South Korea passport power
Asia · PassRank 163 · ranked 2nd of 199
The South Korea passport has a PassRank score of 163 in 2026, placing it 2nd of 199 worldwide and making it one of the strongest passport. Holders can enter 114 destinations visa-free, 38 with a visa on arrival and 11 via an eTA — that is 163 of 199 destinations with no visa needed in advance. A further 21 require an e-visa and 14 require a standard visa before travel.
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
South Korea passport at a glance
| Access type | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Visa-free | 114 |
| Visa on arrival | 38 |
| eTA / ETA | 11 |
| PassRank score (no visa needed in advance) | 163 |
| e-Visa | 21 |
| Visa required | 14 |
| No admission | 0 |
Source: Passport Index dataset (imorte/passport-index-data). Data as of June 2026.
PassRank score = visa-free + visa on arrival + eTA = 163. Snapshot 17 February 2026. Counts exclude the South Korea itself. See how this is calculated.
Visa-free destinations (114)
Countries and territories the South Korea passport can enter visa-free (days shown where the dataset records a limit):
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Albania | 90 days |
| Andorra | 90 days |
| Angola | 30 days |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 180 days |
| Argentina | 90 days |
| Armenia | 180 days |
| Austria | 90 days |
| Bahamas | 90 days |
| Barbados | 90 days |
| Belarus | 30 days |
| Belgium | 90 days |
| Belize | 90 days |
| Bolivia | 90 days |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 90 days |
| Botswana | 90 days |
| Brazil | 90 days |
| Brunei | 30 days |
| Bulgaria | 90 days |
| Chile | 90 days |
| China | 30 days |
| Colombia | 90 days |
| Costa Rica | 180 days |
| Croatia | 90 days |
| Cyprus | 90 days |
| Czech Republic | 90 days |
| Denmark | 90 days |
| Dominica | 180 days |
| Dominican Republic | 30 days |
| Ecuador | 90 days |
| El Salvador | 180 days |
| Estonia | 90 days |
| Fiji | 120 days |
| Finland | 90 days |
| France | 90 days |
| Georgia | 360 days |
| Germany | 90 days |
| Greece | 90 days |
| Grenada | 90 days |
| Guatemala | 90 days |
| Guyana | 30 days |
| Haiti | 90 days |
| Honduras | 90 days |
| Hong Kong | 90 days |
| Hungary | 90 days |
| Iceland | 90 days |
| Ireland | 90 days |
| Italy | 90 days |
| Jamaica | 90 days |
| Japan | 90 days |
| Kazakhstan | 30 days |
| Kiribati | 90 days |
| Kosovo | 90 days |
| Kyrgyzstan | 60 days |
| Laos | 30 days |
| Latvia | 90 days |
| Lesotho | 14 days |
| Liechtenstein | 90 days |
| Lithuania | 90 days |
| Luxembourg | 90 days |
| Macao | 90 days |
| Malaysia | 90 days |
| Malta | 90 days |
| Mauritius | 90 days |
| Mexico | 180 days |
| Micronesia | 30 days |
| Moldova | 90 days |
| Monaco | 90 days |
| Mongolia | 90 days |
| Montenegro | 90 days |
| Morocco | 90 days |
| Mozambique | 30 days |
| Netherlands | 90 days |
| Nicaragua | 90 days |
| North Macedonia | 90 days |
| Norway | 90 days |
| Palestine | — |
| Panama | 90 days |
| Paraguay | 30 days |
| Peru | 180 days |
| Philippines | 30 days |
| Poland | 90 days |
| Portugal | 90 days |
| Romania | 90 days |
| Russia | 60 days |
| Saint Lucia | 42 days |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 90 days |
| San Marino | 90 days |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 15 days |
| Senegal | 90 days |
| Serbia | 90 days |
| Seychelles | 90 days |
| Singapore | 90 days |
| Slovakia | 90 days |
| Slovenia | 90 days |
| South Africa | 30 days |
| Spain | 90 days |
| Swaziland | 30 days |
| Sweden | 90 days |
| Switzerland | 90 days |
| Taiwan | 90 days |
| Tajikistan | 30 days |
| Thailand | 60 days |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 90 days |
| Tunisia | 90 days |
| Turkey | 90 days |
| Ukraine | 90 days |
| United Arab Emirates | 90 days |
| Uruguay | 90 days |
| Uzbekistan | 30 days |
| Vanuatu | 120 days |
| Vatican | 90 days |
| Venezuela | 90 days |
| Vietnam | 45 days |
| Zambia | 90 days |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Visa on arrival (38)
Destinations that issue the South Korea passport a visa on arrival (effectively visa-free, paid at the border):
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Azerbaijan | — |
| Bahrain | — |
| Bangladesh | — |
| Burundi | — |
| Cambodia | — |
| Cape Verde | — |
| Comoros | — |
| Djibouti | — |
| Egypt | — |
| Ethiopia | — |
