Travelling to South Korea from Singapore? Here’s what you need to know

If you’re thinking of travelling to Korea from Singapore, you need to know the Singapore to Korea requirements for both covid and visas. No matter what you’re planning on your trip to Korea, this guide has you covered.

We’ll look at how best to travel to Korea from Singapore, the current covid requirements, visas and documents, and also highlight Wise as a smart way to cut the costs of spending in KRW, so your money goes further on your trip.

What happened to the Singapore to Korea VTL?

So - first things first - can I travel to Korea from Singapore on any flight, or do I still need to hunt out a Seoul VTL option?

VTLs (Vaccinated Travel Lanes) were a key part of Singapore’s reopening process as the worst of the covid pandemic passed over. By allowing travellers to go abroad under controlled circumstances and with specific flights, people were able to get moving again, even as the world adjusted to the new normal of covid.

As time has gone on, more and more countries - including Singapore - have started to step away from the strictest of their covid based entry rules. This means that you no longer need to look for a specific VTL flight to travel from Singapore to Korea - just pick the route and the carrier that suits you. That said, there are still a few extra steps you’ll need to take thanks to covid - both for entry to Korea, and when headed back to Singapore. More on that, next.

Covid: Korea travel restrictions from Singapore

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Singapore confirms that the Korea PCR test requirement is no longer applied. That means you can travel to Korea, whether or not you’re vaccinated, with no PCR test required and no quarantine.

You’ll still need a visa or visa waiver (we’ll look at that in a moment), and you must register before travelling for Q-code. This can be done at any time in the 3 days before travel, by entering your passport and contact information, and updating your health status. Once you’ve registered you’ll be given a QR code you’ll need to entry to Korea.

If you’d rather keep an eye on what’s happening with covid in Korea before you travel, you can get covid statistics from the Korean government website. As travel rules can change quickly and without warning, it’s also worth double checking all of the entry requirements before you head off to the airport, just in case the situation has been updated.

Korea entry requirements from Singapore - visas and documents

For entry to Korea from Singapore you’ll usually need either a K-ETA visa waiter or a visa, depending on your citizenship and the reason for your visit. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced in April 2023 that citizens from 22 countries, including Singapore, are exempted from getting the K-ETA or visa, for trips to Korea from April 1 2023, through to the end of 2024. That could make it the perfect time to travel to Korea if you’re planning a trip soon.

If you’re not a Singapore passport holder, you’ll need to check whether the exemption applies to you, based on your citizenship. Many major countries are covered, including Australia, the US and UK, Japan and several other European countries, so it’s well worth checking if you can save yourself time by using the waiver if it’s available.

All that said, if you’re headed to Korea for a longer visit or for work, you’ll probably need to get an appropriate visa lined up in advance of travel. This can be done through one of the appointed visa agents listed on the Korean Embassy website. You’ll also find a wealth of information here about visa types and other related questions, making a great place to start if you’re still researching your trip.

Korea customs requirements

As with all countries, Korea has rules on what items can be freely imported into the country, and what needs to be declared. Some items are also completely prohibited, so importing them - even accidentally - can result in fines or criminal proceedings. Check out the Korean customs rules in advance of travel, so you know what you can and can’t put in your packing.

Returning to Singapore

One final note. As we’ve seen, while you may not need a visa or visa waiver to get to Korea, there's still some information you need to register before you travel. It’s helpful to remember that the same goes for coming back to Singapore. Complete your SG arrival card before you head home, to make sure you can get through Changi without delay.

How to travel to South Korea from Singapore

You can fly direct from Singapore to South Korea, to Seoul or to Busan. The Singapore to Korea flight time, direct to either destination, is about 6 and a half hours. There are then plenty of connecting flight options once you’re in Korea if you’re planning on visiting several cities on your trip.

Travelling to Korea? Get the Wise card to spend KRW without losing on exchange rates and foreign transaction fees

Planning to hit the shops hard once you arrive in Seoul? Or maybe you just need some spending money to get your fill of delicious Korean food during your trip? Make your money go further in Korea, with Wise.

Open your Wise account before you travel and order a Wise card for convenient spending and withdrawals in KRW, and 50+ other currencies. You can add money to your Wise account in SGD and start spending instantly in KRW, with the mid-market exchange rate and low fees from 0.43%. Use your card at ATMs as you travel, and get some fee free withdrawals every month¹, with low, transparent withdrawal charges after that.

See how much more you can do with Wise - in Korea and further afield - today!

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