If you will stay in Korea for more than 90 days, the Residence Card is the first piece of paperwork to finish.
You must register at the immigration office that covers your address within 90 days of entering Korea, you need a visit reservation booked on HiKorea first, and the card fee is 35,000 won as of November 2026.
Most people still call it the ARC, short for Alien Registration Card, although the Ministry of Justice changed the English name to Residence Card.
Our family has walked several newcomers through this in Seoul, and the people who struggle are almost always the ones who booked late.
Here is the order that works, with the documents and the mistakes to avoid.
Immigration rules depend on your visa type and personal situation, so treat this as a general guide and confirm your own case on HiKorea or by calling 1345.
Who has to apply for a Residence Card in Korea?
Foreigners who plan to stay in Korea for more than 90 days must register, under Article 31 of the Immigration Act.
That covers international students on D-2 and D-4 visas, workers, spouses of Koreans and most other long-term visa holders.
Short-term visitors on tourist entry do not register.
A few groups, such as diplomats, are exempt by law.
If your visa says you can stay longer than 90 days, assume you need the card.
What is the deadline, and what happens if I miss it?
The deadline is 90 days from the day you entered Korea.
Booking an appointment is not the same as registering, so the visit itself has to happen inside those 90 days.
The Immigration Act lets a court punish failure to register with up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won.
In practice a late applicant is usually handled with a penalty payment decided by the office, but it stays on your record and can come up again at extension time.
In busy seasons like March and September, when new students arrive, reservation slots in Seoul can be gone weeks ahead.
Book in your first week, not your tenth.
How do I book a visit reservation on HiKorea?
HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) is the immigration service's website, and it has an English version.
You can book without a Korean phone number by using the non-member reservation menu with your passport details.
Choose the immigration office with jurisdiction over your address, not the one closest to your school or workplace.
Seoul alone is split between several offices, and going to the wrong one means starting over.
Pick the counter type for foreigner registration, choose a date and time, and print or screenshot the confirmation.
If your university's international office runs group applications for new students, ask them first, because that can save you the booking altogether.
What documents do I need for the ARC application?
The basic set is the same for everyone, and each visa type adds its own papers.
| Document | Who needs it | Note (as of November 2026) |
| Integrated application form (Form No. 34) | Everyone | Download from HiKorea or fill it in at the office |
| Passport | Everyone | Original, plus a copy of the photo page |
| One color photo, 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm | Everyone | White background, taken within the last 6 months |
| Fee of 35,000 won | Everyone | Ask the office how payment is taken |
| Proof of residence | Everyone | Lease contract, dormitory certificate or a host's confirmation of accommodation |
| Certificate of enrollment | D-2 and D-4 students | Issued by your school |
| Employment documents | Workers | For example a contract and the employer's business registration |
| Tuberculosis test certificate | Nationals of designated countries | Check the country list on HiKorea |
Proof of residence trips up more people than anything else.
If the lease is in your own name, bring the contract.
If you live in a dormitory, ask the dormitory office for a residence certificate.
If you are staying with a friend or relative, the office normally wants a signed confirmation from the person providing the home, with a copy of that person's ID and their lease.
The exact list for your visa is in the manuals on HiKorea, and a 1345 agent can tell you in English what your office expects.
What happens at the immigration office?
Arrive a little early with your reservation confirmation.
You take a number, hand over your documents, and the officer checks them one by one.
Registered foreigners aged 17 and over have their ten fingerprints scanned.
You pay the fee and receive a receipt with your application details.
Keep that receipt, because it is the proof that you applied in time.
Write your name exactly as it appears in your passport, in the same order and spelling.
That spelling follows you into your bank account and phone contract, which is why Korea's naming habits matter more than you expect; MARU has a good read on why so many Koreans share the surname Kim.
How long does the card take, and how do I receive it?
Processing time depends on the office and the season, so ask at the counter how long they expect.
You can either come back to pick the card up or ask for delivery to your address at an extra charge.
Delivery saves a second trip, and most people we know choose it.
If you need to prove your status before the card arrives, the office can issue a certificate of foreigner registration, called a Certificate of Alien Registration on older forms.
Do not book international travel around this period without asking the officer what you need for re-entry.
What should I do right after I get the card?
Check every line on the card the day it arrives: name, date of birth, visa type and the period of stay.
Errors are easier to fix in the first days.
Then use it to open a bank account and a phone line in your own name, in that order or the other way depending on the bank.
National health insurance enrollment follows registration automatically for most students.
You are required to carry the card or your passport with you in Korea.
A mobile version of the card is also available through the government's mobile ID app for holders of the newer chip card, so ask about it if you would rather not carry plastic.
| After the card | Deadline | Where |
| Report a new address when you move | Within 15 days of moving in | Community service center, district office, immigration office or HiKorea |
| Report a new passport number or name change | Within 15 days | Immigration office or HiKorea |
| Apply for reissue if the card is lost | Within 14 days | Immigration office |
| Extend your stay | Before the period of stay ends | HiKorea or immigration office |
What mistakes do newcomers make most often?
Waiting for the school orientation before booking, and then finding no slots.
Booking at an office that does not cover their address.
Bringing a passport photo with a colored background or an old photo.
Bringing a friend's lease without the friend's signed confirmation and ID copy.
Writing a nickname or a shortened name on the form.
Forms in Korea are signed in black or blue ink, and there is an old custom against writing a living person's name in red, which MARU explains in its piece on red ink and names.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for the ARC without a HiKorea reservation?
The Korea Immigration Service tells applicants to reserve a visit on HiKorea, so do not count on walk-in service.
How much is the Residence Card fee?
It is 35,000 won as of November 2026, and the same amount applies to a reissue.
Can I leave Korea while my card is being made?
It depends on your visa and entry type, so ask the officer on the day you apply and keep your application receipt with your passport.
Is the ARC number the same as a Korean ID number?
It is a 13-digit foreigner registration number, and banks, phone carriers and hospitals use it the way they use a Korean resident number.
Who can I ask in English?
Call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345 from any phone in Korea and choose your language.
Sources: HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) foreigner registration guide and visit reservation; Korea Immigration Service (immigration.go.kr); Government24 (gov.kr) foreigner registration; Immigration Act Articles 31, 35, 36 and 95 (law.go.kr); Ministry of Justice notice on the Residence Card name (moj.go.kr).