| Guinea-Bissau | — |
| India | — |
| Indonesia | — |
| Iran | — |
| Jordan | — |
| Kuwait | — |
| Lebanon | — |
| Madagascar | — |
| Malawi | — |
| Maldives | — |
| Marshall Islands | — |
| Myanmar | — |
| Namibia | — |
| Nepal | — |
| Oman | — |
| Palau | — |
| Qatar | — |
| Rwanda | — |
| Samoa | — |
| Saudi Arabia | — |
| Sierra Leone | — |
| Solomon Islands | — |
| Sri Lanka | — |
| Tanzania | — |
| Timor-Leste | — |
| Tonga | — |
| Tuvalu | — |
| Zimbabwe | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Electronic travel authorisation / eTA (11)
Destinations requiring only an online eTA (e.g. ESTA, eTA, eVisitor) for the South Korea passport — quick to obtain and counted toward the PassRank score:
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Australia | — |
| Canada | — |
| Israel | — |
| Ivory Coast | — |
| Kenya | — |
| New Zealand | — |
| Papua New Guinea | — |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | — |
| Suriname | — |
| United Kingdom | — |
| United States | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
e-Visa required (21)
Destinations that require an e-visa obtained before travel (not counted in the PassRank score):
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Benin | — |
| Bhutan | — |
| Burkina Faso | — |
| Cameroon | — |
| Chad | — |
| Cuba | — |
| DR Congo | — |
| Equatorial Guinea | — |
| Gabon | — |
| Guinea | — |
| Iraq | — |
| Liberia | — |
| Libya | — |
| Mauritania | — |
| Nigeria | — |
| Pakistan | — |
| Somalia | — |
| South Sudan | — |
| Syria | — |
| Togo | — |
| Uganda | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Visa required in advance (14)
Destinations where South Korea passport holders must obtain a standard visa before travelling:
| Destination | Max stay |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan | — |
| Algeria | — |
| Central African Republic | — |
| Congo | — |
| Eritrea | — |
| Gambia | — |
| Ghana | — |
| Mali | — |
| Nauru | — |
| Niger | — |
| North Korea | — |
| Sudan | — |
| Turkmenistan | — |
| Yemen | — |
Source: Passport Index dataset. Data as of June 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How many countries can South Korea passport holders visit visa-free?
The South Korea passport has a PassRank score of 163, meaning holders can enter 163 of 199 destinations without arranging a visa in advance: 114 visa-free, 38 with a visa on arrival and 11 via an eTA. A further 21 require an e-visa and 14 require a standard visa. Snapshot 17 February 2026.
What is the South Korea passport's rank in 2026?
The South Korea passport ranks 2nd out of 199 on the PassRank index in 2026, with a score of 163. PassRank counts destinations reachable visa-free, on arrival or via eTA; it is our own methodology and may differ from commercial indices.
Does South Korea need a visa for the United States?
South Korea passport holders use an eTA (ESTA) for the United States rather than a full visa. Apply via the official ESTA site before travel.
How is the South Korea PassRank score calculated?
We count every destination the South Korea passport can enter with no visa required before travel: visa-free (114), visa on arrival (38) and eTA/ETA (11). e-Visas are excluded because they must be obtained in advance. The data is a dated snapshot from the open passport-index dataset (passportindex.org). See the methodology page for details.
Compare with similar passports
- Singapore — PassRank 163 (2nd) · compare South Korea vs Singapore
- Japan — PassRank 162 (4th) · compare South Korea vs Japan
- United Arab Emirates — PassRank 169 (1st) · compare South Korea vs United Arab Emirates
- Spain — PassRank 161 (5th) · compare South Korea vs Spain
- Belgium — PassRank 160 (6th) · compare South Korea vs Belgium
- Denmark — PassRank 160 (6th) · compare South Korea vs Denmark
See the full ranking, the Asia ranking, or all head-to-head comparisons.
Source & accuracy
Access data is a dated snapshot from the open passport-index dataset (MIT packaging; data from passportindex.org), captured 17 February 2026. The PassRank score is our own transparent count and may differ from commercial indices. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice — visa rules change frequently; always verify the current requirement with the destination's official government source before booking travel. PassRank is not affiliated with Passport Index or Henley & Partners.
Last updated: 2026-06-21