International students' ARC: apply within 90 days of entry via HiKorea visit reservation or university group application, 5 basic documents, KRW 35,000 fee, 15-day reports and mobile ARC

Foreign nationals who stay in Korea for more than 90 days must complete alien registration at the immigration office with jurisdiction over their place of residence within 90 days of the date of entry (Immigration Act, Article 31). This applies to students who enter on a study (D-2) or Korean language training (D-4) visa and stay longer than 90 days. Once registration is complete, an alien registration card (ARC) is issued. Students then submit the ARC when applying for a part-time employment permit, an extension of period of stay or a multiple re-entry permit. Visiting after the legal deadline can result in a fine or administrative penalty.

This article is part of a series on stay procedures. The visa application is covered in Steps to get a D-2 student visa, and extensions after registration continue in D-2 and D-4 extension of period of stay guide.

When and where

Alien registration is not on HiKorea's e-application list. Unlike an extension of period of stay or a report of change of residence, it cannot be filed online, so students apply by going to the office in person or through a university group application.

From entry to receiving the card

1. Entry: Enter Korea on your visa through immigration inspection at the airport. The alien registration deadline is within 90 days of the date of entry.
2. Housing: Finalize your dormitory assignment or lease contract and obtain proof of residence.
3. Documents: Get a certificate of enrollment from your school (for study (D-2) status, a certificate of tuition payment or another document can be substituted, depending on the type of university).
4. Application: Sign up for the university group application or make a visit reservation on HiKorea.
5. Collection: Receive your ARC by the method the office specifies. Collection methods and processing times vary by office and school, so check when you apply.

For a student arriving in late February for the March semester, the deadline falls in late May. There may be no visit reservation dates available before the deadline, so it is better to check the application schedule right after entry.

Option 1: HiKorea visit reservation

To go in person, choose the office with jurisdiction and a date under “Visit Reservation” on HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr). There are three rules to follow when booking.

• Book a date before the legal reporting period (90 days after entry) ends. Visiting after the period has passed can result in a fine or administrative penalty.
• If no date is available within the period, go directly to the office with jurisdiction before the reporting period expires.
• A visit reservation only secures a date; it is not the filing of an application. Making a reservation does not mean you are registered.

Grabbing reservation slots in advance using another person's passport number or alien registration number can be punished under the Personal Information Protection Act and the Criminal Act.

Option 2: University group application

Some universities collect alien registrations and file them together at the start of the academic term. Pusan National University, for example, announced separate schedules for visit reservations and document submission in Round 1 and Round 2 for the 1st semester of the 2026 academic year. Under Pusan National University's group application, the school collects the documents and the fee (KRW 35,000 in cash), submits them to the office and notifies students by email when their cards are ready. Application periods and methods differ by school, so check the international office's notices after admission. If you miss the group application schedule, you can apply with an individual visit reservation within the 90-day deadline. Alien registration involves separate procedures such as fingerprint registration, so check the school's notice on whether you must attend in person even with a group application.

Required documents

Students on study (D-2) status can submit substitute documents instead of a certificate of enrollment. At certified universities or higher, a certificate of tuition payment replaces it; at other universities, a cooperation request letter and a certificate of tuition payment replace it for individual applications, and a certificate of tuition payment for group applications. The basic documents for study (D-2) alien registration do not include proof of financial ability such as a bank balance certificate. For Korean language trainees, there is no provision for documents that can replace the certificate of enrollment. Documents issued in Korea, such as a certificate of enrollment or certificate of tuition payment, should be submitted within 3 months of their issue date unless they carry a separate validity period.

Proof of residence includes a lease contract, a confirmation of accommodation, a dormitory fee receipt or a utility bill payment receipt. If you live in a dormitory, prepare a confirmation of accommodation or a dormitory fee receipt issued by the school.

When a TB certificate is required

Nationals of high-risk TB countries (35 countries, including Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, China, Indonesia and Pakistan) submit a tuberculosis (TB) certificate at alien registration if either of the following applies.

• They were required to submit a TB certificate when applying for a visa but entered Korea on an e-visa
• They hold a multiple-entry visa allowing long-term stay and entered Korea more than 6 months after the visa issuance date

As a rule, documents already submitted with the visa application and kept in the registered foreigner's records are not submitted again.

