How international students get a mobile alien registration card in Korea: IC card tap or immigration office QR, where to use it and what to know when changing phones

International students who have completed alien registration in Korea can carry a second copy of their alien registration card on their smartphone: the mobile alien registration card. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Justice began issuing it on January 10, 2025, and the mobile card has the same legal effect as the physical alien registration card. Its legal basis is Article 33 of the Immigration Act, amended in June 2023 and in force since December 14 of that year. On August 28, 2026, the amended Electronic Government Act and its Enforcement Decree took effect together, setting standards for issuing and managing mobile IDs and toughening penalties for misuse and forgery.

The advantage is that you can verify your identity at a hospital, convenience store or bank without always carrying the physical card. However, you must have the physical card first, and whether your card has an IC chip determines how you get the mobile version and what happens when you change phones. Below are who is eligible, the two issuance methods, where it can be used and what to watch out for. Amounts are given in U.S. dollars first, with won in parentheses (Hana Bank base exchange rate on November 3, 2026: $1 = KRW 1,341.10).

Who is eligible

Registered foreign nationals aged 14 or older who have a smartphone in their own name are eligible. There is no separate restriction by status of stay, so international students and Korean language trainees who have completed alien registration can get one as long as they are registered foreign nationals.

The requirements are as follows.

• A physical alien registration card. The mobile card does not replace the physical card; it is an additional card for people who already have one. You must first complete alien registration after arriving in Korea.
• A phone in your own name. You cannot get one on a phone registered to a company (unless a corporate authorized agent is registered) or on a prepaid phone used without a registered name.
• A supported device. For the government app, Android phones need OS 8.0 or higher, and iPhones need an iPhone 8 or later running iOS 16 or higher; the phone must also support biometric authentication and NFC. BlackBerry is not supported.

Before getting the mobile card, first check that your phone is activated in your own name. The alien registration process is covered in the guide to getting an alien registration card for international students.

Two ways to get it: tap your IC card or scan a QR code at an immigration office

First, check whether your alien registration card has an IC chip. Since January 1, 2025, all newly issued alien registration cards contain an IC chip, and the issuance fee is about $26 (KRW 35,000), up from KRW 30,000. International students who registered for the first time after that date receive an IC card, so there is no need to apply separately or pay extra to get the mobile card. Old-type cards (without an IC chip) issued before then remain valid.

The government app is “Korea Mobile ID” (Ministry of the Interior and Safety). Search for “Mobile ID” on the Google Play Store or the App Store and install it.

IC method steps.

1. Install the Mobile ID app, then tap “View” and “Get issued” under the alien registration card in the ID list.
2. Hold your IC card against the spot on the back of your phone indicated by the app.
3. Complete facial authentication, and issuance is done.

To switch an old-type card to an IC card, fill out the integrated application form at an immigration office and pay the reissuance fee of about $26 (KRW 35,000). You will receive the IC card about 2 weeks after your application is filed, then follow the steps above. Old-type cards remain valid even if you do not switch.

QR method steps (for holders of old-type cards).

1. Go to an immigration office and fill out the application form for a mobile alien registration card.
2. Install the Mobile ID app and tap “View” and “Scan QR” under the alien registration card.
3. Scan the QR code shown at the issuance counter.
4. Complete facial authentication, and issuance is done.

Because the QR method requires an office visit, you can cut down on trips by taking care of it when you go to the office for something else, such as extending your period of stay.

IC vs. QR: what is the difference

If you have an IC card, you can get the mobile card right away in the app without visiting an office, and if you change phones, you simply tap the card again. Holders of old-type cards can get it by QR at an office, but must return to the office every time they change phones. Switching to an IC card also requires an office visit and about $26 (KRW 35,000), but after that you will not need to visit an office when you change phones. If you change phones often, it is worth considering.

Where can you use it

The mobile alien registration card can be used wherever a physical ID card is accepted. When the government began issuing it in January 2025, it named places that require identity verification, such as government offices, convenience stores and hospitals, as places of use. Examples of where it can be used include:

• Identity verification at immigration offices
• Banking and other financial services
• Convenience stores and shops that require age verification
• Hospitals and public institutions

When only age verification is needed, such as when buying cigarettes or alcohol, you can choose to show only the necessary information, such as your name and date of birth. However, places outside immigration offices that accept it are being added gradually, so some may not accept it yet depending on the location. It is safer to carry your physical card as well.

