Prepare short, clear answers that match what you filed
Quick answer
Approved travellers skip the paper arrival card. At Incheon, join the foreign nationals line, present the passport, give fingerprints and a facial photo, then answer brief questions on purpose, accommodation, length of stay and return ticket. Your answers should match the K-ETA exactly. Then collect bags and clear customs.
The most common questions are purpose, accommodation, duration and return date. Answer in short sentences and be ready to show the hotel booking or return ticket on screen.
Travellers coming for treatment can say so plainly and show the appointment email; vagueness prolongs the conversation far more than a direct answer.
Being taken to a secondary interview room is not a refusal; it is routine verification. Cooperate, tell the truth, and never present false documents or exaggerate.
Customs uses self-declaration. Declare cash above the threshold, duty-free goods beyond the allowance, and note that some fresh food and agricultural items are prohibited.
Have a phone number that works in Korea — a tourist SIM or eSIM — because both accommodation and clinics need to reach you, and an unreachable number invites more questions.
Basic English covers the standard questions, and interpretation is available if needed.
There is no fixed figure for short stays, but be able to show funds sufficient for the trip.
Yes — keep it in original packaging with an English prescription.
Cooperate, answer truthfully and show the documents you prepared.
Short-stay visitors do not register as foreign residents unless they exceed the statutory period.
3 points • reviewed 2026-09-15
Reviewed and last updated: 2026-09-15
2 sources • every claim is traceable
https://www.mfds.go.kr/eng/index.do
https://www.mohw.go.kr/eng/
Last updated: 2026-09-15 · This content is for information only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified doctor before making treatment decisions.
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