Living Korea Guide

Tag: extension of stay

  • Siheung Immigration Office: What the Plus Center Handles

    Siheung Immigration Office: What the Plus Center Handles

    Where you go for an immigration errand in Siheung depends on what the errand is. Registration, extensions and most residence work finish at the Siheung Plus Center in Jeongwang-dong. Visas, nationality and immigration offences still take you to the Ansan Immigration Office near Gojan Station.

    That split comes from the Ministry of Justice’s own division of duties for the Ansan office, which runs both counters. This guide lists what the Siheung counter does, what it sends to Ansan, and when each part of its building is open.

    What this guide covers
    01 What the Siheung Plus Center handles
    02 What still needs the Ansan office
    03 Who can use the Siheung counter
    04 When each part of the building is open
    05 How to get there
    06 What to say at the counter
    07 Frequently asked questions

    What the Siheung Plus Center handles

    Duties verified September 2026 · Ansan Immigration Office, Korea Immigration Service

    The Siheung Multicultural Migrant Plus Center (시흥 다문화이주민플러스센터) is a counter of the Ansan Immigration Office. The office publishes the same list of duties for it as for its Plus Center in Ansan.

    · Alien registration (외국인등록) and overseas Korean residence reports (거소신고)
    · Granting or changing a status of stay, and extension of stay (체류기간 연장)
    · Permission for activities outside your status, and adding or changing a workplace
    · Employment change reports for foreign workers (고용변동신고)
    · Issuing certificates

    The counter opened in April 2019. Siheung City set it up with the interior, justice and labor ministries, inside the city’s welfare center for foreign residents. It is on the second floor of the Siheung Foreigners’ Welfare Center (시흥시외국인복지센터).

    Immigration offence work is on the list too, with one limit. Reports, industrial accident cases involving foreign nationals, and departure orders are handled at the Ansan office instead.

    What still needs the Ansan office

    Two kinds of work do not move to Siheung at all.

    Visa work and nationality work are Ansan only
    Under the Siheung Plus Center, the Ministry of Justice notes that visa work is handled at the Ansan Immigration Office (안산출입국·외국인사무소). Nationality work, such as naturalization or renouncing nationality, belongs to its Nationality and Visa Section.

    The Ansan office has two buildings next to each other near Gojan Station, and they split the work between them. The guide below sorts them by task.

    Related guide
    Ansan Immigration Office: Three Addresses and What Each One Does
    Which Gojan Station building handles visas and nationality, and what the Ansan Plus Center next to Ansan Station does.

    Check which building you need before you travel. The trip from Jeongwang-dong to Gojan Station is the one worth planning.

    Who can use the Siheung counter

    Jurisdiction verified September 2026 · Hi Korea jurisdiction lookup

    The Siheung counter is not only for Siheung. The Hi Korea jurisdiction lookup lists the same five cities for all three counters of the Ansan office.

    Three counters, one district
    Ansan · Siheung · Anyang · Gunpo · Gwangmyeong
    Counter Address What it handles
    Siheung Plus Center 5 Gongdan 1-daero 259beon-gil, 2F
    시흥시 공단1대로259번길 5    		 Residence work and certificates. No visa work
    Ansan Plus Center 43 Bubu-ro, 1F
    안산시 부부로 43    		 The same duties as the Siheung counter
    Ansan Immigration Office 88 and 96 Gwangdeok 4-ro
    안산시 광덕4로 88 · 96    		 Everything, including visas and nationality

    For a Siheung resident, the nearest counter and a counter with jurisdiction are the same building. Residents of Anyang, Gunpo and Gwangmyeong may use it too. Those three cities joined the Ansan office’s district in March 2022, when it became an office in its own right.

    When each part of the building is open

    Hours verified September 2026 · Siheung Foreigners’ Welfare Center

    The building holds two operations with two different weeks. The welfare center is a city facility, and the Plus Center belongs to the immigration office.

    One building, two weeks
    Siheung Foreigners’ Welfare Center · 5 Gongdan 1-daero 259beon-gil
    Part of the building Days Hours
    Plus Center, 2F
    Immigration counter    		 Monday to Friday 09:00–18:00
    Welfare center
    Counseling in several languages    		 Sunday to Friday
    Closed Saturday    		 09:00–18:00, lunch 12:00–13:00
    Counselor days vary by language
    Sunday Korean classes
    Eight classes, free    		 Sunday 09:30–14:30

    Come on a Sunday and the Korean classes and most counselors are working, but the immigration counter is closed. The Plus Center hours above are the ones the welfare center lists on its own page, so confirm them before you travel.

    How to get there

    The building is in Jeongwang-dong, a short bus ride from Jeongwang Station.

    · Address. 5 Gongdan 1-daero 259beon-gil, Siheung (시흥시 공단1대로259번길 5). The Plus Center is on the second floor.
    · From the station. Jeongwang Station (정왕역), exit 1, then bus 20-1 or bus 30 from the transfer center, about ten minutes.
    · Where to get off. On bus 20-1, get off at Jeongwang 119 Safety Center (정왕119안전센터). On bus 30, get off at Siheung Post Office Central Hospital (시흥우체국 센트럴병원).

