport ranks #5 of 94 (passports with equal scores share a rank).

Source: Wikipedia contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0). Updated weekly. Rules can change, so give the official site a quick look before you fly.