Check each child's entry requirements
Check the passport or travel document each child will use and whether that passport qualifies for visa-free entry. A child's age does not make an otherwise visa-required nationality eligible for visa-free travel.
Make sure the document remains valid for the journey. If you are unsure about an unusual travel document or a child included in another person's document, confirm acceptance with the issuing authority, Korean consulate and airline before travelling.
Apply the K-ETA age exemption correctly
K-ETA means Korea Electronic Travel Authorization, a pre-travel approval for eligible visa-free visitors. The official FAQ provides an exemption for eligible travellers aged 17 or younger on entry.
A traveller turning 18 on the arrival date no longer qualifies for that age exemption. Check whether a nationality-based or other exemption still applies before deciding that an application is required.
Submit any required arrival declaration for the child
The e-Arrival Card is Korea's online arrival declaration. Exemption from K-ETA does not by itself remove the arrival-declaration requirement.
The official filing guide explains how an adult can submit for a child under 14. Enter the child's own passport details and review any information copied from the representative applicant. Follow the portal's group-size limits rather than assuming one form can hold a family of any size.
Check consent and relationship documents
If a child travels with one parent, another guardian or alone, check the requirements of the airline and every country involved. Custody arrangements, nationality and the child's circumstances can affect the documents needed.
Ask whether to carry a consent letter, birth certificate, adoption papers or guardianship documents, and whether translation or notarisation is required. Do not assume that a letter always suffices or that it must always come from a particular person regardless of custody arrangements.
Keep the relevant documents accessible during the journey. For an unaccompanied child, confirm the airline's age limits, booking procedure and handover arrangements before buying the ticket.