    For the building, call the welfare center on 031-434-0411. For immigration questions, the Ansan office’s main number is 031-364-5705. The Immigration Contact Center on 1345 answers Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 22:00, except public holidays.

    What to say at the counter

    These counters run in Korean. Show the Korean line on your phone, or read the romanized line aloud.

    플러스센터는 몇 층인가요?
    Peul-leo-seu-sen-teo-neun myeot-cheung-in-ga-yo?
    “Which floor is the Plus Center on?”
    Ask this at the building entrance. The welfare center is on the other floors.
    여기서 처리할 수 있나요?
    Yeo-gi-seo cheo-ri-hal su in-na-yo?
    “Can this be handled here?”
    Ask this before you take a number, not after.
    외국인등록 하러 왔습니다.
    Oe-gu-gin-deung-nok ha-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to register as a foreign resident.”
    외국인등록 is the term on the application form.
    체류기간 연장 신청하러 왔습니다.
    Che-ryu-gi-gan yeon-jang sin-cheong-ha-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to apply for an extension of stay.”
    체류기간 연장 is the term used in the Immigration Act.
    사증 업무는 어디로 가야 하나요?
    Sa-jeung eom-mu-neun eo-di-ro ga-ya ha-na-yo?
    “Where do I go for visa matters?”
    사증 is the legal word for a visa. Visa work goes to the Ansan office.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I go to the immigration office without an appointment in Korea?
    Hi Korea has required a visit reservation at immigration offices since 1 April 2021, and you cannot book for the same day. A short list of services, such as issuing certificates, is named as walk-in. The booking form asks for the office, date and time, so choose the counter you plan to visit.
    Is there an immigration office in Siheung?
    Not a separate office. Siheung is inside the district of the Ansan Immigration Office, which runs the Siheung Plus Center in Jeongwang-dong as one of its counters. Visa and nationality work still go to Ansan.
    Do I need to register if I stay exactly 90 days?
    Article 31 of the Immigration Act sets the rule. You must register if you stay in Korea for more than 90 days from the day you entered. The registration is due within 90 days of entry.
    Where do I report a change of address in Siheung?
    At the community service center (행정복지센터) for your new address, or at the Civil Affairs and Passport Division of Siheung City Hall. Article 36 of the Immigration Act gives you 15 days from moving in, and also allows the report at the immigration office. Bring your registration card, because the new address is written on it.
    When can I call 1345?
    Hi Korea lists the Immigration Contact Center on 1345 as open Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 22:00, except public holidays. Call before you travel if you are not sure which counter handles your errand.

    Official sources

    Every figure here comes from the pages below. Duties, hours and addresses change, so open the page before you travel.

    Information verified as of September 2026. The Plus Center hours come from the welfare center’s page, so confirm on 031-364-5705 or 1345 before you travel, and book your visit in advance.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
  • How to Extend Your Stay in Korea: Timing, Fee, and Documents

    How to Extend Your Stay in Korea: Timing, Fee, and Documents

    Many people treat the expiry date on their card as the day to start. It is the last day you can apply, not the first. The window opens four months earlier, and the whole of that window is yours to use.

    Applying late is not a paperwork problem you can fix at the counter. Applying after your expiry date brings a penalty payment, and staying past that date without permission is a criminal offense. Here is the window, the fee, where you have to be when you apply, and what happens if the date passes.

    What this guide covers
    01 When you can apply
    02 Where you must be when you apply
    03 How to apply
    04 What documents you need
    05 How much it costs
    06 What happens if you miss your expiry date

    When you can apply

    Hi Korea (하이코리아, Hai Korea) states the window plainly: you apply from four months before your current period of stay expires, up to and including the expiry date itself.

    Your window
    ✓ Opens four months before the expiry date on your card
    ✓ Closes at the end of the expiry date
    ✓ A visit reservation cannot be made for the same day, so the counter route needs lead time

    Four months is a long runway, and there is a reason to use the early part of it. If a document is missing or your employer is slow with a certificate, you still have weeks rather than days. Check the expiry date on your card now and put the date four months before it in your calendar.

    Where you must be when you apply

    This condition is in the Korean-language page and not in the English one, and it catches people who plan a trip home around their renewal.

    You must be inside Korea on the day you apply
    Hi Korea states that an application is possible only when the applicant is staying in Korea on the day of application, and that applying from abroad, including through an agent, is not possible. Leaving the country and having someone file for you does not work.
    An agent can file for you while you are in Korea, but some statuses do not allow an agent at all. Marriage Immigrant (F-6) is named as one of them, so check your status before you send someone else.

    Plan travel around this. If your stay expires while you are out of the country, you cannot fix it from there.

    How to apply

    There are two routes, and for a registered foreign resident the online route is usually the faster one.

    Two routes
    01 Online. Hi Korea e-Application lists Extension of stay for registered foreigners among the services you can file there. Online services run on weekdays from 07:00 to 22:00, and are closed on weekends and public holidays.
    02 In person. The immigration office with jurisdiction over your address. Book a visit reservation first. Offices have required one since 1 April 2021, and a reservation cannot be made for the same day.

