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South Korea visa options for Italy passport holders

Tourist / short stay

Visa-free · up to 90 days

Enter without a visa, usually for a set number of days.

Visa types & longer-stay routes for South Korea

All foreign nationals; visa-exempt to 67 nationalities incl. most EU/UK/US/CA/AU/NZ/JP/GCC. F-1-D Workation Visa open worldwide to remote workers meeting income threshold

  • Tourist

    K-ETA Visa-Exempt Entry

    90 days per entry (180 days CA)

    Insurance
    Recommended(250,000+ USD medical with evacuation); not legally required
    Good for
    Tourists, short business, family visits from 67 nationalities
    Requirement
    Valid passport; K-ETA waived through 31 Dec 2026 (mandatory from 1 Jan 2027); e-Arrival Card within 3 days; no remote work allowed
  • Work

    E-7 Specialist Visa

    Up to 3 yrs renewable; F-2 path

    Insurance
    RecommendedNHIS once enrolled as resident; private gap cover recommended
    Good for
    Foreign professionals with specialised skills sponsored by KR employer in designated occupations
    Requirement
    KR employer sponsorship; min annual salary ~KRW 31.12M (~23,000 USD); relevant degree or experience
  • Digital nomad

    F-1-D Workation (Digital Nomad) Visa

    1 year initial, extendable to 2

    Insurance
    Required(private health cover up to KRW 100M / ~75,000 USD for accidents, medical care, repatriation)
    Good for
    Remote workers, freelancers, overseas business owners 18+ with 1+ yr same-industry experience
    Requirement
    Annual income above 2x Korean GNI per capita (~66,000 USD / KRW 88.1M); remote employment or overseas business proof; clean record
  • Residence

    D-8 Corporate Investment Visa

    Up to 2 yrs renewable indefinitely

    Insurance
    RecommendedNHIS once resident; private supplemental recommended
    Good for
    Foreign entrepreneurs and executives investing in or managing a KR company
    Requirement
    Min KRW 100M (~75,000 USD) per investor in KR corporation; business plan and corporate registration
  • Residence

    F-2 Long-Term Residence Visa

    Up to 5 yrs renewable; F-5 PR path

    Insurance
    RecommendedNHIS; private supplemental recommended
    Good for
    Long-term residents transitioning from E-7/D-8 or qualifying via points; spouses of Koreans; high-skilled professionals
    Requirement
    Points-based (80+ points: income, education, KR language, residence length); or 500,000 USD investment with 3 yrs D-8 (F-2-5)

Visa rules change often and depend on your nationality. Last checked: 2026-06. Always confirm with the official immigration service or your nearest consulate before you apply.

Last verified June 2026

Routes that depend on your nationality

Some of South Korea’s long-stay routes are open only to citizens of specific countries. Here’s where a Italy passport stands:

  • H-1 Working Holiday Visa

    You qualify — open to Italy passport holders

    Open only to citizens of countries/regions that have a bilateral working-holiday MOU with South Korea (Overseas Koreans Agency / mofa.go.kr lists ~29-30 partners). General age range 18-30, but several partners differ: Canada and UK 18-35; Finland and Luxembourg 18-35; Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, Portugal, Taiwan 18-34; Japan 18-25. Annual quotas vary widely by nationality (e.g. Canada 12,000; Japan 10,000; UK 5,000; New Zealand 3,000; France & USA 2,000; Hong Kong & Spain 1,000; Australia/Denmark/Germany/Sweden unlimited). One-time, non-renewable; stay typically up to 12 months (US up to 18 months). List is well-documented from official mofa.go.kr sources; Hong Kong (HK) and Taiwan (TW) are regions, not countries.

Visa-free isn’t insurance-free

Whatever route you take into South Korea, your entry stamp never includes health cover. Many longer-stay visas also require proof of insurance before they’re granted. That part is on you — and it’s what we actually do.

Get a quoteVisa insurance requirements

Italy → South Korea: frequently asked

Do Italy passport holders need a visa to visit South Korea?
Visa-free · up to 90 days. Enter without a visa, usually for a set number of days. Always confirm with the official source before booking.
Can a Italy passport holder live or work long-term in South Korea?
Yes, via a long-stay visa. South Korea has 5 documented visa types covering work, study, residence and — where it exists — digital-nomad routes.
Do I need travel insurance for South Korea?
Entry to South Korea never includes health cover, so travel medical insurance is strongly recommended. Several South Korea visas also require proof of insurance before they're granted.
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Last updated

Visa rules can change at short notice and depend on your purpose of travel, length of stay and onward tickets. Always confirm with the destination’s embassy or the IATA Travel Centre before you book. Visa-free entry never includes travel health insurance. That’s still on you.