ARC Lost/Reissue & Address Change Notification — Deadlines, Penalties & Procedures

You lost your wallet and your ARC (Alien Registration Card) was inside. Or maybe your lease ended and you moved to a different neighborhood. These are things everyone living in Korea experiences at least once, and they share one thing in common: legally mandated reporting deadlines.

Lost card reissuance has a 14-day deadline, address change notification has 15 days. The numbers are close enough to mix up, but missing the deadline can trigger penalties and potentially affect future visa extension or status review decisions.

This guide breaks down both procedures step-by-step and shows you how to weave in Hi Korea appointment booking and online filing. For detailed Hi Korea appointment screen navigation, check out How to Book a Hi Korea Appointment.

Quick Overview — Similar Deadlines, Different Windows & Fees

If you remember just the numbers, you're halfway there: Lost? 14 days. Moved? 15 days. Whether you can reissue online depends on your visa status and reason for reissue, so when in doubt, call ☎1345 for the fastest answer.

Step-by-Step Reissuance

If you've lost, had your ARC stolen, or the card is severely damaged, you must apply for reissuance within 14 days of the incident. Missing the deadline doesn't block the application itself, but you'll be subject to separate penalty procedures, so move as quickly as possible.

Step 1 — Document the Loss

Write down when, where, and how you lost the card. You may be asked for documentation explaining the loss (loss report confirmation, etc.) when you apply. Police filing isn't mandatory for acceptance, but if it was theft, having a police report makes explaining much easier. (Required documents vary by office.)

Step 2 — Check Filing Route (Online First, Then In-Person Appointment)

Try this sequence. First, log in to Hi Korea and check if the ARC reissuance option appears under Online Filing. Depending on your visa status and reissue reason, online filing may be available with registered mail delivery. If the menu item appears, you can file online; if not, plan for in-person filing.

There's one prerequisite: online filing requires Hi Korea membership and login (authentication methods covered in "Before Using Online Filing" section below). But when you've lost your ARC, you often can't remember your alien registration number. Check old documents (lease contracts, employment contracts, health insurance cards, bank papers, etc.) for the number, or call ☎1345. If you can't retrieve the number, skip online filing and go straight to non-member appointment booking with your passport number.

If you're going in person, book your appointment on Hi Korea. Without your ARC, you can book as a non-member using your passport number. Immigration offices are open weekdays (Mon–Fri) only and closed weekends/holidays, so coordinate your schedule in advance. If weekdays are absolutely impossible, ask ☎1345 if proxy application or agency filing through your employer/institution is allowed—eligibility varies by case type and visa status.

If available dates are all after the 14-day deadline, book the earliest slot and save your confirmation. Then notify ☎1345 of your situation. Deadline compliance is up to the local office, but showing evidence of your attempt to comply—appointment screenshot or confirmation—makes explanation much easier. Don't arbitrarily book a different regional office just because it has slots; non-jurisdictional offices may reject your application.

Step 3 — Prepare Documents

Requirements vary by office and visa status, but commonly listed items include:

• Passport (original)
• Integrated application form — Available at the office or downloadable from Hi Korea. English versions are provided, so grab whichever is easier for you.
• 1 photo — 3.5cm×4.5cm, taken within 6 months. ID photo booths at subway stations/busy areas or photo studios can shoot "ARC photo" to spec when you ask. White background, frontal view, face unobstructed are the basics.
• Documentation explaining loss (loss report, etc. — often written on-site)
• Fee: 35,000 KRW — This fee rose from 30,000 KRW after the new IC-chip embedded card was introduced in early 2025. However, some agency pages still show 30,000 KRW, so confirm the amount with ☎1345 before your visit. Payment methods also vary by office—cash, card, or revenue stamp—so ask what they accept and safely bring 35,000 KRW cash to be sure. (As of Aug 2026)

Step 4 — Submit

What happens next depends on the route you chose in Step 2.

