Which immigration office in Seoul should I go to?
Yes, you read that right. Which one? There are THREE immigration offices in Seoul, Korea and while that might seem great, it has and can cause a lot of confusion when you go to book an appointment to get things done. Need to renew your visa in Korea? Reserve a visit to your immigration office in Seoul? First, make sure you know where to go. You do NOT have a choice about which immigration office to go to. It all depends on your local address.
Once you now where you’re going, continue reading to find out what information you need to report to the Korean immigration office in Korea when changes like address or passport numbers occur or if you want to apply for an extension of stay or change your visa.
Let’s deep dive into HiKorea and how to use it!
- Immigration Offices in Seoul (출입국사무소)
- How do I get to Seoul Immigration office?
- How do I make an appointment to visit the Korean immigration office in Seoul?
- How do I contact Korean immigration?
- What is an Alien Registration Card (ARC)?
- I lost my residence card, what do I do?
- How long does it take to receive my residence card?
- Can I leave Korea while my residence card is being processed?
- Immigration FAQ
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Immigration Offices in Seoul (출입국사무소)
| Immigration Office | If you live in the following districts, this is the Seoul Immigration Office you go to | Address |
| Seoul (서울 출입외국인청) | [Seoul] Gwanak-gu, Gwangjin-gu, Gangnam-gu, Gangdong-gu, Dongjak-gu, Songpa-gu, Seongdong-gu, Seocho-gu, Yongsan-gu, Seongdong-gu [Gyeonggi] Seongnam(Bundang), Anyang, Hanam, Gwacheon | 151 Mokdongdong-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul
(서울특별시 양천구 목동동로 151) |
| Seoul (Nambu) (서울남부 출입국외국인청) | [Seoul] Seodaemun-gu, Youngdeungpo-gu, Gangseo-gu, Yangchun-gu, Mapo-gu, Geumchun-gu [Gyeonggi] Gwangmyeong | 48 Magokseo 1-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul
(서울특별시 강서구 마곡서1로 48) |
| Seoul (Sejong) (서울 출입국외국인청 세종로출장소) | [Seoul] Jungnang-gu, Jung-gu, Jongno-gu, Eunpyeong-gu, Sungbuk-gu, Dongdaemun-gu, Dobong-gu, Nowon-gu, Gangbuk-gu | 38 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
(서울시 종로구 종로38) |
How do I get to Seoul Immigration office?
Before you do anything, read above to make sure you know which Seoul Immigration office you need to go to because there are THREE!
To get to the Seoul Southern Immigration Office: Walk out of Omokgyo Subway Station, exit 7. Find the bus stop and hop on to 6624 or 6640B. You’ll go two stops and then you can get dropped right across the street. You could also walk from the station which would just take about 15 minutes.
To get to the Seoul Immigration Office Sejongno Branch: Walk out of Jonggak Subway Station, exit 6 and you’ll find the office on the left
To get to the Seoul Immigration Office Nambu Branch: Walk out of Magok Subway Station, exit 1 and walk straight. You’ll find the office on the right side.
How do I make an appointment to visit the Korean Immigration Office?
First things first, have you met HiKorea yet? The HiKorea Korean Immigration Service website is a portal for foreign immigration services in Korea and if you haven’t yet, make an account now. Once you have an account, you can do all kinds of things like apply for an extension of stay, get information on visas, and notify the government about various changes.
As of 2016, you are required to make a reservation online to visit the Korean immigration office. If your card is going to expire and you don’t have an appointment, you will need to just go to the immigration office but be prepared to wait the entire day because they’ll just see you when they can. This is not an advisable way to visit the Korean immigration office.
FYI: HiKorea also has a mobile set which is slightly different from the desktop version. The mobile site is also only offered in three languages: Korean, English, and Chinese. You can create an appointment, and check the date of expiry of stay. But, if you want to access the entire site, use the desktop version.
To make an appointment to visit the Korean Immigration Office:
- Visit the HiKorea website and click on the “Reserve Visit” button.
- Select the correct button at the bottom of the next web page to make a reservation as a HiKorea member (left) or non-member (right).
- If you choose to use your ARC information, click on the tab that says “Identity Verification of Registered Foreigner”.
- Next, fill out your appointment application form. You will first have to choose which immigration office you would like to create your reservation for next to the “Competent Authority” tab so make sure you know where you need to go.
