Last updated: August 26, 2026
If you are moving to South Korea for more than a short visit, one piece of plastic will soon become surprisingly important: your Korean Residence Card, still commonly searched for and referred to by foreigners as the ARC (Alien Registration Card).
It is not just an immigration document. For many foreign residents, it is the ID that makes everyday life in Korea dramatically easier — from banking and mobile phone verification to contracts, online services and other systems that require a Korean residence registration number.
The difficult part is not understanding why you need it. The difficult part is knowing where to go, what documents to bring, which immigration office has jurisdiction over your address, and what to do if something goes wrong.
If you plan to stay in Korea for more than 90 days and are subject to foreigner registration, you generally need to register within 90 days of entering Korea. Make a reservation through HiKorea, visit the immigration office responsible for your place of residence, submit the required documents, and apply for your Residence Card.
This guide walks you through the process as a first-time foreign resident would actually experience it — including the small mistakes that can turn one immigration visit into two.
ARC / Residence Card at a Glance
Who: Foreigners who are required to register for a long-term stay in Korea
Deadline: Generally within 90 days of entry
Where: Immigration office responsible for your residential address
Basic documents: Passport, application, photo, proof of residence + visa-specific documents
Photo: 3.5 × 4.5 cm, recent passport-style photo
Residence Card issuance fee: ₩35,000
1. Why the Residence Card Matters So Much
Tourists can enjoy Korea with a passport and a foreign credit card. Living here is different.
Many Korean services are built around identity verification. Once you become a registered foreign resident, your Residence Card becomes one of the main ways to prove who you are and that you legally reside in Korea.
Depending on your visa, bank, mobile carrier and service provider, it may be used for:
- opening or fully activating certain Korean bank services;
- setting up a long-term mobile phone plan;
- identity verification for Korean websites and apps;
- financial transactions and authentication;
- employment and administrative procedures;
- contracts and other services that require proof of Korean residence.
This is why many newcomers describe receiving their card as the moment Korea becomes much easier to navigate.
Reality: Your visa allows your stay, but long-term residents who are subject to registration still need to complete foreigner registration after arrival.
2. Who Needs to Register?
As a general rule, a foreign national intending to stay in South Korea for more than 90 days must complete foreigner registration within 90 days after entering Korea.
There are exceptions and special categories, so your visa status matters. Diplomatic and certain other statuses, for example, may follow different rules.
Immigration appointments can become difficult to obtain during busy periods. Start checking the process soon after you settle into your Korean address.
3. Documents: Build Your ARC Folder Before Booking
This is where many first-time applicants make their biggest mistake: they find one checklist online and assume every visa requires exactly the same documents.
It does not.
The standard starting documents generally include:
- Passport
- Integrated Application Form
- One recent 3.5 × 4.5 cm passport-style photo
- Proof of residence in Korea
- Documents required for your specific status of stay
Your Visa Type Changes the Checklist
A university student, language student, employee, working holiday resident, spouse, investor and other long-term residents may need different supporting documents.
For example, immigration may need documents related to your school, employment, organization or other circumstances depending on your status.
1. Identify your exact visa/status of stay.
2. Check the current requirements on HiKorea.
3. If anything is unclear, call 1345 before your visit.
4. Proof of Residence: The Document That Causes Trouble
Immigration needs to know where you actually live in Korea.
If the housing contract is in your own name, the process is usually easier. But foreign residents often live in dormitories, company housing, Airbnb-style accommodation, a friend's home, or housing contracted under someone else's name.
In those situations, additional proof may be required.
“Does this document clearly prove that I live at the address I reported to immigration?”
If the answer is not clearly yes, verify the required supporting documents with HiKorea or 1345 before visiting.
5. ARC Photo Requirements
Bring a recent passport-style color photograph measuring 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm.
The official standard requires a recent front-facing photo with an appropriate plain or white background and without accessories that unnecessarily obscure the face.
외국인등록증 사진 찍으려고 해요.
I need a photo for my Residence Card.
3.5 × 4.5로 부탁드려요.
Please make it 3.5 × 4.5 cm.
6. Make Your Immigration Appointment on HiKorea
For foreigner registration, the normal process is to make a visit reservation through HiKorea and apply at the immigration office that has jurisdiction over your Korean residential address.
This second point is easy to miss.
You cannot simply choose whichever immigration office looks closest on Google Maps.
Your address determines which immigration office handles your case.
HiKorea → Reserve Visit → Select the correct immigration office → Choose the relevant service → Select available date/time → Save your reservation information
Take a screenshot of the reservation details and double-check the office address before leaving home.
7. Important 2026 Update: Employment Information Reporting
If you are engaged in for-profit activities under certain visa categories, there is an important 2026 procedure to know about.
Korea introduced an advanced online reporting system for foreigners' employment information beginning January 2, 2026. For covered foreign residents, employment information can be submitted online, including during the HiKorea visit-reservation process.
Covered categories are E-1 through E-10, F-2, F-4, F-6, H-2, D-7, D-8 and D-9 for foreign nationals engaged in for-profit activities (F-5 permanent residents are excluded from this reporting rule). The Ministry of Justice also states that covered changes to the reported employment information must be reported within 15 days.
If HiKorea displays an employment-information reporting screen during your reservation, do not simply skip it. Follow the current instructions shown for your visa status.
