Tag: foreign resident registration

How to Report a Change of Address or ARC Details in Korea

Which report you need depends on what changed. If you moved to a new address, you file a change of residence report. If your name, passport, school, or workplace changed, you file a report on your registration details. These are two different reports under two different articles of the Immigration Act.

Both are due within 15 days. Both can be filed online. But they go to different places, and the penalty for missing them is different: one is an administrative fine, the other is a criminal fine. This guide shows which one applies to you and how to file it.

What this guide covers

01
Which report applies to you

02
When you must report a change

03
What documents you need for a change of address

04
What changes to your registration details you must report

05
Where to file each report

06
How to file online, step by step

07
What happens if you miss the deadline

08
Frequently asked questions

Which report applies to you

Hi Korea (하이코리아, Hai Korea) treats these as two separate services. Reading only the English pages, it is easy to assume one report covers everything. It does not. Start by finding your case in the table below.

Two reports, two sets of rules

Immigration Act, Articles 35 and 36

	Change of residence report	Change of registration details
What changed	Your address in Korea	Your name, passport, school, or workplace
Korean name	체류지 변경신고	외국인등록사항 변경신고
Deadline	15 days from the day you move in	15 days from the day the change happens
Where to file	Immigration office, city or district office, community service center, or online	Immigration office, or online for passport and employment details
Legal basis	Article 36	Article 35
If you miss it	Criminal fine up to 1,000,000 KRW	Administrative fine up to 1,000,000 KRW

If both happened at the same time, file both. Moving to a new address because you changed jobs is two separate changes, not one.

When you must report a change

Both reports are due within 15 days. The two deadlines start counting from different events, and that is where most people lose days.

Where the count starts

✓
Change of address: the day you move into the new place, not the day you signed the lease.

✓
Change of registration details: the day the change happens, such as the issue date on your new passport.

✓
Weekends and public holidays are counted. The 15 days are calendar days.

File as soon as the change happens. There is no benefit to waiting, and the online report takes a few minutes.

What documents you need for a change of address

You need proof that you now live at the new address. Any one of the documents below works. Bring the Korean name with you, or show it on your phone at the counter.

Proof of residence

체류지 입증서류 · one document is enough

Document	Korean name	Who uses it
Lease contract	임대차계약서	Anyone renting a home
Confirmation of accommodation	숙소제공확인서	People housed by an employer, a host, or a family member
Utility bill receipt	공공요금 넑부영수증	Anyone with a bill at the new address
Dormitory fee receipt	기숙사비 영수증	Students living on campus

You also bring your passport or your Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증), now officially called the Residence Card. The report form itself is the change of residence report form (체류지 변경신고서), and you complete it at the counter or on screen. There is no fee.

If someone files for you, that person brings a letter of authorization (위임장), their own identification, and a document showing your relationship, such as a family relationship certificate.

What changes to your registration details you must report

This is the report people miss, because nothing about their daily life changed. Renewing a passport is the most common case. The list below comes from the Korean-language Hi Korea page, which is longer than the English one.

Report any of these within 15 days

✓
Your name, sex, date of birth, or nationality · 성명, 성별, 생년월일, 국적

✓
Your passport number, issue date, or expiry date · 여권 번호, 발급일자, 유효기간

✓
The organization you belong to, or its name · 소속기관 또는 단체

✓
Whether you are enrolled in school · 재학 여부

✓
Starting work or changing employer, for Working Visit (H-2) holders · 취업 개시 또는 고용처 변경

✓
Your job or your annual income, for some statuses · 직업 또는 연간소득금액

The organization rule covers Culture and Art (D-1), Overseas Study (D-2), General Training (D-4), Journalism (D-5), Religious Affairs (D-6), Intra-company Transfer (D-7), Corporate Investment (D-8), and Trade Management (D-9). If you hold one of these and you change university or company, this report applies to you.

The income rule covers a different set of statuses: Intra-company Transfer (D-7) through Trade Management (D-9), Professor (E-1) through Crew Employment (E-10), Residence (F-2), Overseas Korean (F-4), Marriage Immigrant (F-6), and Working Visit (H-2). The school item applies to elementary, middle, and high school only.

You bring your passport and your Alien Registration Card, the report form (외국인등록사항변경신고서), and a document that proves the change, such as your new passport or a certificate of enrollment.

If your name, sex, date of birth, or nationality changed, the office issues you a new card. Article 44 of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act requires this, so expect to hand your old card over.