(A) If filing online — Follow the on-screen prompts: fill application form → upload photo file → pay fee online → select delivery method (registered mail). After submission, you can check processing status on Hi Korea's online filing screen, and when complete you'll receive it by mail. Photo upload specs and payment/postage screens change over time, so if you hit a snag, call ☎1345.

(B) If visiting in person — Arrive at your appointment time, submit the integrated form and documents, pay the fee, and you're done. For pickup, in addition to returning in person, you can often choose registered mail delivery (separate postage fee)—confirm availability at the counter.

Either way, the new ARC can take several weeks depending on office workload. During that time, your passport is your primary ID, so carry it with you and keep your receipt safe.

After Moving — Address Change Notification Within 15 Days

Anyone who has completed alien registration and then moves (changes address) must report it within 15 days of moving into the new address (Immigration Act Article 36). The start date is the day you actually begin living at the new place, not the contract date.

• Where: Immigration office of your new address jurisdiction, OR the district/ward office or dong community center of your new address—either works. The nearby community center is usually fastest and often accepts walk-ins without appointment. (Operations vary by municipality.)
• What to bring: Passport, ARC, and proof of new address. A lease contract in your name is cleanest, but in reality most people don't have one. If you're staying with friends or subletting, you'll often need an affidavit from the address provider (landlord/head of household/friend) plus their ID copy; if it's company housing, a company confirmation; if it's a goshiwon/sharehouse, a move-in confirmation or receipt; if it's a dormitory, an enrollment/employment confirmation. Which combination they'll accept varies by agency, so before going, describe "your living situation" to the community center/immigration office or ☎1345 to avoid wasted trips.
• Fee: Free.
• If you're late: The statutory maximum is a fine of up to 1,000,000 KRW (Immigration Act Article 98), but in practice it's handled via summary order (penalty fee). Published penalty schedules show violations under 3 months starting around 100,000 KRW, rising in tiers as the delay grows (Aug 2026 public data—actual amount is at the discretion of the local office; verify with ☎1345). Some sources note that missing the deadline blocks online filing and requires in-person visit to the immigration office, and remember it can be a negative factor in visa extension review.

If you lost your card AND moved: Both deadlines run concurrently (reissuance 14 days, address change 15 days). Going to the community center without your ARC may result in identity verification failure and being turned away, so it's usually more efficient to handle both reissuance and address change together at the immigration office. When booking your appointment, ask ☎1345 if both cases can be processed in one visit.

Before Using Online Filing — Getting Stuck at Login

Address change notification via Hi Korea online filing is processed within 3 business days and has no fee. The flow is: sign up → Online Filing → select Address Change Notification → enter new address.

The problem is what comes before. To use online filing, you need Hi Korea membership and login, and login requires not just ID/password but often a public certificate (formerly accredited certificate) or mobile identity verification. Without the certificate, you're blocked at login, so before you're up against a deadline, try logging in once to confirm you can get in. (Supported authentication methods may change over time.) If you're close to the deadline, screenshot the online filing timestamp to show you filed on time.

One more thing: if you file online, your system address updates but the physical address printed on the back of your ARC stays the same. Places like banks and telecom providers that cross-check the card's back address may require it, so if needed, visit the immigration office or community center to get the back address updated (sticker). Which agency does this varies, so ask ☎1345 to be sure.

Mobile ARC

Starting January 10, 2025, the Ministry of Justice has been issuing mobile ARCs. You install the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Mobile ID app on your own smartphone and receive a digital card with the same legal validity as the physical card. Check mobileid.go.kr and ☎1345 for eligibility criteria like age and device limits.

• If you have a new IC-chip ARC: You can issue the mobile ARC directly in the app via card scanning.
• If you have an old-style ARC: You must visit an immigration office to issue it, per guidance. (Confirm issuance method and eligibility officially.)

