Korea's automated entry gates: register in the arrival hall on your first trip

Right now

1. 1Check whether the country that issued your passport is among the 42 countries and regions in the first step below. You are eligible to register in the arrival hall if it is on the list, you are 17 or older, and you are entering without a visa.
2. 2When you enter the arrival immigration hall at Incheon or Jeju Airport, look for the automated immigration registration counter before joining the line for a staffed immigration counter. Once registered, go straight to an automated entry gate.
3. 3Children under 17 are not eligible to register. If you arrive with a child under 17, the child must go through a staffed immigration counter.

What to have ready

• Passport: Place your passport's personal details page on the reader both when registering and when using an automated entry gate.
• Your registered finger: The automated entry gate screen shows which finger you registered.
• GE PASS ID (US passport holders only): You need this number to apply for Korea's automated immigration clearance through HiKorea.

Phrases you can copy and paste

Step by step

1. 1

   Visa-free entry travelers aged 17 or older from 42 countries and regions are eligible

   The Ministry of Justice began arrival hall registration on November 3, 2025, for four countries and regions: Germany, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. On December 1, it added Japan, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Czechia, the United Kingdom, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Australia and New Zealand, bringing the total to 18. On March 16, 2026, another 24 countries, comprising European Union and Schengen countries and Canada, brought the total to 42. The current list includes Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand in Asia and Oceania, the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East, Canada and Mexico in the Americas, and 32 European countries. The European countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Even with a passport from one of these countries, you are not eligible for arrival hall registration if you enter with a visa.

2. 2

   Registration counters are inside the arrival immigration halls at Incheon and Jeju

   Where:

   Arrival immigration halls at Incheon Airport Terminals 1 and 2, Jeju Airport

   Previously, foreign nationals who wanted to use automated entry gates had to complete regular immigration first, then visit an immigration office outside the hall to register. Now you can register inside the arrival immigration hall and go straight through an automated entry gate. At Incheon Airport, registration began on the west side of the Terminal 1 arrival hall. In December 2025, it expanded to the east side of Terminal 1 and the east and west sides of Terminal 2. The Ministry of Justice's October 1, 2026 material lists two operating locations: Incheon International Airport and Jeju International Airport. The arrival halls at Gimpo and Gimhae are not on this list.

3. 3

   Register your passport, fingerprints and face, in that order

   Registration has three steps: a passport scan, fingerprint registration and facial registration. Once registered, you can use an automated entry gate immediately. At the gate, place your passport's personal details page on the reader. When the door opens, enter, place your registered finger on the fingerprint reader and look at the camera. Immigration is complete when the exit door opens. HiKorea says the order may vary depending on the gate model. If your fingerprint does not read properly, go to a staffed immigration counter instead of repeatedly trying at the same gate. HiKorea lists poor fingerprint or facial data quality that makes machine identification difficult as a reason someone may be ineligible to use the gates.

4. 4

   Your passport is not stamped when you use an automated entry gate

   When you use automated immigration clearance, your passport is not stamped for entry or departure. HiKorea says you can ask an immigration officer for a stamp if you need one in your passport. Even without a stamp, immigration is complete once you have passed through the automated entry gate.

5. 5

   You can use the automated gates when leaving, even without registration

   Where:

   Departure immigration hall

   HiKorea says foreign nationals aged 17 or older who provided fingerprints and facial information on arrival can use automated departure gates when leaving through a designated airport or port within their permitted period of stay. This applies to people who entered without a visa and short-term visitors staying for 90 days or less with a visa. You can qualify even if your passport is not from one of the 42 countries and regions or you did not register in the arrival hall. Automated gates are available at Incheon, Gimpo, Gimhae, Jeju, Cheongju, Daegu and Yangyang airports, and at the international passenger terminals of Incheon, Busan, Pyeongtaek and Gunsan ports.

6. 6

   On later visits, you can also enter through automated entry gates at Gimpo and Gimhae

   Registration is valid for 5 years from the registration date, or until your passport expires if that comes first. Ministry of Justice statistics show that, from November 2025 to August 2026, 79.2% of foreign nationals who had registered at Incheon Airport used automated entry gates when re-entering. The rate at airports other than Incheon was 66.6%. These statistics count returning travelers separately for Jeju, Gimpo, Gimhae, Daegu and Cheongju airports. This means that while you first register at Incheon or Jeju, you can also enter through automated entry gates at these airports once registered. Registered travelers can still choose to use a regular immigration counter.