Because immigration procedures can change, always follow the current HiKorea screen rather than an old YouTube tutorial or blog screenshot.
8. What Happens at the Immigration Office?
On appointment day, arrive early enough to find the correct floor and service area without rushing.
Large immigration offices can be confusing on your first visit. Watch the electronic display, confirm your reservation or queue instructions, and keep your documents together in the order you expect to submit them.
1. Arrive at the correct immigration office.
2. Confirm where your appointment is handled.
3. Wait for your number or appointment call.
4. Submit your passport and documents.
5. Answer any questions from the officer.
6. Complete fingerprint procedures when required.
7. Pay the applicable fee.
8. Keep any receipt or collection instructions you receive.
Do not throw away your application receipt. Keep it with your passport documents until you receive your card.
Why watch: It shows the reservation process, document preparation and what an actual Korean immigration office visit looks like. Procedures can change, so use the video for visual orientation and HiKorea for current rules.
9. How Much Does the Residence Card Cost in 2026?
The issuance fee for Korea's Foreign Residence Card is currently ₩35,000.
This changed on January 1, 2025, when the previous ₩30,000 issuance fee increased following the introduction of IC-chip Residence Cards.
If you see a guide saying the standard issuance fee is ₩30,000, that information predates the January 2025 fee change.
Payment methods and any additional delivery-related charges or procedures can vary, so check the instructions for your office rather than assuming that an old “cash only” rule still applies everywhere.
10. What Do You Do While Waiting for the Card?
Your physical card is not necessarily handed to you during the application visit.
Follow the collection or delivery instructions given by the immigration office and keep your receipt.
During this waiting period, some Korean services may still be inconvenient because full resident identity verification can depend on having your registration information properly processed.
Keep your passport, Korean address, immigration receipt and a working mobile-data solution accessible while you settle in.
11. 2026 Bonus: Korea's Mobile Residence Card
One major improvement that older ARC guides often miss is Korea's Mobile Foreigner Residence Card.
New IC Residence Cards support mobile identification, allowing eligible foreign residents to use an official mobile ID on a compatible smartphone.
This matters because Korea is increasingly built around digital identity. Your physical Residence Card is still important, but the mobile version can make everyday identity verification more convenient.
Why watch: This is an official Korea Immigration video explaining the Mobile Residence Card in English.
12. Survival Korean for Immigration Day
I'm here to register as a foreign resident.
I have a reservation.
Is this the correct document?
Do I need any other documents?
When can I receive my Residence Card?
13. Seven Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Immigration Day
Appointment availability may become your problem.
Your Korean residence determines jurisdiction.
Visa-specific documents can be required.
Especially important if the housing contract is not in your name.
The Residence Card issuance fee increased to ₩35,000 in 2025.
If the HiKorea system asks for it, check whether your status is covered.
Keep immigration documents until your Residence Card is safely in your hands.
14. What If You Are Not Sure About Your Case?
Immigration is one area where guessing is a bad strategy.
If your housing situation is unusual, your visa recently changed, your employer or school gave you conflicting instructions, or you simply cannot determine which documents apply to you, contact the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
For immigration procedures, use blogs and videos to understand the process — but use HiKorea and Korea Immigration to verify the rule.
15. ARC / Residence Card FAQ
Do I need an ARC if I stay in Korea for less than 90 days?
Short-term visitors generally do not go through the standard foreigner-registration process described in this guide. Your visa and immigration status determine the exact rule.
Is ARC still the correct name?
“ARC” remains widely used among foreigners and appears constantly in online searches, but Korea's current English terminology uses Residence Card or Foreign Residence Card. That is why this guide uses both terms.
Can I go to any immigration office?
No. For foreigner registration, use the immigration office responsible for your registered place of residence.
How much is the Residence Card in 2026?
The issuance fee is ₩35,000. This fee increased from ₩30,000 on January 1, 2025.
Can I use an old ARC guide from YouTube?
Use it to understand what the office and process look like, but verify fees, documents and procedures through official sources. Immigration rules change.
Your Final ARC Checklist
☐ Check whether you must register
☐ Confirm your 90-day deadline
☐ Identify your exact visa/status
☐ Check visa-specific documents
☐ Prepare passport and copies if required
☐ Prepare proof of residence
☐ Prepare a 3.5 × 4.5 cm photo
☐ Reserve the correct immigration office through HiKorea
☐ Complete applicable 2026 employment-information reporting
☐ Prepare for the ₩35,000 issuance fee
☐ Keep your receipt until your card arrives
Get these steps right once, and one of the most frustrating parts of moving to Korea becomes surprisingly manageable.
You survived the paperwork. Now remember why you came to Korea.
A Residence Card represents the administrative side of living here. The other side can look like this: a warm evening beside the Han River, people walking, eating, talking and simply enjoying Seoul after dark.
▶ Watch: Seoul Night Walk — Han River, Bridges & City Lights in 4K HDR
Why watch: After a long immigration guide, this is the other Korea — a cinematic 4K HDR night walk across Seoul, with the Han River, illuminated bridges and Seonyudo Park showing the city at its best after dark.
Official Resources
HiKorea:
HiKorea Official English Website
Application Forms:
HiKorea Application Forms
Immigration Contact Center: 1345
Immigration requirements can vary by visa type and personal circumstances. This guide is designed to help you understand and prepare for the process; always verify your individual requirements through HiKorea or the Immigration Contact Center before applying.