Opening a bank account. Since March 21, 2025, the mobile alien registration card can be used for financial services such as opening a bank account. When this began, it was available at branches of 6 banks (Shinhan, Hana, iM Bank, Busan, Jeonbuk and Jeju), and non-face-to-face service was available at Jeonbuk Bank. At a branch, you scan the QR code at the counter with the app, then authenticate with your face and a password. For non-face-to-face service, you call up the Mobile ID app from within the bank's app and submit it. Check with your bank in advance whether it currently supports this. Account opening and limits for international students are covered in the guide to opening a bank account for international students.

You can also get it through bank and portal apps

Mobile IDs can now be issued not only through the government app but also through private-sector apps.

• July 23, 2025. Mobile versions of resident registration cards, driver's licenses, alien registration cards and national veterans registration cards became available for issuance and use in the KakaoBank, Naver, Toss, KB Star Banking and NH All One Bank apps. At launch, iPhone users could get them only through the government app, Toss and KakaoBank, while Samsung Galaxy phones (One UI 6.1 or higher) could get them in all 5 apps. Issuance through private apps at that time was done by holding an IC ID card against the phone.
• October 14, 2026. Mobile IDs also became available for issuance and use in the IBK Industrial Bank of Korea, Shinhan Bank, Woori Bank and Hana Bank apps. New issuance is done by tapping an IC ID card or by visiting a designated institution. Check within each app whether alien registration cards can be issued through these bank apps.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said mobile IDs from private apps can be used anywhere identity is checked visually, such as government offices and liquor stores. Mobile IDs issued through private apps have the same legal effect as those issued through the government app. However, the types of ID and the phone requirements supported may differ by app, so first check the app's guidance to see whether alien registration cards are supported.

If you change or lose your phone

If you got the card with the IC method, you can get it again by tapping your IC card, without revisiting an office, even if you change phones or delete the app. If you got it with the QR method, you must go back to the office.

If you lose your phone and file a loss report, the mobile card is locked so that no one else can use it. The mobile card is issued to only one smartphone in your own name.

The Enforcement Decree of the Electronic Government Act, which took effect in August 2026, requires issuing agencies to set the validity period of identity information on mobile IDs within 3 years. Publicly available government materials do not confirm how this period lines up with the period of stay on an alien registration card, or how the mobile card is handled after an extension of stay or a change of status. If your residence information changes, check with the Ministry of Justice Immigration Contact Center (1345) or the immigration office with jurisdiction. The extension process is covered in the guide to extending a D-2 or D-4 period of stay.

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost anything? Getting the mobile card is free. The alien registration card issuance fee (about $26 (KRW 35,000) since 2025) is paid when you receive the physical card. The same fee applies when you switch an old-type card to an IC card.

Does it work on iPhone? Yes. For the government app, you need an iPhone 8 or later with iOS 16 or higher. Private apps added iPhone support at different times.

Can I get only the mobile card without a physical card? No. You must have a physical alien registration card to get the mobile card.

Can I use it when leaving Korea or abroad? Official materials do not say whether it can be used for airport departure procedures or overseas. When leaving the country, bring your passport and your physical alien registration card.

Does it work on a budget MVNO phone? The phone must be activated in your own name. There is guidance that users of the MVNO tplus cannot get it on networks other than LG U+, so if you use an MVNO phone, check with your carrier first.

What if I lose my phone? First file a loss report to lock the mobile card. Once you have a new phone, get the card again in the app if you used the IC method, or visit an office if you used the QR method. If you also lost your physical card, ask the office about reissuance.

Checklist

• You have completed alien registration and have a physical alien registration card.
• Your phone is in your own name and supports NFC and biometric authentication.
• If you have an IC card, get it by tapping in the app; if not, get it by QR at an office.
• Before using it at a bank or hospital, check whether that place accepts the mobile card.
• Keep your physical card as well.
• If you got it by QR, schedule an office visit before changing phones.
• If your residence information changes, ask 1345 how to handle your mobile card.

--- Information on the system, issuance methods and places of use is based on announcements by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and the Ministry of Justice (January 9, 2025) and a Ministry of Justice leaflet; bank account opening on a joint press release by relevant ministries (March 20, 2025) and Financial Services Commission guidance (April 2025); and private apps on Ministry of the Interior and Safety materials (July 23, 2025, and October 13, 2026). For inquiries, contact the Ministry of Justice Immigration Contact Center at 1345 or the Mobile ID website (mobileid.go.kr).