If you've already lost your physical card, card-scan issuance won't work—you have no card to scan. In this case, proceed with reissuance first, then immediately issue the mobile ARC once you receive the new card to prepare for future loss. Conversely, if you already created one before losing the physical, you still have an ID verification method during the reissuance wait, making bank and telecom tasks much easier. Just note that losing the physical card doesn't waive your reissuance obligation even if you have the mobile, and changing phones requires re-issuance. (As of Aug 2026)

Places to Update Your Address After Moving

Completing address change notification doesn't automatically update your address everywhere. Listed in priority order—work down from the top.

First (Within 1 Week)

• Address change notification — Community center/immigration counter or Hi Korea online filing. The 15-day deadline makes this top priority.
• Bank — App or branch, bring passport/ARC. Statement and card delivery address are tied to it, and some services block if your registered address doesn't match the ARC back.
• Telecom — App/customer center or store. If your billing address and identity info don't match, you'll need extra documents for SIM reissuance or account changes.

Next (Within 1 Month)

• Health Insurance (NHIS) — Regional subscribers have address tied to premiums and billing. Often syncs with address change notification, but bills sometimes still go to the old address, so call ☎1577-1000 (foreign language support available) to confirm.
• Driver's License (KoROAD) — Driver's license test center, police civil affairs, or KoROAD integrated civil service. If renewal/fitness test notices go to the old address, you'll miss deadlines. The process of converting a foreign license to a Korean license is covered separately in How to Exchange a Foreign Driver's License for a Korean License.
• Work/School — HR/registrar staff. Especially important if your institution is the reporting entity for visa matters.

Optional

• Delivery apps, shopping sites, courier services — Default shipping address in each app. Surprisingly common to have items go to the old place if you don't update.
• Post Office Mail Forwarding Service — Apply at post office counter or on epost.go.kr. Forwards mail from your old address to the new one, so you don't miss bills or cards from places you forgot to update. (Check post office for application period and fees.)

Transport & Payment Tips

During the reissuance wait, the most felt inconvenience is actually transport and payment. Many Korean apps assume identity verification (Korean phone number, Korean card), so you may hit walls booking trains or paying for taxis without your ARC.

Of course there are official channels like Korail that accept passports and foreign-issued cards for booking. But supported routes and payment methods vary by service, so juggling separate apps for trains, buses, and taxis means getting stuck somewhere. In these cases, having one transport/payment app designed to work without identity verification lets you handle KTX, express buses, and taxis in one place with just your passport and foreign payment method.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. It's been more than 14 days since I lost my card—what do I do? Apply as soon as possible now. Missing the deadline doesn't block acceptance itself. The application is accepted, and after reviewing the delay reason, separate penalty procedures are explained. Amount and criteria depend on violation duration and local office judgment, so confirm your case with ☎1345. The late filing goes on record, so self-reporting even late is better than ignoring it.

Q2. For address change, which is better—community center or immigration office? The legal effect is the same. The nearby community center often has better accessibility and no appointment burden, so it's a safe default. If you're visiting immigration for another matter (extension, etc.) anyway, you can handle it together then. Filing via Hi Korea online completes the notification without a visit. However, if you need the back of your ARC updated, you'll need to visit a counter at some point.

Q3. What if I find the lost ARC after applying for reissuance? Don't use the old card even if you found it—notify the office where you filed. Once reissuance is complete, the old ARC typically loses validity and must be returned. If it's right after filing, ask if you can cancel the application. Handling varies by office, so confirm with ☎1345 or the filing office.

Q4. What if I need ID while waiting for reissuance? The default is your passport. During the period without the physical card, your passport is virtually your only ID verification, so be extra careful with it. Keeping your receipt with you helps show reissuance is in progress.

Q5. I moved months ago—can I still report it now? Yes, and you should. But if the deadline has passed, online filing is blocked and you must visit the immigration office of jurisdiction in person, so book an appointment. At the counter, they'll review the delay reason and explain the summary order (penalty fee) procedure. For amount tiers, see the "After Moving" section above. A history of diligent reporting is a safety net during extension review, so don't delay—get it sorted.