Where to file each report

A change of address has more options than most people expect. You do not have to go to an immigration office for it.

Change of address · four ways

01
Online through Hi Korea e-Application (전자민원)

02
The community service center for your new address (읽·면·동 주민센터)

03
The city, county, or district office for your new address (시·군·구청)

04
The immigration office with jurisdiction over your new address

Note that every option is tied to the new address, not the old one. A change to your registration details goes to the immigration office with jurisdiction over your place of stay, and passport changes and employment information changes can also be filed online.

Government 24 (정부24) lists the processing time for a change of address as three days when filed online, and immediate service when filed in person during office hours. The report is free.

Bring your Alien Registration Card with you. Under Article 36, paragraph 2 of the Immigration Act, the office writes the new address on the card and hands it straight back. If you hold a mobile Residence Card and file online, the new address is recorded on the mobile card instead.

You can skip the immigration office for this one

Immigration offices have required a visit reservation since 1 April 2021, and a reservation cannot be made for the same day. A change of address does not put you in that queue at all. File it online, or walk into the community service center or district office for your new address.

How to file online, step by step

Hi Korea e-Application accepts a limited list of services. Three of them belong to this guide: change of residence, passport change, and employment information change. Registering for the first time is not on that list, so a first Alien Registration Card still requires a visit.

Filing through Hi Korea

01
Open Hi Korea and go to e-Application.

02
Find your report in the list of available applications.

03
Complete the form with your new address or your new details.

04
Attach your proof of residence or the document that proves the change.

05
Submit, and keep the confirmation.

Scan or photograph your proof of residence before you start, so the upload step does not stop you halfway through.

What happens if you miss the deadline

The two reports carry two different kinds of penalty, and the difference matters.

A late address report is a criminal matter

Failing to report a change of residence is punishable by a criminal fine of up to 1,000,000 KRW under Article 98, subparagraph 2 of the Immigration Act (출입국관리법). Failing to report a change to your registration details carries an administrative fine of up to 1,000,000 KRW under Article 100, paragraph 2, subparagraph 1.

A criminal fine is a court penalty and goes on record. An administrative fine does not. If your 15 days have already passed, file anyway. Waiting makes it worse.

Immigration also checks your reported address when you apply for other things, including an extension of stay. An address that does not match your paperwork can slow down a later application.

Registering for the first time is a separate process. It cannot be done online, and the deadline is 90 days from entry.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change my address on Hi Korea?

Open Hi Korea, go to e-Application, and select the change of residence report. Complete the form with your new address and attach one proof of residence document, such as your lease contract. Government 24 lists the online processing time as three days.

How many days do you have to report a move?

Article 36, paragraph 1 of the Immigration Act sets 15 days, counted from the day you move in. Some official English pages print 14 days instead. Report within 14 days and you will always be inside the legal limit.

Do I need an appointment to report a change of address?

Not if you file online or at a community service center or district office, which do not use the immigration reservation system. If you go to an immigration office instead, book first. Reservations have been required since 1 April 2021 and cannot be made for the same day.

Does my new address get written on my card?

Yes. Article 36, paragraph 2 of the Immigration Act requires the office to write the change on your Alien Registration Card and return it to you. If you hold a mobile Residence Card and file online, the change is recorded on the mobile card.

Is a change of address the same as reporting a change to my ARC details?

No. They are separate reports under Articles 36 and 35 of the Immigration Act. A change of address can be filed at a local government office or online. A change to your name, passport, school, or workplace goes to the immigration office, and only passport and employment changes can be filed online.

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 file.

·
Hi Korea, Reporting changes in Foreign Resident Registration · English · Korean

·
Government 24, Report of change of residence for foreign residents · Korean

·
Korea Ministry of Government Legislation, Easy Law · foreign resident registration and change reports · Korean

·
Korea Ministry of Government Legislation, Immigration Act Articles 35 and 36 · Article 35 · Article 36

·
Hi Korea, e-Application service list · Korean

·
Hi Korea, visit reservation guide · Korean · English

Information verified as of September 2026. Rules and fees change often. Confirm the details with the official source before you file, or call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.

This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.

September 20, 2026

Alien Registration Card in Korea: Documents, Cost, and Deadline

Many people count the 90 days from the date printed on their visa. The count starts the day you enter Korea. You must register within 90 days of arrival, and you must do it in person. There is no online option for first-time registration.

This guide puts everything on one page: who has to register, what to bring, what your photo must look like, what it costs, how to book your visit, and what happens at the office. Every fact below comes from Hi Korea (하이코리아), the official portal of the Korea Immigration Service, unless another source is named.

