A sample Alien Registration Card — this is what it looks like. The name and number shown are example data.
If you stay 90 days or less on a short-term status, you’re not subject to registration; if you stay past 90 days, it’s mandatory — the same 90-day line you may have already hit shopping for a SIM card.
As of September 2026 — related rules and document requirements can change without notice.
A sample Alien Registration Card — this is what it looks like. The name and number shown are example data.
If you’re planning to stay in Korea for about 3 months, you’ve probably wondered: "do I actually need to register as a foreign resident?"
You’ve actually run into this exact line before, if you shopped for a SIM card — prepaid SIMs top out at 90 days, full stop. Stay 91 days or more, and you’ll need both a postpaid plan and the registration card. It’s the same cutoff.
Korea’s Immigration Act requires foreign registration for anyone staying more than 90 days from the date of entry.
Every "tourist" route into Korea caps out at 90 days, no matter which one you use — a short-visit (C-3) entry is permitted for up to 90 days at the immigration officer’s discretion, and visa-free entry runs 30 to 90 days depending on your country. So "tourist" and "registration-required" structurally never overlap — anyone staying 91+ days didn’t come in on a tourist visa in the first place; they came on a separate long-term visa for study, work, or marriage.
Tourist visa (C-3) or short visa-free visits don’t apply here — if you hold a long-term visa like study (D-2/D-4), employment (E-series), or marriage migration (F-6), you’re almost certainly required to register.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where | The Immigration Office with jurisdiction over your address |
| Deadline | Within 90 days of entry |
| Fee | ₩30,000 (waived for D-8 corporate investor visas) |
| Card arrives in | Usually 2–4 weeks |
For major business like foreign registration, appointment holders are served first as a rule. Walking in without a booking is often still accepted, but you get bumped behind everyone with a reservation, so the wait can run far longer.
You can’t book a same-day slot, so don’t wait until your deadline is close — reserve with plenty of room to spare.
Busan Immigration Office (Annex) — this is where foreign registration and stay-related matters are handled.
7 Chungjang-daero, Jung-gu, Busan — in the Kyobo Life Jungang-dong Building. It’s walking distance from Jungang Station on Subway Line 1.
Documents needed
Subway stations usually have an unmanned ID-photo booth (about ₩7,000–8,000), and searching "사진관" (photo studio) on Naver Map also turns up results.
Those search results mix in photo-booth chains like Life Four Cuts, which don’t produce ID-spec photos — check Street View for an old-school studio storefront first to avoid a wasted trip.
Every ARC issued since January 2025 comes with a built-in electronic chip (IC) automatically — it’s not something you request or opt into, it applies to everyone getting a card issued for the first time right now. Just tap your card against your phone in the mobile ID app, and the mobile version is issued instantly.
It’s often easier than it sounds.
A hotel or Airbnb payment receipt (with your name, the address, and the length of stay printed on it) or a letter from your host confirming they’re putting you up will often work as proof of address. It’s not asking for anything elaborate — just something showing this person stayed at this address for this period.
Front desk staff aren’t always used to producing this kind of document, though, so it’s worth asking at check-in whether they can issue a "stay confirmation letter for immigration purposes."
If it’s 91 days or more, go ahead and register using the method above; if it’s 90 or under, you’re not subject to registration in the first place.
Prepaid SIMs cap out at 90 days across the board — SKT, KT, and third-party resellers like Trazy and Holafly alike, since they’re all reselling the same underlying carrier product with no way around the limit.
At 91 days or more, switching to a postpaid plan is the only path forward, and the ARC is all you need to sign up.
Checklist
Check whether you’re at 91 days or more
If you’re at 91+, register within 90 days of entry
If it’s a hotel, ask the front desk or immigration ahead of time
At 91 days or more, consider switching your SIM to postpaid as well
This article is for general information only, not legal or administrative advice. Always confirm the final details on the official HiKorea site or with your local Immigration Office.