Fees and exemptions

The ARC issuance fee is KRW 35,000 (Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Article 72). Students exempt from other fees, such as Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) scholars, must still pay the fee for issuing or reissuing the card. If a student on study (D-2) status applies for an extension of period of stay together with alien registration, the extension fee (KRW 60,000) is waived. Reissuing a lost card also costs KRW 35,000.

Period of stay on the card

For students in degree programs (D-2-1 to D-2-4) and work-study linked study (D-2-7), the period of stay is adjusted to the end of March or the end of September of the following year when the card is issued at alien registration. This is to grant a period of stay that matches the academic calendar. For exchange students (D-2-6) and visiting students (D-2-8), it is set to the end of January or the end of July, within 1 month from the day their program ends. No such adjustment is stated for research programs (D-2-5) or Korean language training (D-4). For later extensions of period of stay and changes of status, the period of stay is granted within the validity of the passport, so students whose passports are close to expiring are better off checking the reissuance schedule in advance.

Reports due within 15 days of alien registration

After alien registration, any changes must be reported within 15 days. If you move after registering, the move must be reported even if you have not yet received your card.

• Moving (change of residence): Within 15 days of moving in, report to the city, county or district office or the eup, myeon or dong community service center of your new residence, or to the immigration office with jurisdiction over your new residence (Immigration Act, Article 36). Available as a HiKorea e-application.
• Passport reissuance, change of name or nationality: File a report of changes to registration details within 15 days of the change (Immigration Act, Article 35). Passport changes can be filed as a HiKorea e-application.
• Change of school: Transferring to another school within Korea is restricted as a rule. Degree program students are allowed to transfer if they meet requirements such as moving to a program of the same level and Korean language proficiency, while Korean language trainees must, as a rule, leave Korea and obtain a new visa. Where a transfer is allowed, report the change within 15 days and submit documents such as a certificate of enrollment from the new school and a certificate of withdrawal from the previous school. If only the school's name changes, the school files the report as a group.

Address reporting is covered in detail in International students must report an address change within 15 days.

Mobile alien registration card

The Ministry of Justice has been issuing mobile alien registration cards since January 10, 2025. A mobile alien registration card has the same legal effect as the physical card (Immigration Act, Article 33).

Moving from language training to a degree program

A student already registered on Korean language training (D-4) status who enrolls in a degree program at the same or a different university does not register again but changes status to study (D-2). The change of status fee is KRW 100,000 (reduced by 2/10 when applying online through HiKorea), and holders of a GKS scholarship certificate are exempt. Applicants submit a Standard Certificate of Admission, transcripts and attendance records from the previous program, proof of financial ability and other documents. Leaving Korea after applying for a stay permit may result in refusal. Application timing and documents are summarized in D-4 to D-2 change of status guide.

What to watch before registering

• Leaving Korea before registration: The re-entry permit exemption applies to people who have completed alien registration. Study and language training visas are single-entry, except for some visas held by Indian nationals, so if you leave before registering, you may need a new visa to come back. If you need to leave before registering, check first with the immigration office with jurisdiction or your school.
• Part-time work: Korean language trainees (D-4-1 and D-4-7) and visiting students (D-2-8) can obtain a part-time employment permit only after 6 months have passed from the date they acquired their status (the date of entry for visa holders). Students in degree programs (D-2-1 to D-2-4), work-study linked study (D-2-7) and exchange students (D-2-6) also need a permit to work part-time.
• Health insurance: Health insurance enrollment and premium payment for international students are covered in International student health insurance guide.

Checklist

• Mark the deadline, “within 90 days of the date of entry,” on your calendar and book an application date with time to spare.
• Check the international office's notices for a school group application schedule.
• If there is none or you missed it, make a HiKorea visit reservation for a date before the deadline.
• Bring your passport and a copy, 1 photo, a certificate of enrollment (substitute documents possible for study (D-2) status), proof of residence and the KRW 35,000 fee.
• If you are a national of a high-risk TB country and entered on an e-visa, or entered more than 6 months after your multiple-entry visa was issued, prepare a TB certificate.
• After alien registration, report a move or passport change within 15 days, even before you receive your card.