Alien Registration Card (Residence Card) in Korea: Who Must Apply and How (2026)
Short answer: If you plan to stay in Korea for more than 90 days, you generally must register as a foreign resident within 90 days of entry and receive a residence card. The card is the one older pages call the “Alien Registration Card” (ARC). Book a visit on HiKorea, bring your passport, application form, photo, proof of address and the fee, and apply at the immigration office that covers where you live. A mobile version can be added to your phone afterwards.
This guide summarizes what the Ministry of Justice’s HiKorea portal, the Korea Immigration Service and the Seoul city guidebook say. Requirements depend on your visa type, so treat it as a map and confirm details with HiKorea or the 1345 Immigration Contact Center.
One card, several names
The official pages use “Foreign Resident Registration” for the procedure. The card itself appears as “Residence Card” (the Seoul guidebook says “Korean Residence Card”), and HiKorea still shows the older wording “Alien Registration Card” and “registration card” in places. They all point to the same ID. Permanent Resident and Overseas Korean cards are separate card types that also exist in mobile form.
Who must register, and by when
According to HiKorea, registration applies to foreigners who intend to stay in Korea for more than 90 days after entry. The deadline is within 90 days of entry. If you receive a status of stay or change your status after arriving, the page says to register immediately after being notified of the new status.
HiKorea lists these exemptions:
- Holders of Diplomacy (A-1), Official business (A-2) or Agreement (A-3) status, and their family members
- People performing important diplomatic or national-security duties, and others the Minister of Justice deems exempt
- Canadians staying under six months in certain statuses (D-1, D-6, F-1, F-3 or G-1)
The Seoul guidebook adds that registered foreigners under 17 are not required to hold the card until they turn 17, at which point registration is due within 90 days.
What you need to bring
HiKorea’s documents page lists the following for all statuses:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Passport | Plus copies of the personal-information page and the visa page |
| Application form | Available on HiKorea in HWP, PDF or DOC |
| Photo | 1 color photo, 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm |
| Proof of residence | For example a lease contract, certificate of accommodation, or utility bill receipt |
| Fee | See the next section |
Many statuses need extra papers. A student (D-2) is asked for a certificate of studentship, many work visas need a business registration copy, and a spouse of a Korean (F-6) needs marriage and resident-registration documents. Foreign language instructors (E-2) face a medical check and drug test requirement. The official can ask for more documents after screening, so check the table for your own status on HiKorea.
Fee: two official figures
The fee is where the official pages disagree, so check before you go:
- The Korea Immigration Service notice says the new issuance fee is KRW 35,000 (previously KRW 30,000), effective January 1, 2025.
- The Seoul guidebook (2026 edition) also gives KRW 35,000.
- HiKorea’s documents page still shows KRW 30,000, paid by government revenue stamp.
Because the newest notices say KRW 35,000, plan for that amount and ask the office how it is collected. For re-issuance (lost, damaged or changed details), the HiKorea page lists KRW 30,000 and a 14-day window from the event.
Where and how to apply
- Reserve a visit on HiKorea. The reservation page says it is only an appointment, not the filing itself. If no slot is open before your deadline, it says to go to the immigration office with jurisdiction before the period ends.
- Go to the right office. The Seoul guidebook says to submit documents to the immigration office, branch office, immigration service center, or Multicultural Migrant Plus Center that covers your place of residence.
- Receive the card. The guidebook says you can collect it in person at the office where you applied, or by mail, and that it takes about four weeks. HiKorea’s card page gives no processing time, so treat four weeks as a general figure, not a promise.
The card’s validity runs until your permitted period of stay (permanent residence cards follow their own expiry date), and it must be renewed or updated before the stay period ends.
The mobile residence card
The Ministry of Justice introduced the Mobile Residence Card on January 10, 2025, covering the Permanent Resident Card and Overseas Korean Residence Card as well. Key points from the ministry’s press release:
- You must first hold the updated physical card with an IC chip that stores a PIN. The ministry began issuing that card on January 1, 2025.
- Registered foreigners aged 14 or older with a smartphone registered in their own name are eligible.
- It has the same validity as the physical card.
- IC-chip card holders download the government mobile ID app, tap the card on the phone, enter the PIN, complete face authentication, and save the card.
- Holders of the older card must visit an immigration office or branch to scan a QR code.
- It can be saved on only one smartphone, and it is locked automatically if the phone is reported lost.
The ministry says it can replace the physical card at places such as government agencies, financial institutions, convenience stores and hospitals. HiKorea’s mobile card page does not state a fee, so check with the immigration office if you are unsure.
After you have the card
- Carry it. HiKorea says foreigners must carry their passport, visa or registration card, and show it when officials request it. Under-17s are exempt.
- Report changes. HiKorea gives 15 days to report changes such as name, passport details or your place of residence to the local immigration office (the Seoul guidebook says the report can also be made at a community center). Late reporting can bring a fine.
- Return it on final departure, as the HiKorea card page lists.
Quick checklist
- Count 90 days from your entry date and book a HiKorea visit early.
- Passport and copies, form, 3.5 x 4.5 cm photo, proof of address, status-specific papers.
- Fee ready (KRW 35,000 per the latest notices; confirm).
- Know your office: the one covering your residence.
- Afterwards, decide whether to add the mobile card.
Common mistakes
- Starting the 90-day count from your lease or job start rather than your entry date.
- Treating the HiKorea reservation as the filing.
- Using documents for a different visa status.
- Forgetting to report a new address within 15 days.
Last verified: November 3, 2026. This guide is general information, not immigration advice. Confirm your own case with HiKorea, an immigration office or the 1345 Immigration Contact Center.
Sources
- HiKorea (Ministry of Justice): Foreign Resident Registration
- HiKorea: Documents for Foreign Resident Registration
- HiKorea: Issuance of mobile residence card
- Ministry of Justice press release: Mobile Residence Card (PDF)
- Korea Immigration Service: Fee Increase for Foreign Residence Cards from January 1, 2025
- Seoul Metropolitan Government: Guidebook for Living in Seoul (2026 edition)
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