A guide for visitors to Korea

Travel Korea without getting stuck at “verify your identity”

Many Korean apps ask for a Korean phone number before you can book, order or pay. Here is what works for visitors, before, during and after the trip. Every item is checked against an official or major-media source.

Official sources onlyEvery fact comes from a government, tourism-organization or company page, or a major news outlet, and shows that page's date.
Made for short tripsWe focus on what works without a Korean phone number, resident ID or Korean bank card.
In the order you travelFrom entry paperwork before you fly to tax refunds at the airport.

Before you go

Entry paperwork and bookings to make before you fly.

e-Arrival Card
K-ETA
KTX · KORAIL
Catchtable Global

4 guidesOpen → In Korea

Maps, taxis, food, transit, payment and help.

Naver Map
Papago
k.ride
Subway & bus fares
Baemin
Pay with your home app
Tax Free shopping
Korea Travel Hotline
Emergency Ready App

9 guidesOpen → Leaving

Tax refunds, bags and leftover card balances.

Tax refund at departure
T-Luggage · Easy Drop
Leftover card balance

3 guidesOpen →

Do you need a Korean phone number?

Service	Stage	Korean number
e-Arrival Card	Before you go	No Korean number needed
K-ETA	Before you go	No Korean number needed
KTX · KORAIL	Before you go	Korean number: not confirmed
Catchtable Global	Before you go	No Korean number needed
Naver Map	In Korea	No Korean number needed
Papago	In Korea	Korean number: not confirmed
k.ride	In Korea	No Korean number needed
Subway & bus fares	In Korea	No Korean number needed
Baemin	In Korea	No Korean number needed
Pay with your home app	In Korea	No Korean number needed
Tax Free shopping	In Korea	No Korean number needed
Korea Travel Hotline	In Korea	No Korean number needed
Emergency Ready App	In Korea	Korean number: not confirmed
Tax refund at departure	Leaving	No Korean number needed
T-Luggage · Easy Drop	Leaving	Korean number: not confirmed
Leftover card balance	Leaving	No Korean number needed

Marked “not needed” only when official sources list what you need and a Korean number isn't on the list, or say an overseas number or email works.

Before-you-fly checklist

Check whether you need K-ETASome countries are exempt until 31 Dec 2026. Check k-eta.go.kr.
Submit the e-Arrival CardFree on e-arrivalcard.go.kr, from 3 days before arrival (Korean time).
Install Naver Map and verify with your passportNo Korean phone number needed.
Install Papago and k.rideTranslation and taxis without a KakaoTalk account.
Install Catchtable GlobalIf you want restaurant reservations.
Install the Emergency Ready AppDisaster alerts in English, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai.
Save the Korea Travel Hotline1330 in Korea, +82-2-1330 from abroad.
Book KTX ticketsSales usually open one month before, at 07:00.

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