Do foreign residents need a personal customs clearance code for online shopping?
I tried to order household goods from AliExpress to my address in Incheon and the payment page asked for a personal customs clearance code. I only have an alien registration card and cannot tell whether I am eligible. Where do I apply, how long does issuance take, and do I need a new code for each order?
1 Answer
Yes. Foreign residents with an alien registration card can issue a personal customs clearance code, it is free, and it takes a few minutes.
The code is issued by the Korea Customs Service through its UNI-PASS portal (unipass.customs.go.kr). You verify your identity and the code is generated immediately in most cases. It exists because customs needs to match an import to a person without the shopping site passing your registration number around, which is why sites ask for the code rather than the number itself.
Once issued, the code is yours permanently. You do not request a new one for each order — you enter the same code every time. If you later change your phone number or your name as registered, update the record rather than issuing a second code, because a mismatch between the code holder's details and the recipient details is what causes parcels to be held at customs.
Three practical points for ordering to Incheon. The name and phone number entered on the shopping site should match what is registered against the code, otherwise clearance stalls. The recipient address should be where you actually receive post, since customs contacts you there if something needs confirming. And personal-use exemption limits apply to the declared value of a shipment, with different thresholds depending on origin, so a large order can attract duty and VAT even when the site shows no tax at checkout.
If a parcel is held, the customs service contact number is 125, and it handles clearance questions. For issues with the shopping site itself rather than customs, the consumer counselling line is 1372.