What this guide covers

01What you cannot do online

02Who needs an Alien Registration Card

03When you must apply

04What documents you need

05What your photo must look like

06How much it costs

07Where to apply

08How to book your visit

09How to apply, step by step

What you cannot do online

Hi Korea runs an online service called e-Application. Several immigration tasks can be done there without visiting an office. First-time foreign resident registration is not one of them.

Here is what the e-Application page lists as available online:

Available online through e-Application

✓Extension of stay for registered foreign residents

✓Report of a change of residence (체류지 변경신고)

✓Report of a passport change (여권변경 신고)

✓Report of a change in employment information

✓Multiple re-entry permit

✓Permission for activities outside your status

✓Part-time work permit for D-2 and D-4-1 students

Foreign resident registration does not appear on that list. You have to go to an immigration office in person, so plan for a visit from the start.

Who needs an Alien Registration Card

Hi Korea states the rule this way: foreigners intending to stay in Korea for more than 90 days after entry must register.

Two points often get missed.

The rule is about your intended stay, not how long you end up staying. If your visa allows a one-year stay, you register even if you leave after two months. And if you change your status of stay while you are in Korea, you register at the moment that new status is granted, not 90 days later.

If you are staying 90 days or fewer, you do not register.

When you must apply

You must apply within 90 days of the day you enter Korea.

The count starts on your entry date, the date stamped in your passport at the airport. It does not start on the date your visa was issued, and it does not start on the date your visa becomes valid. This is the single most common mistake, and it can cost you weeks.

If you changed your status of stay inside Korea, the deadline is different. Hi Korea says you register immediately after being notified of the new status.

Book your visit early. The 90 days is the deadline for applying, not for booking. Immigration offices require an appointment, and you cannot book for the same day. Leave yourself room.

What happens if you miss the deadline

This is not treated as a minor paperwork slip. Under Article 95, subparagraph 7 of the Immigration Act (출입국관리법), failing to register is punishable by up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million KRW. Article 46, paragraph 1, subparagraph 12 of the same Act also makes it grounds for deportation.

If your 90 days have already passed, go to your immigration office and report it. Waiting makes it worse.

What documents you need

Every document you submit must have been issued within the last three months. Hi Korea states this as a blanket rule, so a certificate you collected four months ago will not be accepted.

What everyone must bring

Common required documents

Hi Korea, Documents for Foreign Resident Registration · verified September 2026

Document	Korean name	Notes
Passport	여권	Bring one photocopy of the personal information page and one of the visa page
Application form	신청서	Download it from Hi Korea, or fill one in at the office
One color photo	컬러사진 1매	3.5cm × 4.5cm. See the photo section below
Fee	수수료	35,000 KRW in cash
Proof of your address	체류지입증서류	See the list below

Proof of your address is the item people struggle with most, because the name of the document is broad. Hi Korea gives these examples: a lease contract (임대차계약서), a confirmation that accommodation is provided to you (숙소제공확인서), a notice that your period of stay is about to expire (체류기간만료예고통지문), or a receipt for a utility bill (공공요금납부영수증). The list is not closed, so other documents that show where you live may be accepted.

If you live in a dormitory or in housing your employer arranged, ask that office for the accommodation confirmation. They will usually know the form.

What your visa status adds

On top of the common documents, each status of stay has its own list. Below are five of the most common. Hi Korea publishes the full table for more than 25 statuses, from D-1 to H-2C, and the link is in the sources at the end.

Additional documents by status of stay

Five common statuses · Hi Korea · verified September 2026

Status	What to add
D-2 Overseas study 유학	A certificate of studentship (재학증명서)
D-4 General training 일반연수	Language training at a university, or elementary, middle and high school students: a certificate of studentship (재학증명서). Other training: a document proving the training organization was founded, such as a copy of its business registration
E-2 Foreign language instructor 회화지도	A copy of the employer’s business registration certificate (사업자등록증) or certificate of proper number (고유번호증), and an employment physical exam report from a medical institution designated by the Minister of Justice, including drug test results
E-7 Specially designated activities 특정활동	A copy of the employer’s business registration certificate (사업자등록증). Teaching roles at foreign schools, foreign educational institutions and international high schools also need the employment physical exam report with drug test results
F-6 Marriage immigrant 결혼이민	Your Korean spouse’s detailed marriage relationship certificate (혼인관계증명서 상세) and their resident registration extract (주민등록등본)

Two of these statuses require a medical exam with a drug test. That exam has to come from a hospital the Ministry of Justice has designated, so you cannot use any clinic. Ask your employer or school which hospital near you is on the list, and book it early. The result takes time.

