A foreign national who will stay in Korea for more than 90 days must complete alien registration at the immigration office with jurisdiction over their place of stay within 90 days from the date of entry. Registration produces the residence card, and that card becomes the prerequisite for almost every later step — banking, mobile service and lease protection among them. Registration is a beginning, not an end. If the passport changes or the person moves, a new report is due within 15 days. This article is based on the Immigration Act and the Ministry of Justice residence management manual (September 2026 edition).
- Deadline: within 90 days from the date of entry. A person who obtains permission to change status of stay registers when that permission is granted.
- Where: the immigration office with jurisdiction over the place of stay. An online visit reservation is required in principle.
- Documents for intra-company transfer (D-7): application form, passport, one photo, fee, business registration certificate, proof of place of stay.
- After registration: changes to passport details and moves must each be reported within 15 days.
- Alien registration and the report of change of place of stay take the place of resident registration and the moving-in report.
Who must complete alien registration?
Certain persons, such as staff of foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations in Korea and their families, are exempt (subparagraphs of the same paragraph). A person who obtains permission to change status of stay in Korea after entry must register when that permission is granted, if they will stay beyond 90 days from the date of entry (paragraph (4) of the same Article). Accompanying family members who stay beyond 90 days must each register. A residence card may not be issued to a child under 17; in that case, the child must apply for issuance within 90 days of turning 17 (Article 33).
When and where do you register?
The 90 days are counted from the date of entry, not from the date a status of stay is granted. The application is filed with the immigration office, branch office or local office with jurisdiction over the place of stay. Alien registration applications are subject to the online visit reservation system set out in Article 34-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act. A person aged 17 or over who must register is required to provide biometric information (Article 38(1)).
In practice, document preparation starts even before an address is settled: everything else is assembled first so that only the proof of place of stay needs to be added at the end.
What documents do you need?
The documents differ by status of stay. Below are the alien registration documents for intra-company transfer (D-7) listed in the Ministry of Justice residence management manual.
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Application form (Annex Form 34) | Form designated in the manual |
| Original passport | The original, not a copy |
| One standard-size photo | Specifications as published on HiKorea |
| Fee | Confirm the amount before visiting |
| Business registration certificate | Of the Korean workplace |
| Proof of place of stay | Lease contract, confirmation of accommodation provided, utility payment receipt, etc. |
The competent office may ask for additional documents, so it is safer to finalize the list against that office's requirements before visiting.
What changes once you are registered?
Two consequences follow. First, the residence card serves as the resident registration card. Second, opposing power under the Housing Lease Protection Act is also established through this registration and the report of change of place of stay, so delaying registration delays the day deposit protection begins. We explain this in jeonse vs wolse in Korea. A registered foreign national must carry the residence card at all times (Article 27; does not apply to those under 17).
Which reports are due within 15 days after registration?
| Reason | Deadline | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Change of name, sex, date of birth or nationality, or of passport number, issue date or expiry date | Within 15 days | Article 35 |
| For D-7 to D-9 and similar statuses, change or addition of affiliated organization, change of occupation, etc. | Within 15 days | Article 35; Enforcement Rule, Article 49-2 |
| Moving (change of place of stay) | Within 15 days from the date of moving in | Article 36 |
The report of change of place of stay is filed with the si, gun or gu office or the eup, myeon or dong office of the new place of stay, or with the competent immigration office. The residence card is submitted together with the report.
What happens to the residence card when you leave Korea?
A registered foreign national leaving Korea must, in principle, return the residence card (Article 37). This does not apply where the person has a re-entry permit or is exempt from re-entry permits and returns within the permitted period of stay. The residence management manual states that a re-entry permit is waived where a registered foreign national re-enters within one year from the date of departure. Persons subject to entry restrictions are excluded.
What if you miss a deadline?
Failure to complete alien registration is subject to penalties under Article 95 of the Immigration Act, and failure to report a change of place of stay is subject to penalties under Article 98. Failure to report changes to registered particulars or to return the residence card is subject to an administrative fine under Article 100. If a deadline has passed, the rule is not to hide it: organize the reasons and file the report straight away. The competent office decides the level of any sanction in light of the circumstances.
How KOCATION helps
An administrative agent may prepare and file documents submitted to administrative agencies on a client's behalf and act for the client in applications and reports (Certified Administrative Agents Act, Article 2). KOCATION prepares the alien registration document set, books the visit, accompanies the applicant and manages the schedule of 15-day reports that follow. Later steps such as departure and extensions continue in common issues for expats after arrival in Korea.
Frequently asked questions
Q. When does the 90-day period start? From the date of entry. It is not counted from the visa issue date or the start date of employment.
Q. Can I register before finding a home? Proof of place of stay is required. Check with the competent office whether a document showing temporary accommodation, such as a confirmation of accommodation provided, will be accepted, and file a report of change of place of stay after signing the lease.
Q. Do family members register separately? Yes. Family members who stay beyond 90 days each register. A residence card may not be issued to children under 17.
Q. What do I do after getting a new passport? That is a change of passport number, issue date and expiry date, so report the change in registered particulars within 15 days (Article 35).
Q. What if my employing entity changes within the same group? For D-7 to D-9 and similar statuses, a change of affiliated organization is a reason for a change report (Enforcement Rule, Article 49-2). Whether permission to change or add a workplace is required, however, must be checked separately for each status of stay (Article 21).
Q. Do I have to go to the immigration office when I move? The report of change of place of stay can also be filed at the community service center for the new address. It is due within 15 days from the date of moving in (Article 36).
Tell us the entry date, status of stay and family composition, and we will combine alien registration and the 15-day reports that follow into one schedule. Fees vary by case, so we explain them during the consultation.
Ask about alien registrationSources
- Korean Law Information Center — Immigration Act, Articles 27, 31, 33, 35 to 38, 88-2, 95, 98 and 100; Enforcement Decree of the same Act, Articles 34-2 and 40; Enforcement Rule, Article 49-2
- HiKorea — Ministry of Justice residence management manual (September 2026), alien registration documents for intra-company transfer (D-7)
- Korean Law Information Center — Certified Administrative Agents Act, Article 2