From choosing a status to applying, registration, extensions, changes of status, permanent residence and leaving — this page follows the order foreign residents go through with Korean immigration, with the questions people actually ask at each step. New arrivals start at step 1; residents can jump to their current step.
1. Start from the purpose — choosing your status
Your status is decided by what you plan to do. Identify the actual activity first — visiting, a degree, language training, paid work — then find the status that matches it. Visa-free entry does not by itself permit paid work or full-time study.
- Tourism and short visits — visa-free entry or a C-3 short-term visit, depending on nationality. Confirm the permitted stay and the current K-ETA requirement before departure
- Study and training — D-2 for degree programs, D-4 for Korean-language and other non-degree training. Expect an admission letter, academic records and proof of funds; part-time work needs separate permission
- Employment — E-2 for foreign-language instructors, E-7 for designated skilled occupations, with E-1 professors, E-3 researchers, E-4 technical instructors and E-5 licensed professions alongside. Your contract, education and experience have to fit the category
- Long-term residence and family — F-2 residence, F-4 overseas Korean, F-6 marriage migrant, each with its own eligibility and permitted activities
Check which purpose your plan falls under, what that status permits, and the visa-free and K-ETA position for your nationality. Rules vary by nationality, circumstances and mission, so use HiKorea's Visa Navigator and the relevant mission's notices.
- Can I extend a 90-day visa-free stay without leaving Korea?
- Can I fly to Japan for a day to reset my 90-day visa-free stay?
- Can I work remotely for a foreign company on a tourist visa in Korea?
- Is there a long-term visa for remote work for a foreign company?
- How do I come to Korea on a Working Holiday Visa (H-1)?
- D-2 or D-4 — which one matches your program
- Applying for a Korea working holiday (H-1) — age limits, quota, documents
2. Gather documents and apply for the visa
Gather a valid passport and documents that prove your purpose — admission letter, employment contract, financial evidence, academic and career records. Documents issued abroad may need translation, notarization or an apostille, so start early on home-country papers. A first application from abroad goes to the Korean embassy or consulate that covers you; work from that mission's current checklist.
- How do I get an FBI background check while living in Korea?
- How do I get my degree and background check apostilled for a Korean visa?
- D-2 outside Seoul: when should I prepare my proof of funds?
- Can you get a teaching visa in Korea without a bachelor's degree?
- How do I apply for the F-4 Overseas Korean visa?
- How do I apply for the F-6 marriage migrant visa?
- Organising immigration papers — originals, translation, apostille
- The E-2 teaching visa — degree, criminal record check and health check first
3. Register after arrival and keep your details current
On a long-term status you register at the immigration office for your address within the set deadline, usually after booking on HiKorea. Changes are then yours to report. When you move, report the new address within 15 days of moving in, at the community centre (주민센터) or immigration. Missing it is punishable by a fine of up to 1,000,000 won (Immigration Control Act Art. 98); in practice immigration issues a penalty notice of 100,000-1,000,000 won depending on how late you are. Missing a change of registered details (name, nationality, passport) carries an administrative fine of up to 1,000,000 won (Art. 100), so a renewed passport also needs reporting. Reissuing a residence card (ARC) costs 35,000 won since 1 January 2025.
- What happens to my D-2 single-entry visa if I leave Korea before my ARC is issued?
- I moved — when and where must a foreigner report a change of address?
- How do I check my visa expiry and whether my extension was processed?
- Address-change report for foreigners: deadline, how-to, documents
- Your passport expiry caps your stay — renew, report, extend, in that order
4. Extend your stay — before it expires
An extension keeps your status and adds time. Apply before your permitted stay expires, online through HiKorea or by booking a visit, using the document list for your own status. Timing, fees and supplement requests are covered below. If unsure, ask the Immigration Contact Center 1345 first. It answers on weekdays 9 a.m.-10 p.m. in 20 languages, with only Korean, English and Chinese after 6 p.m.; it is not a 24-hour line.
- How do I book an immigration visit on HiKorea for an extension?
- Where do I find the deadline and file format for an immigration document request?
- My residence card expires before my graduate program starts — what to check
- On a D-10 job-seeking visa — what job-search activity counts for an extension?
- Can you actually reach a person by calling 1345?
- Extending your stay — the four-month window, four documents, 60,000 won
- No HiKorea appointment available — start with what needs no appointment
5. Change status — graduating, changing jobs, bringing family
When your activity changes — graduating, moving employer, bringing family — you need the status or permission that fits it. If you are already in Korea, check whether an extension or status change is possible before your permitted stay expires, and do not begin an activity your current status does not allow. Some statuses cannot be changed from inside Korea, so confirm the route first.
- Can I change employers on an E-7 visa without leaving Korea?
- Can I change from D-4 to E-7 without leaving Korea?
- After studying here I got a job — how do I switch to E-7?
- Can I change from C-3 to D-2 without leaving Korea?
- On an E-7 visa, can I bring my wife and child to Korea?
- After graduation, what replaces your D-2 — D-10 or E-7
- Which status your new job needs — moving from D-2, E-2 or H-1
6. Long-term residence, permanent residence and naturalization
To stay for good, look at residence (F-2), permanent residence (F-5), then naturalization. Many prepare the basic-knowledge requirement through the Ministry of Justice's KIIP, signed up for at socinet.go.kr. Since 2025 KIIP is no longer free: stages 1-4 cost 100,000 won each and stage 5 costs 70,000 won (basic) plus 30,000 won (advanced), stage 0 is free, basic livelihood recipients and some others are exempt, and diligent participants (e.g. full attendance) pay half.
- How do I change from E-7 visa to F-2 points-based visa?
- F-5 permanent residency: requirements and timeline
- After years in Korea, what are the requirements and steps for naturalization?
- Korean naturalization: requirements, and must I give up my citizenship?
- What is KIIP, how do I register, and what are the classes like?
7. Leaving, re-entry and overstays
To leave and return on the same status, check your stay expiry, passport expiry and any re-entry permit or exemption together. If your stay has run out or is about to, do not disappear or rush to leave: contact immigration or 1345 about reporting yourself, and avoid brokers who guarantee outcomes for money up front.
- Do I need a re-entry permit to travel abroad on a long-term visa?
- Away over 6 months for work — how do I get a re-entry permit?
- Is there an exit process when leaving Korea permanently?
- What are the penalties for overstaying, and what should I do now?
- Can anyone recommend a lawyer to appeal a deportation order?
- Leaving and returning on the same status — three dates to check
- If your stay has already expired — the fine by length, and what to do today
More visa questions
- How does Korean military service affect foreign residents and dual citizens?
- Is my pending F-6 lost if my D-2 is cancelled after withdrawing?
- How do I change from D-10 to F-2-7 visa?
- Can F-5 holders vote in local elections?
Rules vary by nationality, circumstances and the mission handling your case. Use HiKorea's Visa Navigator and the notices of the relevant Korean mission; inside Korea, call 1345. The category-by-category guide is on the WeBring blog.
Sources: HiKorea, Korea Immigration Service (Immigration Contact Center 1345), Korean Law Information Center (Immigration Control Act and Enforcement Rules), Socinet (KIIP)
Last verified: 2026-10-21