Foreign Resident Registration [for Residence Card (Formerly known as Alien Registration Card)] is compulsory for all Working Holiday Makers arriving in Korea. Registration must be done within 90 days of entry at the nearest Immigration Office of your stay (jurisdiction).

A Residence Card (Formerly known as ARC) is required for many activities in Korea, such as opening a bank account, purchasing a mobile phone, signing a lease and working legally in Korea.

It is essential that you submit all relevant documents with your application. Immigration officer will take your fingerprints and give you a receipt with the date that you can return and pick up your Residence Card. It usually takes 3 weeks to process a Residence card.

 

Required Documents

•     Valid Passport (Working Holiday Visa)
•     1 Photo (3.5cm x 4.5cm) - plain white background
•     Application Form (Available at Korea Immigration Center)
•     Fees (30,000 KRW cash)
•     Travel Plans
•     Job Certificate(Only for the person concerned)
•     Housing Contract Document

* You must make an online reservation before visiting the immigration office.
* If you have lost your residence card, you need to report it to the immigration office. 

▶ www.hikorea.go.kr

How do I know which office is in my jurisdiction?

•   Call : 1345 domestically(just 4 digit number) / +82-2-6908-1345 internationally

* If your individual information has been changed while residing in the Republic of Korea (such as your name, nationality, date of birth, passport number, passport validity date, passport issued date, address in Korea), you need to report that within 14 days to the immigration office. Regarding this, please contact Immigration Contact Center for the further reporting process, call 1345 without the area code. 

National Health Insurance (NHI)
 

The purpose of national health insurance is to improve the public's health and promote social security by providing the public with insurance benefits for the prevention of disease and injury, medical examination, medical treatment, rehabilitation, childbirth, death, and improvement of health (Article 1 of the「National Health Insurance Act」). From July 16th 2019, any foreigner who has stayed in the Republic of Korea for more than six months, he or she MUST be subscribed to the National Health Insurance. For further details regarding your subscription/exclusion inquiry in detail, please contact 1577-1000 (extension 7 for foreign languages) or 033-811-2000 (multiple languages) or http://www.nhis.or.kr/ (Multiple languages ​​available).

Required Documents

•     NHI Application form for the insured employee or NHI Application form for the self-employed
•     Residence card (formerly known as ARC)
•     Passport (Working Holiday Visa)
•     Certificate of employment contract (If applicable)
•     Any other documents NHIS further requires 

National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC) Call Center

•     ☎ 1577-1000 or ☎ 033-811-2000 (Foreign language services)

•      http://www.nhic.or.kr/ (English, Japanese, Chinese available)

*Foreigners whose health coverage is guaranteed by foreign law, foreign insurance, or employer's contract may apply for exclusion from NHI. Please directly contact NHI before your first payment regarding the detailed exclusion application process. NHI has all authority over screening your exclusion application.  (NHI ☎ 033-811-2000 [Foreign language services available] )
 

Report the Lease and Monthly Rent
 

Regarding rent, any sum that exceeds a deposit of 60 million KRW or a monthly rent of 300,000 KRW is subject to report to your jurisdictional community center within 30 days of the contract. *Either a landlord or a tenant can report. Please contact your jurisdictional community center for a detailed process. For further details, please contact your jurisdictional community center or jurisdictional Gu-office (https://www.mois.go.kr/eng/sub/a03/citiesProvinces/screen.do)