How to issue ARC in Korea

Once you arrive in Korea, there is one thing that you have to do. No it’s not drinking soju, going lotte world, riding bicycle along han river. If you’ve come as a  traveling visa, of course you can just go for it. Let’s hold on to it later, and what we have to do is making ARC, Alien Registration Card. Shai what happens if I don’t? Well you will get FINE. So to be fine, make sure you register for the ARC within 90 days upon your arrival. It’s pretty simple procedure , and I will guide you along the way, so no worries!

First, let’s go to www.hikorea.go.kr

What we are gonna do is to register for the visit.

Click reserve visit

There will be 3 steps

They will explain you about visit reservation, do verification and let you fill in the application form! That’s it!

For 담당기관(designated immigration office district), you need to check your address. If you check your address, for example 서울특별시 강남구 ~ stop it hold it right there. All you need to do is focus on 구 Which 구 are you in?(sometimes it is written in -si such as 경기도 하남시)

Seoul immigration Office : 관악구 광진구 강남구 강동구 동작구 송파구 성동구 서초구 용산구 성남시 하남시 과천시

Seoul immigration office sejongno : 종로구 중구 은평구 동대문구 중랑구 도봉구 성북구 강북구 노원구

Seoul immigration office Southern : 서대문구 마포구 강서구 양천구 영등포구 구로구 금천구 광명시

You might not have your cell phone number yet, you can skip it. However, sms message related with reservation won’t be sent so you must carry Reservation card.

Once you reserved your visit, let’s prepare for the things to bring!

You will need 

Passport 

Photo with white background (3.5 cm *4.5cm)

Certificate of residence, 

Fee 30,000 won (additional 3000 won if you want your card delivered).

I recommend you to bring exact amount of money! It would be hard to get a change since you have to insert money in the machine.

If you are exchange student(D-2), you additionally need certificate of enrollment

                language training(D-4), you need certificate of Enrollment, Training center                                                                   establishment certificate

E-1 Visa : University’s Business Registration Certificate

E-2 Visa : University’s Business Registration certificate, health check for employment

None above? please inquire immigration office about required document 

Also, You need medical check up record (including tuberculosis) if you’re from

China, Sri Lanka, Russia, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Nepal, East Timor, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia

Oh did you know you don’t have to struggle application form in immigration office with haste, you can download application form on their website!

Click News& Announcement section, click application form, one the list, click first one, integrated application form! There you have it! You can print it out and fill in!

All the steps to register ARC are done! Hooray!!

So how long does it take to get your ARC card? Well it depends on the status but mostly 3-6 weeks are average.

What can you do with ARC? You can validate driver’s license, banking, make account on internet. Let me walk you through this on the next article.

Now you are legal Alien in Korea congrats!! You can enjoy the enhanced quality of Korea life once you get it. Are you getting anticipation of thrill?😝

Well let’s enjoy it!

Your friend, Shai

Photo credit: Korean immigration office