What your photo must look like

The photo rules are published on Hi Korea, but that page has not been translated into English. Here is what it says.

Photo requirements

✓3.5cm wide by 4.5cm tall

✓Color photo on a white background

✓Facing forward

✓Taken within the last six months

This is the standard Korean ID photo size. Any photo studio in Korea will know it if you say the size out loud. Photo booths in subway stations print it as well, and they are cheaper.

How much it costs

Registration costs 35,000 KRW. The fee rose from 30,000 KRW on 1 January 2025, when the card began carrying an IC chip.

The office takes cash only. Bring the exact amount, or something close to it, in Korean won. A card will not work, and neither will a transfer from your phone.

There is one exemption. Applicants with a corporate investment status (D-8, 기업투자) do not pay the fee.

Where to apply

You apply at the immigration office that covers the district where you live. It is not your choice. Each office has a fixed jurisdiction, and you go to the one your address falls under.

Hi Korea has a lookup page for this, and it works in English. You can either pick your region from a list of 16, or type in the name of an office. The results show each office’s name, its street address, and the districts it covers. Find your district in that last column.

Check this before you book. If you book at the wrong office, you will have to start again.

How to book your visit

This is the part that catches people out, because the English version of the booking page is much shorter than the Korean one. The rules below come from the Korean page.

You cannot walk in. Since April 2021, every immigration office in Korea runs on appointments. Without a booking, your application will not be accepted, and you will be sent home.

You cannot book for today. Bookings open from the day after you make the request. Same-day appointments are not possible.

You cannot cancel on the day. Cancellations are accepted up to one day before your appointment. On the day itself, the slot is locked.

The booking must be in your own name. Even if someone applies on your behalf, the appointment is made using your personal details, not theirs.

You can book with a Hi Korea account or as a non-member after identity verification. Either route works.

Two reports do not need an appointment

Reporting a change of residence and reporting a passport change can both be done without booking. Both can also be done online. First-time registration cannot.

How to apply, step by step

1Find your office. Use the Hi Korea lookup and match your district to an office.

2Book your visit. Book on Hi Korea, at least one day ahead, in your own name.

3Collect your documents. Common documents plus whatever your status requires. Nothing older than three months.

4Get your photo. 3.5 × 4.5cm, white background, taken in the last six months.

5Bring 35,000 KRW in cash. Cards are not accepted.

6Go to your appointment. Submit everything and pay at the counter.

7Wait for your card. The office will tell you how and when to collect it.

Keep your appointment confirmation and any receipt you are given. You will need them if you have to ask about your application later.

After you register, moving or renewing your passport starts a new 15-day deadline.

Once your card arrives, the rules do not stop. If you move, change your passport, or lose the card, each of those has its own deadline, and missing one can mean a fine.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get an Alien Registration Card?

The Jung-gu District Office in Seoul states that it takes about four weeks to receive your card. Processing times differ by office, so ask at the counter when you apply.

Can I apply for an Alien Registration Card online?

No. First-time foreign resident registration is not on the list of services available through Hi Korea’s e-Application system. You must book an appointment and go in person. Some later tasks, such as reporting a change of residence or extending your stay, can be done online.

Is the Alien Registration Card the same as the Residence Card?

Yes. They are the same document. The official English name was changed to Residence Card because the word “alien” was criticized as othering, and the Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act now uses Residence Card in its forms. Hi Korea has not finished updating its pages, so you will still see Alien Registration Card, Foreigner Registration Card and Foreign Resident Registration used on the same site. All of them refer to the card described here.

Official sources

·Hi Korea — Foreign Resident Registration
hikorea.go.kr

·Hi Korea — Documents for Foreign Resident Registration (full table by status)
hikorea.go.kr

·Hi Korea — Photo standards
hikorea.go.kr

·Hi Korea — Visit reservation
hikorea.go.kr

·Hi Korea — Find your immigration office
hikorea.go.kr

·Hi Korea — e-Application
hikorea.go.kr

·Jung-gu District Office, Seoul — Alien Registration (processing time)
junggu.seoul.kr

·Ministry of Government Legislation — Immigration Act, Articles 31, 46 and 95 (Korean)
easylaw.go.kr

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.

September 18, 2026