South Korea Still accepts Paper Arrival Card for Now
If you've been panicking about South Korea scrapping its paper arrival card — breathe. Put down the highlighter. Step away from the Reddit thread. The paper form is still very much alive.
Yes, South Korea has been rolling out its shiny new e-Arrival Card system since February 2025 — digital, online, and very much the future of Korean immigration. And yes, plenty of sources have been confidently declaring that paper cards were abolished as of January 1, 2026. The only problem? That's not quite true.
So… What's Actually Happening?
When we contacted South Korean authorities directly, the answer was refreshingly clear. The government service responsible for the e-Arrival Card within South Korea's Ministry of Justice confirmed that both formats are currently still in use. Until an official announcement regarding the complete abolition of the paper arrival card is made, both the paper arrival card and the e-Arrival Card will continue to be used in parallel.
In other words: the digital option is here, it's encouraged, and it's the obvious direction of travel (pun intended) — but nobody's taking the paper forms away just yet.
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What Is the e-Arrival Card, Exactly?
Think of it as the digital version of that card flight attendants used to hand out with a pen. The e-Arrival Card is an online platform that allows travelers to provide entry-related information before arriving in South Korea, accessible on desktop and mobile, and supporting submission in English. Travelers can complete the form up to three days before their arrival. CIBTvisas
It's free, it takes a few minutes, and it means you breeze through immigration while others are still hunting for a working pen at 35,000 feet.
A Quick Note on K-ETA
If you already hold a valid K-ETA, you're exempt from the e-Arrival Card entirely — no extra steps needed. This exemption also applies to nationals of countries currently exempt from the K-ETA requirement until December 31, 2026, though these travelers may still choose to voluntarily apply for a K-ETA if they wish to benefit from the exemption from arrival formalities.
The Bottom Line
Paper card still works. Digital card is faster, smarter, and the clear way forward. And when South Korea officially retires the paper version, you'll hear about it — from us, not from a rumour mill.
Until then: whether you go old-school or go digital, Seoul is waiting. And it's worth every form.