    When the extension is approved, a registered foreign resident does not get a passport sticker. Article 31 of the Enforcement Decree says the new period is written on your Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증) instead.

    What documents you need

    The base of every application is the same. What sits on top of it depends entirely on your status of stay.

    Everyone brings
    ✓ The extension application form · 체류기간 연장허가 신청서
    ✓ Your passport · 여권
    ✓ Your Alien Registration Card · 외국인등록증
    ✓ The fee · 수수료

    On top of that, each status has its own attachment list. A student on Overseas Study (D-2) is asked for different paper than a teacher on Foreign Language Instruction (E-2). Hi Korea publishes the list as a table by status, and the table is the only place those lists live, so open yours before you start rather than guessing from a general guide.

    One thing worth checking first: the address on your card. Immigration looks at your registered place of stay when it reviews an extension, and an address that no longer matches where you live is a problem you want solved before the application, not during it.

    How much it costs

    The fee is set by the Enforcement Rules of the Immigration Act, not by the office, so it is the same everywhere.

    Extension fee
    Enforcement Rules of the Immigration Act, Article 72, subparagraph 6
    Who you are Fee
    Most statuses of stay 60,000 KRW
    Marriage Immigrant (F-6) 30,000 KRW

    For comparison, a change of status of stay is 100,000 KRW and a change or addition of workplace is 120,000 KRW, both from the same list. If someone tells you an extension should cost one of those figures, they are quoting a different application.

    What happens if you miss your expiry date

    Two separate consequences follow, and they are often confused with each other.

    A late application and an overstay are not the same thing
    Hi Korea states that applying for an extension after the expiry date results in a penalty payment under Article 25 of the Immigration Act (출입국관리법).
    Staying beyond your permitted period is a separate matter. Article 94, subparagraph 7 makes staying outside the scope of your status or period punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million KRW.
    If your date has already passed, go to your immigration office and report it rather than waiting. The gap only grows.

    A missed extension also follows you. Your record of stay is what immigration looks at the next time you apply for anything, including a change of status or permanent residence later on.

    What to say at the counter

    Five sentences for the immigration office counter. Show the screen if it is easier than speaking.

    체류기간 연장 신청하러 왔습니다.
    Che-ryu-gi-gan yeon-jang sin-cheong-ha-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to apply for an extension of stay.”
    Say this first at the counter.
    예약 확인 부탁드립니다.
    Ye-yak hwa-gin bu-tak-deu-rim-ni-da.
    “Please check my reservation.”
    If you booked a visit on Hi Korea.
    서류가 다 맞는지 봐주시겠어요?
    Seo-ryu-ga da man-neun-ji bwa-ju-si-ge-sseo-yo?
    “Could you check whether my documents are complete?”
    Before you hand everything over.
    수수료는 얼마인가요?
    Su-su-ryo-neun eol-ma-in-ga-yo?
    “How much is the fee?”
    The fee is paid at the counter.
    얼마나 연장되나요?
    Eol-ma-na yeon-jang-doe-na-yo?
    “How long an extension will I get?”
    The answer depends on your status.
    Alien Registration Card guides
    Korea Immigration Deadlines: A Checklist for Foreign Residents
    Every deadline, fee, and penalty in one table, with the article of the Immigration Act behind each line.
    Alien Registration Card in Korea: Documents, Cost, and Deadline
    You just arrived. Documents, the fee, photo rules, and why this one cannot be done online.
    How to Report a Change of Address or ARC Details in Korea
    You moved, or your name, passport, school, or workplace changed. Two reports, two penalties.
    What to Do If You Lose Your Alien Registration Card in Korea
    Report the loss online first, then apply for a replacement in person.
    How to Extend Your Stay in Korea: Timing, Fee, and Documents
    The window opens four months before your expiry date, and you must be in Korea to file.

    Frequently asked questions

    When should I apply for an extension of stay?
    Any time from four months before your expiry date up to the expiry date itself. Apply early in that window so a missing document does not push you past the date.
    Can I apply for an extension from outside Korea?
    No. Hi Korea states that you must be staying in Korea on the day you apply, and that applications from abroad, including through an agent, are not possible.
    Can someone else apply for me?
    An agent can file while you are in Korea, but not every status allows one. Hi Korea names Marriage Immigrant (F-6) as a status where an agent is not possible, and tells you to check your own status first.
    How much does a visa extension cost in Korea?
    60,000 KRW for most statuses, and 30,000 KRW for Marriage Immigrant (F-6). The figure comes from Article 72 of the Enforcement Rules of the Immigration Act, so it does not change from office to office.

    Official sources

    Every figure in this guide comes from the pages below. Rules change, so open the page that matters to your case before you apply.

    · Hi Korea, Extension of Stay · English · Korean
    · Hi Korea, e-Application · service list · visit reservation guide · English
    · Korea Ministry of Government Legislation · Immigration Act Article 25 · Article 94
    · Korea Ministry of Government Legislation · Enforcement Decree Article 31 · Enforcement Rules Article 72
    Information verified as of September 2026. Rules and fees change often. Confirm the details with the official source before you apply, or call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.