- Select which booth category you are visiting. Foreigners coming from countries other than China should choose the “Foreign Residence Control (non-Chinese)” option. Chinese residents have dedicated staff for them.
- You will then be required to select the reason why you are reserving an appointment from the list of available options.
- Create a 4-digit password in order to create changes to your reservation or make a correction later.
- Lastly, choose the date you would like to visit the immigration office. Click on the calendar button and you will see a list of dates available by month.
- It’s recommended to make an appointment as soon as you can because they fill up so you’ll want to reserve at least a month out if possible.
How do I contact Korean immigration?
Have a question? You can call the Korean immigration information services via 13345 without an area code if you’re in South Korea. If you’re abroad, call +82-2-6908-1345/6.
What is an Alien Registration Card (ARC)?
An Alien Registration Card (ARC) is an identification card for foreigners in Korea. In recent years they removed the “Alien” in English from the card after the Ministry of Justice received numerous complaints regarding the negative connotation of calling foreigners aliens. This change came in January of 2021 so any cards issued prior to that say “Alien Residence Card” while the newer ones now just say “Residence Card”. So, now it’s just an RC technically I guess, but you’ll find that a lot of websites and people who have been in Korea for a long time refer to it as an ARC still.
All foreigners intending to stay for more than 90 days must register and apply for one. Once you get your Residence Card, you’re free to leave and re-enter Korea as many times as you want, for as long as your visa is valid.
I lost my residence card, what do I do?
There are a few reasons you might need to get your Korean residence card re-issued. If you’ve lost your residence card, had it stolen, it was damaged in some way, or if there is no space on the card for the stamps they do on the back, or if any of the information has changed, here’s what you should do:
- Reasons for re-issuance:
- Lost or stolen registration cards
- Damaged registration cards
- Lack of space for necessary items to be displayed
- Changes in details on the existing card (name, sex, birth date and nationality)
- Required documents for re-issuance:
- Passport
- Application form for re-issuance of Foreigner Registration card which you can find at the immigration office.
- 1 color photo (3.5cm x 4.5cm)
- Old registration card (if existing card is rendered useless from wear/tear, lack of space, or change of details)
- Processing fee: W30,000 (There’s an ATM in the immigration office where you can pay easily and then use the receipt after payment for your application.)
*Application for re-issuance must be made within 14 days of the above reasons.
How long does it take to receive my residence card?
Typically it takes about a month to receive your new residence card, but that can vary depending on which immigration office you go to and if there are any delays in processing. I recently got mine at the Seoul Sejong branch though and was able to pick it up exactly a month later.
FYI: You don’t have to go back in person to pick it up, although you absolutely can and you can pick up your residence card without making an appointment. You just walk on. Alternatively though, you can request to have it mailed to you. There’s a further W33,000 fee assessed for this option and you need to be home when it arrives to sign for it, but it’s a good option if you don’t want to go back to the immigration office.
Can I leave Korea while my residence card is being processed?
You can leave the country in the process of making your Residence Card if you have a multiple entry visa as well as your passport, but I advise you to contact the Korean Immigration Office before you intend to leave to ensure that re-entry is allowed.
Immigration FAQ
What changes in my personal details need to be reported to immigration in Korea?
If you have a change in any of the following personal details, you need to report it to the immigration office. Some of these details can be reported at your local “dong” office, local community center, and some can be reported online via the HiKorea website. Here are the changes to report and how:
- Passport name, date of birth, or nationality
- Number, date of issue, or date of expiration of your passport
- Location of your residence -> You can report this change at your local community center, or dong office.
You have 14 days from the date of change in which to report the changes or else you can be fined. Make sure to take your passport, residence card (ARC), and application form and any other documents to prove the change.
For a change of residence, you should take your rental contract if you have rented a place on your own. If you’re living in a school dormitory, take a dormitory payment receipt and a proof of residing on school campus with a signature.
What happens if I overstay my visa in Korea?
While it’s never a good idea to overstay your visa, and you should receive a letter in the mail from the Korean Immigration Services letting you know you’re coming up on the end of your visa, if you do overstay, you should expect to pay a fine when you finally depart. Or, if you realize you’ve overstayed and are planning on staying, head straight to the immigration office, even without a reservation to take care of the issue ASAP. The amount of the fine varies and accrues on a daily basis.
I knew someone that overstayed once and he was leaving Korea for a vacation. They told him that he had to pay and he’d have to stay outside of Korea to reapply for his visa before he could return. So, don’t try to run from the issue.
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