North Korea entry requirements for Australian passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Visa (Smartraveller): Read the official visa text below
Passport validity (Smartraveller): No country-specific rule: general advice only
Official source: Smartraveller (Australian Government) – North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) travel advice, section “Travel” · page updated 31 March 2026, still current at 17 October 2026 (Australian time) · checked on 17 October 2026 · Content from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller website - www.smartraveller.gov.au, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (copyright notice). Changes: we quote excerpts unchanged and leave out some general notes; the short summaries are ours.
Whether Australians need a visa for North Korea and how long an Australian passport must be valid, as published by Smartraveller, the Australian Government's travel advice service, quoted word for word with the date of the official page.
Other passports: British passport · Canadian passport
Do Australians need a visa for North Korea?
We quote the official text word for word and do not summarise it. The first official sentence does not match a wording we summarise.
Official text, “Visas and border measures”:
Each country or territory decides its own entry and exit rules, including health border screening measures. To find out what you need to enter a destination, ask their embassy, consulate or immigration office.
Visas
If, despite our advice, you travel to North Korea, you need a visa for all types of travel.
If you arrive without a valid visa, you may be:
- detained
- arrested
- fined
- denied entry
There is no longer a North Korean embassy or consulate in Australia, meaning you need to travel to another country, such as China or Indonesia, to get your visa for North Korea.
You may need to provide recent international travel itineraries to apply for a visa. You may also have to show these when you arrive in North Korea.
Other visas
Business travellers generally need:
- sponsorship by a North Korean organisation
- permission from the North Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Professional journalists must apply for special permission to visit. Authorities do not permit journalists to enter the country on a tourist visa.
Even if you meet all entry requirements, you may still be arbitrarily arrested and/or detained at your point of entry.
Entry and exit conditions change regularly. Contact the Embassy of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Indonesia for details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine rules.
Border measures
You'll likely need a double or multiple-entry visa for China if you're travelling through China to or from North Korea. Otherwise, you won't be able to re-enter China when you leave North Korea. Contact the Embassy or Consulate of the People's Republic of China for details.
More information:
Travel advice for China
Also in the official “Travel” section:
Other formalities
Australia has sanctions against North Korea that limit what you can take with you. See Local laws.
When entering North Korea, you need to declare all:
- published material, such as books, academic papers and pamphlets
- communications devices, such as mobile phones, satellite phones, GPS receivers and radios
Assume that authorities will inspect published material and electronic devices and possibly confiscate them. Speak to your tour operator if you have concerns.
If authorities don't confiscate your controlled items, you may need to leave them at the customs checkpoints. You may be able to collect them when you leave.
Quarantine
You may be quarantined if you show medical symptoms of a serious communicable disease.
More information:
Embassy or consulate of North Korea
Register on arrival
Travellers must register with government authorities within 24 hours of arrival. You can do this through your host organisation.
If you stay in a hotel, confirm at check-in that your hotel will take care of your registration.
Official source: Smartraveller (Australian Government) – North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) travel advice, section “Visas and border measures” · page updated 31 March 2026, still current at 17 October 2026 (Australian time) · checked on 17 October 2026 · Content from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller website - www.smartraveller.gov.au, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (copyright notice). Changes: we quote excerpts unchanged and leave out some general notes; the short summaries are ours.
How long must my Australian passport be valid for North Korea?
In its “Travel” section, Smartraveller gives no passport validity period specific to North Korea.
The official “Passport” text below is Smartraveller's general advice, the same on every destination page. Check the rule with the embassy of the country and with your airline before you travel.
Official text, “Passport”:
Validity
Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least 6 months before entering or departing. This includes for transit.
If your passport expires too soon, you might not be able to travel.
The Australian Government doesn’t make these rules. Check your passport’s expiry date before you go. If you’re not sure, it’s a good idea to get a new passport.
The same section also has Smartraveller's general notes (“Lost or stolen passport”, “Passport with 'X' gender identifier”), the same on every destination page: read them on the official page.
Official source: Smartraveller (Australian Government) – North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) travel advice, section “Passport” · page updated 31 March 2026, still current at 17 October 2026 (Australian time) · checked on 17 October 2026 · Content from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's Smartraveller website - www.smartraveller.gov.au, licensed under CC BY 4.0 (copyright notice). Changes: we quote excerpts unchanged and leave out some general notes; the short summaries are ours.
For Australian passport holders. These rules are published by Smartraveller, the Australian Government's travel advice service (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade), for Australian citizens. Before You Fly is an independent site: it is not an Australian Government site and is not endorsed by DFAT. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice. British passport? See the UK (FCDO) rules.
Read the full official travel advice for North Korea (safety, health, local laws) before you travel.
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