Full List: 8 African Countries Whose Citizens Can Enter South Korea With K-ETA Instead of Visa

• South Korea announced a list of African countries whose citizens can enter the country using the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization instead of a visa
• Only 8 African nations made the K-ETA eligibility list, leaving the vast majority of the continent's passport holders without access to the simplified entry system
• The qualified countries span southern, northern, and island nations across Africa, with notable absences from West and East Africa's largest economies

South Korea has officially named eight African countries whose citizens are eligible to enter the country using the Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA), a simplified electronic entry system that eliminates the need for a traditional visa application.

The K-ETA lets eligible travellers apply for travel authorisation online before departure, bypassing the standard visa process. For African passport holders, however, access to this system remains highly limited, with only a handful of countries making the approved list.

African countries eligible for K-ETA entry

The eight African nations whose citizens can use the K-ETA system to enter South Korea are:

1. Botswana

2. Eswatini

3. Lesotho

4. Mauritius

5. Morocco

6. Seychelles

7. South Africa

8. Tunisia

The selection covers a mix of southern African nations, two Indian Ocean island states, and two North African countries. Notably absent from the list are major African economies such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Egypt, meaning citizens of those countries must continue going through the conventional visa application process at South Korean embassies or consulates.

What the K-ETA eligibility means for travellers

For citizens of the eight listed countries, the K-ETA offers a more convenient route to visiting South Korea for tourism, transit, or short-term stays. The electronic authorisation can typically be applied for online without requiring an in-person embassy visit, reducing the time and administrative burden that often accompanies international travel from Africa.

The announcement highlights the continued disparity in visa-free and simplified entry access for African travellers globally, with only a small fraction of the continent's 54 countries qualifying for South Korea's streamlined entry option.

UK lists 82 countries eligible for ETA

Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that the United Kingdom had released the full list of 82 countries whose citizens can travel to Britain using an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) instead of a visa.

The list includes several Gulf and Asian countries, as well as Mauritius and Seychelles, making them among the few African countries whose citizens are eligible to travel to the UK with an ETA.