Foreigner's stay in Korea

Foreigner's staying status in Korea is categorized into three types ; short-term stay, long-term stay and permanent residence.

Foreigners who wish to stay for more than 90 days from the date of entry must register their status or address within 90 days from the date of entry.

Scope of activities and employment

Foreigners who intend to work in Korea must obtain corresponding type of visa and work only in the workplace reported to the immigration office. To change the workplace, it is required to obtain prior permission from or submit a report to the immigration office. The following are the types of visa that are allowed for employment :

Short-term employment (C-4), Professor (E-1), Conversation teaching (E-2), Research (E-3), Technical teaching (E-4), Professional employment (E-5), Arts and performance (E-6), Specific activities (E-7), Non-professional employment (E-9), Inner harbor crew (E-10), Residence (F-2), Overseas Korean nationals(F-4), Permanent residence (F-5), Tourism (H-1), Working visit (H-2)

Alien Registration

Foreigners can stay in Korea within the limit of status and duration that the visa allows.

• Alien Registration
  • Foreigners who stay for more than 90 days after their arrival in the Republic of Korea must get registered.
  • Exceptions : Foreigners with Diplomacy (A-1), Government Affair (A-2), Pact Treaty (A-3), Culture and Arts (D-1), Religion (D-6), Visiting and Cohabitation with Relatives (F-1), Family Dependency (F-3) or other (G-1) visa for Canadian citizens who will stay less than 6 months in Korea.
• Alien registration period
  • Foreigners who intend to stay for more than 90 days in the Republic of Korea : within 90 days after the date of their arrival in Korea.
  • Foreigners who became eligible to stay or foreigners who changed their status of stay : immediately
• Method of alien registration
  • Submit the required documents to the immigration offices or branch offices
  • Documents to be submitted : Certificate of Alien Registration application form, Passport, 1 color photograph, Documents required for individual staying status, Application fee
• Alien Registration Rules
  • Foreigners who stay in Korea should carry a passport or his/her alien registration card.
  • Foreigner who stay in Korea should present a passport or his/her alien registration card when requested by an immigration officer or an government officer who has authority to do so.

Report of Address Change

A registered foreigner should report the change of address to the competent city hall, district office or immigration office of the new address within 14 days of the altered date.

Grant of Stay

Foreigners who were born in Korea should attain a visa from the competent immigration office within 90 days and those who lost Korean citizenship while staying in Korea must obtain a visa within 30 days from the date.

Extension of Stay

Foreigner who wishes to stay in Korea longer than the permitted duration should apply for extension of stay at the competent immigration offices before the last day of the permitted date with application form and other required documents.

• Application period
  • Foreigners who apply for an extension of their stay must submit an application during the 2 months prior to their expiration date.
  • When the application for the extension of stay is submitted later than the expiration date, a fine has to be paid.
• Method of applying for extension of stay
  • Applicants or their agents can submit the required documents to the immigration office located in the jurisdiction of their residence.
  • Documents to be submitted : Application form for extension of stay, passport, alien registration card, other documents required for individual staying status, fee.

Changing visa status

Changing visa status is required when foreigners residing in the Republic of Korea discontinue their previous activities in Korea and intend to begin activities unallowable for the current visa status.

• Basic principles of changing visa status
  • When in principle foreigners intend to discontinue their current activities and begin unallowable activities, they must leave Korea and re-enter Korea with new visas that allow them to be engaged in the new activities.
  • However, foreigners who meet requirements for changing their staying status are allowed to change their staying status after undergoing a strict review.

    To begin activities that are not allowed for the permitted staying status, prior permission for changing the staying status must be obtained from the immigration office.

• How to apply for status change
  • Applicants or their agents can submit the required documents to the immigration office that covers their address.
  • Documents to be submitted : Application form for staying status change, passport, alien registration card, other documents required for individual staying status, fee

Activities beyond visa status

When foreigners residing in the Republic of Korea intend to begin extra activities, in addition to their current activities, prior permission must be obtained. When the additional activities require full-time work, the applicants must leave Korea and reenter Korea with new visas or obtain permission for changing staying status.

• Basic principles for allowing additional activities
  • Holders of visas for less than 90 days of stay cannot be engaged in additional activities.
  • If additional activities involve longer working hours and higher pay, additional activities are restricted.
  • If additional activities require employment by multiple work places and are contrary to the national interests, additional activities are not allowed.
  • When foreigners intend to get instructions by professionals about culture and arts of the Republic of Korea or study Korean at language institutes of universities, permission for additional activities is not required.
• Application period
  • Permission for additional activities must be obtained from immigration office before beginning additional activities.

Changing and adding job location

Foreigners residing in the Republic of Korea can change or add job locations within the scope of their staying status.

• Standard of Permission on Workplace Change and Addition
  • In principal, it will not be permitted if the change of workplace or addition is not coherent with the original terms of the current contract.
  • Workplace change and addition may not be permitted if a foreigner frequently changed workplace and fails to abide by Korean immigration laws.
  • Workplace addition may not be permitted if the pay and hours of the new workplace is higher and lounger.
  • A foreigner may add up to 2 additional work places.
• Application period
  • Before changing or adding any employment location, permission should be obtained from the immigration office located in the jurisdiction of their residence.
• Exception for Workplace Change and Addition
  • Foreigners with following visa may report the workplace change and addition to the competent immigration offices with in 15 days of the workplace change or addition: Professor (E-1), Language Teacher (E-2), Research (E-3), Technical Training (E-4), Professional Work (E-5), Arts and Entertainment (E-6 : except foreigners who work for hotels and adult entertainment establishments), Specific Activities (E-7 : exception(31215) of chef and cook(441)).

* For more information on visa and alien registration, please visit the Website of Korea Immigration Service at http://www.immigration.go.kr, check Government for Foreigners' Official Website http://www.hikorea.go.kr or Easy Legislation Information System by The Office of Legislation's Official Website http://oneclick.law.go.kr.