Home for winter break? Registered students need no re-entry permit if back within 1 year or before stay expiry, whichever is sooner; check expiry, passport, pending reviews, TB certificate

International students on study (D-2) or Korean language training (D-4) status who have completed alien registration do not need to obtain a separate re-entry permit to visit their home country over winter break (excluding persons subject to entry restrictions or visa-issuance restrictions). If they return within 1 year of the day they leave, they are exempt from the re-entry permit. However, if their remaining period of stay is shorter than 1 year, they must return before that period of stay ends. Whether the exemption applies is determined by the departure date and the stay expiry date, so the first step before buying a plane ticket is to check the expiry date through HiKorea’s “Stay Expiry Date Lookup” or a similar service.

This article is part of a series on stay procedures. Alien registration is covered in the alien registration card application guide, and extension of period of stay continues in the D-2/D-4 extension of period of stay guide.

Scope of the re-entry permit exemption

The re-entry permit exemption is based on Article 44-2 of the Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act. Statuses from diplomacy (A-1) through dependent family (F-3), and from marriage migrant (F-6) through miscellaneous (G-1), fall under the “re-entry within 1 year” standard, and this includes study (D-2) and general training (D-4), the status that covers Korean language training. The conditions are that the person has completed alien registration and returns within the set period. However, the exemption does not apply to persons subject to entry restrictions or to those who require visa issuance approval under Article 10 of the Enforcement Rule (such as persons subject to visa-issuance restrictions), so they must visit the immigration office with jurisdiction over their place of residence and obtain a re-entry permit before leaving.

Here is how it works with actual dates. A degree program student whose stay expiry date is September 30, 2027, who leaves on December 20, 2026, and returns on February 25, 2027, is back within 1 year of departure and before the expiry date, so no re-entry permit is needed. If a Korean language trainee whose stay expiry date is February 15, 2027, travels on the same schedule, the return date already falls after the expiry date. This student must either change the schedule to return before the expiry date or obtain an extension of period of stay before leaving. If the period of stay ends while the student is abroad, they cannot return under the re-entry permit exemption.

A multiple re-entry permit can be applied for online through HiKorea’s e-application menu “Re-entry Permit (Multiple).” Online applications receive a reduction of 2/10 of the fee.

The situation is different for those who leave before alien registration. The re-entry permit and its exemption apply to people who have completed alien registration. Degree program (D-2-1 to D-2-4) visas are single-entry (one entry), except for the D-2-1 visa for Indian nationals (valid for 5 years, multiple entry), and Korean language training (D-4-1, D-4-7) visas are also single-entry. As a result, students who leave before alien registration may need a new visa to come back. Those who must leave before completing alien registration, or after applying but before receiving the card, should check first with their university’s international office or the Immigration Contact Center (1345) before buying a ticket.

Before you leave 1: Does your period of stay end during the break?

The re-entry permit exemption works only within the remaining period of stay. If the stay expiry date is in February, the period of stay may already have ended by the time a student returns for the start of the March semester. Under Article 25 of the Immigration Act, an extension of period of stay must be obtained before the period of stay ends, and applications for stay permits can be filed only while in Korea. If expiry is scheduled during the break, it is safest to complete the extension application and receive the result before leaving.

For degree program (D-2-1 to D-2-4) and work-study linked study (D-2-7) students, the period of stay is adjusted to the academic calendar and granted through the end of March or the end of September. A student whose expiry date is the end of March is within the exemption if they return before the semester begins, but must complete the extension application before the end-of-March expiry date.

Before you leave 2: Do not leave with an extension or change application pending

Stay permits such as an extension of period of stay or a change of status require the applicant to be in Korea, and an application may be refused if the applicant leaves after filing it. An authorized immigration agency also cannot apply on behalf of a foreigner who is out of the country. Plans to “just file the application and pick up the result after coming back” should be avoided.

The same principle applies to students moving from Korean language training (D-4) to a degree program (D-2). If they leave after applying for a change of status but before the review result comes out, the application may be refused. The change procedure is summarized in the D-4 to D-2 change of status guide.

