Alien Registration Card (ARC) in Korea: Full Application & Issuance Guide

The clock starts on the entry stamp in your passport. If you came to Korea on a long-term visa, you need to finish applying for your Alien Registration Card (ARC) within 90 days of that date. Not the date on your lease, not your first day at work.

The catch is that it usually takes more than a month from applying until you actually hold the card in your hand. If you rush when the 90-day mark is right around the corner, you're already too late. The safe move is to get going as soon as you arrive.

This is exactly where a lot of people get stuck. More than the deadline itself, it's confusing to figure out what order to string together words like "within 90 days," "HiKorea reservation," and "proof of residence." Below, we'll unpack it step by step, in that order.

This is the general flow for a new issuance as of June 2026. Residence and visa rules are an area where the documents and procedures vary a lot depending on your nationality, status, and visa type, so for your own case it's best to check officially with an Immigration Office, the Immigration Contact Center (☎1345), or HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr).

What Is the Alien Registration Card (ARC)?

It's the ID card issued to foreigners staying in Korea for more than 90 days. It's used to verify your identity for most of daily life in Korea — activating a phone, opening a bank account, signing up for insurance, and so on.

• English name change: The government has revised the card's English name from the former Alien Registration Card (ARC) to Residence Card (RC). The Korean name is still "외국인등록증," and in everyday use ARC, residence card, and registration card are all used interchangeably.
• IC chip: Cards issued on or after January 1, 2025 have a built-in IC chip.
• Mobile registration card: You can issue a mobile alien registration card through the government's Korean Mobile ID ('대한민국 모바일 신분증') app. It's available to people aged 14 or older who own a smartphone registered in their own name, and it carries the same legal effect as the physical card (per the government announcement / official confirmation recommended).

The Key Point: The 90-Day Deadline After Entry

The single most important rule is the deadline.

• If you entered on a long-term visa and plan to stay more than 90 days, you need to complete alien registration.
• The deadline is within 90 days of your passport entry stamp (date of entry). Count from your date of entry, not your lease date or your work start date.
• Since it usually takes more than a month after applying to receive the card, the safe move is to book your visit reservation early, right after you arrive, rather than waiting until the 90-day mark is looming.

Missing the deadline can lead to penalties. If your timeline is tight, don't put it off — call 1345 for advice first.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1 — Book a Visit Reservation on HiKorea

As of 2026, most Immigration Offices do not accept walk-ins without an advance reservation. A reservation is effectively required.

1. Go to hikorea.go.kr → switch the language to English (or another language) at the top right
2. Create an account / log in using your passport number and entry information
3. In the Visit Reservation menu, select the Immigration Office with jurisdiction over your address
4. Pick an available date and time slot, then confirm the reservation

Step 2 — Prepare Your Documents

The common documents are generally as follows (additional documents by status of stay are separate).

Proof of residence is documentation that verifies the address where you actually live. They may require the original or a notarized copy, so check in advance.

Step 3 — Visit the Immigration Office and Submit

Go on your reserved date and time and proceed in this order.

1. Take a number ticket / confirm your reservation
2. Submit your application and documents at the counter for review
3. Provide biometric data such as fingerprints
4. Pay the fee

Step 4 — Issuance and Receipt

• It takes about 4 weeks (usually more than a month) after applying.
• You'll receive it either by registered mail to the residence address you registered, or by picking it up in person at the office — whichever method you're told to use (there may be a separate postage cost if you receive it by mail).
• Before you receive the card, your receipt / stay-related confirmation documents can serve as temporary proof of identity, so keep them safe.

Fees (as of June 2026)

The fee for a new issuance is 35,000 won (it rose from 30,000 won when IC-chip cards were introduced on January 1, 2025 — per the Ministry of Justice notice). 30,000 won was the old fee through 2024. Incidental costs such as mail postage are separate, so check with HiKorea or 1345 before your visit.

• For existing cardholders replacing their card with an IC-chip card, a separate fee (35,000 won) and about a 2-week wait apply.
• If you receive it by mail, postage may be added.

Transit and Payments While Waiting for Your Card

Since it takes more than a month to receive the card, it's common in the meantime to get tripped up on booking KTX or express buses, hailing a taxi, and making payments — because a Korean phone number or identity-verification-based apps (some features of KorailTalk, registering payment on Kakao T, etc.) are blocked.

Need transit and payments while you wait for your residence card? Check out LACHA.

Built to work without a Korean phone number or bank account, with overseas payment methods like Alipay, WeChat Pay, and Apple Pay. Taxi hailing plus KTX, express bus, and airport railroad (AREX) booking — all in one app.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. When does the 90 days start counting from? A. It's 90 days from the entry stamp in your passport (your date of entry). Count from your date of entry, not your contract date or work start date. Since receiving the card takes more than a month, we recommend booking a reservation as soon as you arrive.

Q2. Can I just show up without a reservation? A. As of 2026, most offices do not accept walk-ins. An advance HiKorea reservation is effectively required.

Q3. Are the alien registration card and the residence report card the same thing? A. No. Alien registration (ARC/RC) and the Domestic Residence Report for overseas Koreans are two different systems. Which one applies to you depends on your visa (status of stay), so check with 1345 or HiKorea.

Q4. Can I just use the mobile alien registration card? A. Per the government announcement, the mobile card carries the same legal effect as the physical one. That said, the issuance requirements (aged 14 or older, a smartphone registered in your own name) and the range of places where it's accepted may vary by time and by institution, so check the official guidance.

Q5. Is the fee 30,000 won or 35,000 won? A. The fee for a new issuance is 35,000 won since IC-chip cards were introduced in January 2025 (30,000 won through 2024). Fees can change, so confirm the latest amount with HiKorea or 1345 before your visit.