Registration card (ARC) checklist

1. Confirm your address first

   Done

   The card is issued against a specific address, and you need documentary proof of it. If you move afterwards you must file an address change report within 14 days at your local district office — free, but one more errand.

   • Renting: your lease agreement (임대차계약서).
   • Company or school housing: a housing provision certificate from the employer or institution.
   • Staying with someone: their consent letter, a copy of their ID, and their lease or property document.
   • Dormitory: a certificate of dormitory residence.

2. Book a HiKorea appointment immediately

   Done

   Book at hikorea.go.kr under Reservation → Visit Reservation. Seoul offices routinely have nothing available for three to six weeks; smaller cities are faster.

   • Book as soon as you land, even before you have every document. You can gather them while you wait.
   • Choose the office covering your address, not the nearest one.
   • New slots are often released early in the morning — check daily if you need something sooner.
   • If your 90 days will expire before the earliest slot, book anyway and keep the confirmation as evidence you tried.

3. Passport photo — Korean specification

   Done

   3.5 × 4.5 cm, white background, taken within the last six months, ears and forehead visible, no glasses. Any Korean photo studio knows the spec — ask for a 여권사진. Bring two.

4. Assemble the core documents

   Done
   • Completed integrated application form (통합신청서) — downloadable from HiKorea, or available at the office.
   • Passport, plus a photocopy of the photo page and the entry stamp.
   • One passport photo.
   • Proof of address.
   • Fee, ₩30,000 for the card. Pay by card at most offices, but bring cash as a backup.

5. Add the documents specific to your status

   Done

   Status	Extra documents
   D-2 / D-4	Certificate of enrolment, tuition receipt
   E-2	Employment contract, health check including drug test (taken in Korea), degree certificate
   E-7	Employment contract, employer's business registration certificate
   D-8	Business registration, foreign-invested company registration certificate
   F-6	Marriage certificate, spouse's family relation certificate and ID
   H-1	Travel insurance certificate, proof of funds

   Requirements vary slightly between regional offices. Ring 1345 — the Immigration Contact Center answers in English — and confirm the list for your status and office before you go.

6. Attend the appointment

   Done

   Arrive fifteen minutes early. They take fingerprints and a photograph. The whole visit is usually under an hour if your documents are in order, and a wasted round trip if they are not.

   • Bring originals and photocopies of everything.
   • English is spoken at major offices; smaller ones are variable. A Korean-speaking friend helps.
   • You will be given a receipt (신청확인서). Keep it — it proves lawful status while the card is produced.

7. Collect the card

   Done

   Two to three weeks. Collect in person, or pay a small fee to have it posted. Track progress on HiKorea under Information → Application Status.

   The card shows your registration number — the Korean equivalent of a national ID number, and the key that unlocks online services, banking and health insurance.

8. Then do these three things

   Done
   • Open a bank account — most banks will not open one without the card.
   • Get a proper phone contract — prepaid works without a card, postpaid generally does not.
   • Check your health insurance enrolment — employees are enrolled by their employer, everyone else registers with NHIS.

Frequently asked

What if I cannot get an appointment before day 90?

Book the earliest available slot and keep the confirmation. Officers generally accept a booked appointment as evidence of good faith, though this is discretionary rather than a rule. Call 1345 to explain the situation and ask whether your office runs a walk-in queue — some do, early in the morning.

Can someone else register on my behalf?

Not for the first registration — fingerprints and a photograph are taken in person. Employers and universities can often submit documents on your behalf for extensions and changes, but not for the initial card.

I moved. What do I have to do?

File an address change within 14 days. You can do it at your local district office (주민센터) rather than immigration, which is far quicker. It is free. Missing it is a reportable violation with a fine, and it costs points on a future F-2-7 application.

I lost my card.

Report it and apply for a reissue at your immigration office. There is a fee, and you should carry the application receipt in the meantime. Carrying your registration card is a legal obligation for foreign residents.