7. 7

   US passport holders must be Global Entry members

   The United States is not among the 42 countries and regions. US citizens can use Korea's automated entry gates through the reciprocal program that allows Korean and US citizens to use each other's automated immigration clearance. According to HiKorea, you must be a US Global Entry member and have a GE PASS ID. After obtaining your PASS ID through the US TTP website, create a HiKorea account, apply for Korea's Smart Entry Service (SES), and receive notification of the review result. You must be 17 or older. People with an Alien Registration Card or domestic residence report card, and US Forces Korea personnel (A-3-1), cannot enroll through this route.

8. 8

   Once you have an Alien Registration Card, you can use the gates without registering

   People aged 17 or older who live in Korea and have an Alien Registration Card or domestic residence report card can use automated entry gates without separate registration. They can use them until their permitted stay or passport expires, whichever comes first. If you replace your passport, you can use the gates again after reporting the change to your local immigration office. Children aged 14 or older but under 17 must bring their passport to a registration center and register in advance. Children aged 7 or older but under 14 must visit with a legal representative and present their passport, Alien Registration Card, the legal representative's identification and documents proving their relationship. The registration center at Incheon Airport Terminal 1 is on the 3rd floor, opposite check-in counter H. It is open every day from 07:00 to 18:00.

The Korean words

자동출입국심사jadong churipguk simsa, Entry and departure immigration checks carried out by a machine

The English name is Smart Entry Service (SES).

자동심사대jadong simsadae, Automated immigration gate

You pass through using your passport, fingerprints and face.

입국심사장ipguk simsajang, The area where you go through immigration on arrival

The registration counter for visitors from the 42 countries is inside this area.

사전등록sajeon deungnok, Registration before using automated entry gates

Visitors from the 42 countries register in the arrival hall.

무사증 입국musajeung ipguk, Visa-free entry

This is a condition for arrival hall registration.

심사인simsain, Entry or departure stamp

You do not receive one with automated immigration clearance.

지문jimun, Fingerprint

Place your registered finger on the reader.

등록외국인deungnok oegugin, Registered foreign resident

Those aged 17 or older can use the gates without separate registration.

출국심사장chulguk simsajang, The area where you go through immigration before departure

Short-term visitors aged 17 or older can also use the automated gates here.

Easy to miss

• ·Trying to register children under 17 along with you. Arrival hall registration is only available to those aged 17 or older.
• ·Joining the registration line when entering with a visa just because your passport is from a listed country. Registration is for travelers using visa-free entry.
• ·Worrying because your passport has no entry stamp. Automated immigration clearance does not include a stamp. Ask an immigration officer if you need one.
• ·Repeatedly trying at the same gate when your fingerprint will not read. Go to a staffed immigration counter if the machine cannot identify you.
• ·Joining the arrival hall registration line with a US passport. The United States is not among the 42 countries and regions. Only Global Entry members can apply separately through HiKorea.
• ·Assuming the registration counter will be open even if you arrive late at night. The Ministry of Justice has not published the current operating hours. During the November 2025 pilot, it operated from 09:00 to 21:00.
• ·Relying on just one set of directions when looking for the registration center near the departure hall at Incheon Airport Terminal 1. HiKorea and Incheon Airport place it near check-in counter H on the 3rd floor. The Ministry of Justice immigration website places it behind area F.

You can skip this if

• If you are 17 or older and have an Alien Registration Card or domestic residence report card, you do not need arrival hall registration. Go straight to an automated entry gate.
• If your passport is not from one of the 42 countries and regions and you are not a US Global Entry member, use a staffed immigration counter on arrival. You can use automated departure gates when leaving.
• The eligibility and procedures in this guide are based on the Ministry of Justice's October 1, 2026 press release and HiKorea guidance checked on October 16, 2026.

Where this comes from

• Use of K-Automated Entry Gates rises sharply, October 1, 2026 (Ministry of Justice press release on Korea.kr)
• Automated entry gate eligibility expanded to 42 countries, March 16, 2026 (Ministry of Justice press release on Korea.kr)
• Automated immigration clearance expanded to 18 countries, December 1, 2025 (Ministry of Justice press release on Korea.kr)
• Pilot registration for automated immigration clearance in the Incheon Airport arrival hall, November 3, 2025 (Ministry of Justice press release on Korea.kr)
• Eligibility for automated immigration clearance (Ministry of Justice, HiKorea)
• How to use automated immigration clearance and how long you can use it (Ministry of Justice, HiKorea)
• Automated immigration registration centers and participating airports and ports (Ministry of Justice, HiKorea)
• Korea-US reciprocal automated immigration clearance, SES-GE (Ministry of Justice, HiKorea)
• Guide to automated immigration clearance (Incheon International Airport Corporation)