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🇰🇷 South Korea

Alien Registration Card (Korea)

Korean Foreign Resident Registration

Medium ~15 min ImmigrationKoreaRegistrationARC

/ What is this form?

The Alien Registration Card (ARC, 외국인등록증) is the identity document issued to all foreign nationals residing in South Korea for more than 90 days. Required by the Immigration Act, the ARC registration creates a formal record of foreign residents and assigns each person a unique 13-digit Alien Registration Number (ARN) that functions as their Korean identification number for administrative, financial, and medical purposes.

The ARC is equivalent to the Korean national 주민등록증 (Resident Registration Card) for most practical purposes. Without an ARC number, foreigners find it nearly impossible to: open a Korean bank account, purchase a Korean SIM card, sign a housing lease (월세 contract), register with the National Health Insurance Service, enroll children in school, or access most government services online.

Registration must be completed at the Immigration Office (출입국·외국인청) with jurisdiction over the applicant's Korean residence address within 90 days of arrival on a qualifying visa. The process is straightforward — applicants bring their documents to a booked appointment, and the card is mailed within approximately 2 weeks. The ₩30,000 registration fee is one of the lowest immigration fees in any country.

/ Who needs this form?

  • Foreign nationals on D-2 (student), D-4 (language training), D-8 (corporate investment), E-series (work), F-series (residence) visas staying more than 90 days
  • Foreigners who extend a short-stay visa beyond 90 days in total
  • Spouses and children of Korean nationals residing in Korea
  • Foreign workers hired by Korean companies regardless of contract duration
  • International students at Korean universities and language schools

/ What you need before you start

Valid passport with current Korean visa
2 passport-sized photos (3.5cm × 4.5cm, white background, taken within 6 months)
Korean address (local office has jurisdiction based on this address)
₩30,000 registration fee (cash, credit card, or mobile payment accepted at most offices)
Visa-specific documents: enrollment certificate (students), employment contract + business registration (workers), marriage certificate translated (spouses)

/ Step-by-step guide

1 Confirm You Need to Register
Register within 90 days of arrival if: you hold a visa allowing a stay longer than 90 days (D-2, D-4, E-series, F-series, etc.), or you extend your stay beyond 90 days. Tourists on C-3 visas who stay 90 days or less are exempt. Registration is mandatory under the Immigration Act — failure to register results in fines.
2 Book an Appointment at an Immigration Office
Visit the Hi Korea website (hikorea.go.kr) to book an appointment at the Immigration Office (출입국·외국인청) nearest to your address in Korea. Registration must be done at the office with jurisdiction over your residence — you cannot register at any office.
3 Complete the Registration Application Form
Fill in: full name (Korean transliteration required — the immigration officer can help), date of birth, nationality, passport number, Korean address, visa type, phone number, and emergency contact. Attach required documents: passport, photos, and visa-related documents.
4 Submit and Pay the Fee
Bring to the appointment: completed application form, valid passport, 2 recent passport-sized photos (3.5cm × 4.5cm, white background), ₩30,000 registration fee. Additional documents may be required based on your visa type (e.g., employment contract for E-7, enrollment certificate for D-2). The officer processes your application at the counter on the same day.
5 Receive Your ARC
After processing (same-day or within a few days), you are given a receipt. Your ARC card is mailed to your registered Korean address within approximately 2 weeks. Until you receive the card, use the receipt as proof of registration. Your 13-digit Alien Registration Number (ARN) is printed on the card and is used for most administrative procedures.

/ Key fields explained

Field What to enter Common mistake
Korean Address (국내주소) Your actual residential address in Korea in Korean characters. If you cannot write Korean, the immigration officer can help. The address must be verifiable and match where you actually live. Using your school or employer address instead of your residential address — the ARC address must be where you live, not where you work or study.
Phone Number (연락처) A Korean phone number where you can be contacted. If you don't have a Korean number yet, use the best contact number available. Providing a foreign phone number without a country code — if you enter a non-Korean number, include the country code to avoid confusion.
Stay Period (체류기간) The end date of your current visa's permitted stay period. The ARC is issued with the same expiry as your current visa status. Confusing the visa stamp expiry date with the permitted stay period — the stamp shows when you must enter Korea by; the permitted stay period shows how long you can remain, which is different.

/ Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting until the 90-day limit to register — delaying registration means delaying access to banking, phone plans, and health insurance for weeks.
Forgetting to update the ARC address after moving — failure to update within 14 days of moving is a legal violation. Update at the nearest Dong office or immigration office.
Letting the ARC expire without renewing — if your visa is extended, you must also update your ARC before the old one expires. An expired ARC creates problems with all administrative services.
Not carrying the ARC on your person — Korean law requires foreigners to carry their ARC at all times and present it upon request by immigration or police officers.

/ Frequently asked questions

Can I open a Korean bank account without an ARC?

Some banks (Kakao Bank, Toss Bank) allow limited account opening with a passport during a grace period. However, most major banks (Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana) require an ARC. Getting your ARC first is strongly recommended before attempting to open a bank account.

Is the ARC the same as a work permit?

No. The ARC is a registration document proving your residence. Work authorization comes from your visa type. Some visa holders (E-7, E-2, etc.) are authorized to work; others (D-2 students) need an additional part-time work permit.

What happens if I leave Korea permanently?

When leaving Korea permanently, you should surrender your ARC at the immigration counter at the airport during departure. You will receive an exit record.

Can my Alien Registration Number be used for online Korean government services?

Yes. The ARN works with most Korean government digital services (Government24, NHIS, National Pension Service). Some services also require a Korean phone number for authentication (domestic SMS verification).