Before you leave 3: Passport validity

The period of stay is granted within the validity of the passport. If it is practically impossible to have the passport reissued within the remaining period of stay, the passport can, on a one-time basis, be treated as valid for 6 months, and a stay permit of up to 6 months can be granted. Students who obtain a new passport at home must file a report of changes to registration details within 15 days of the date the passport number, issue date and validity changed (Article 35 of the Immigration Act). The “Passport Change Report” can be filed through HiKorea e-application, so students who receive a new passport abroad should report it within 15 days rather than waiting until they return to Korea.

Before you leave 4: TB certificate after 6 consecutive months or more in a high-risk country

When registered foreigners who are nationals of high-risk TB countries apply for an extension of period of stay or a change of status, they must submit a tuberculosis (TB) certificate if they stayed in a high-risk TB country for 6 consecutive months or more within 1 year before the application date. There are 35 high-risk TB countries. They include Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia and Thailand.

A two- or three-month trip home over winter break does not meet this condition. Students who take a leave of absence and stay in their home country for a long time should work out in advance whether a TB certificate will be required for their first extension after returning.

Staying longer on a leave of absence

Extension of period of stay is restricted for students who suspend their studies (take a leave of absence) for personal reasons or because of insufficient credits. Exceptions can be made if unavoidable reasons such as illness or an accident are recognized. Students who plan to stay in their home country for a semester or more beyond the break must first check with their university’s international office and the immigration office on how their stay will be handled. Separately from leaves of absence, there is also a cap on the total period of stay for each degree program: from admission, 3 years for an associate degree (4 years for three-year programs), 6 years for a bachelor’s, 5 years for a master’s and 8 years for a doctorate.

Part-time jobs and internships during the break

Students who spend the break in Korea should recheck the conditions of their part-time employment permit. Degree program students who meet the Korean proficiency requirement can work on weekends, public holidays and during vacation periods without a cap on permitted hours. However, master’s and doctoral students who have completed regular coursework and received an extension for reasons such as thesis preparation are allowed only up to 30 hours per week and are not covered by this unlimited-hours rule, and students who have completed associate or bachelor’s coursework and remain in Korea because they have not met graduation requirements are not eligible for a part-time employment permit. Even without an hours cap, a permit is still required. Students who do not meet the Korean proficiency requirement are subject to the same weekly permitted hours as during the semester. If the employer changes, a new permit must be obtained before starting work. Internships in professional fields (E-1 to E-7, excluding E-6-2) by degree program students during vacation are also exceptionally allowed as part-time employment. Permitted hours and restricted fields are covered in the guide to part-time work hours and pay for international students and the article on penalties for part-time work violations.

Moving out of the dormitory and changing address

Students who vacate their dormitory over the break and move elsewhere become subject to the report of change of residence. Registered foreigners must report within 15 days of moving in, at the city, county or district office or the eup, myeon or dong community service center for their new residence, or at the immigration office with jurisdiction over the new residence (Article 36 of the Immigration Act). The report can also be filed through HiKorea’s e-application menu “Report of Change of Residence.” Students who keep their Korean address unchanged while visiting home have nothing to report. Detailed procedures are in the article on the 15-day address change rule for international students.

After you return

On return, first check the validity period of your part-time employment permit. Permits are granted for up to 1 year within the period of stay for degree program (D-2) students (up to 2 workplaces) and up to 6 months for Korean language training (D-4) students (1 workplace). If the permit obtained before the break has expired or you are moving to a different shop, obtain a new permit before starting work. If the stay expiry date for the new semester is approaching, also keep track of when to apply for an extension. Extension documents and fees are summarized in the extension of period of stay guide.

Pre-departure checklist

• Compare your stay expiry date with your return date: if you are back within 1 year and before the expiry date, no re-entry permit is needed.
• If your stay expires during the break, get an extension before leaving: if you leave after applying but before the result comes out, the application may be refused.
• Check your passport validity, and if you get a new passport, file a passport change report within 15 days (available through HiKorea e-application).
• If you plan to return more than 1 year after departure but within 2 years, within your remaining period of stay, obtain a multiple re-entry permit (KRW 50,000, KRW 40,000 online) before leaving.
• If you are a national of a high-risk TB country and stayed in a high-risk country for 6 consecutive months or more within 1 year before the date of your extension or change application, prepare a TB certificate.

Whether a stay permit is granted is decided through review by the immigration office, and the office can add or remove required documents. If your situation differs from the table, the fastest route is to check with the Immigration Contact Center (1345) or your university’s international office.