Moving and Immigration Records in Korea
If you move in Korea, update your immigration residence record promptly. For most registered foreign residents, the deadline is 15 days from the date you move into the new residence.
People who have made a domestic residence report as overseas Koreans follow a separate 14-day relocation rule. The correct deadline depends on which record you hold, not simply on the visa label people use in conversation.
This article was reviewed on August 26, 2026 against Article 36 of the Immigration Act, Article 6 of the Overseas Koreans Act, their current enforcement rules and 2026 Ministry of Justice immigration guides. Portal availability and case-specific documents can change, so check the live Hi Korea service before filing.
Quick answer
- Registered foreign resident: report within 15 days from moving into the new residence.
- Domestic residence report holder: report relocation within 14 days.
- Where: use Hi Korea if the e-application is available, or report to the local-government office or immigration office responsible for the new address.
- Prepare: passport, Residence Card or domestic residence report card, the application/report form and proof of the new residence.
1. Is the deadline 15 days or 14 days?
| Your immigration record | Deadline | Official basis |
|---|---|---|
| Registered foreign resident You hold a Residence Card based on foreigner registration under the Immigration Act. |
Within 15 days from moving into the new residence | Immigration Act, Article 36 |
| Domestic residence report holder You have made a domestic residence report as an overseas Korean. |
Within 14 days after relocating the reported domestic residence | Overseas Koreans Act, Article 6 |
The Immigration Act uses the day you move into the new residence. Keep evidence of the actual move and file without waiting until the final day.
2. Where can you report the new address?
Hi Korea
Use the current e-application for a change of residence or domestic-residence relocation when it is available for your record.
Local government
Report to the city, county, district or local administrative welfare center serving the new residence.
Immigration office
Report to the immigration office with jurisdiction over the new residence. Check whether a visit reservation is required.
You report based on the new residence. If you are unsure which office covers the address, use Hi Korea’s jurisdiction lookup or call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
3. Documents to prepare
The ordinary package contains the following items. The exact residence evidence depends on whose name is on the housing document.
- Passport
- Residence Card or domestic residence report card
- Integrated application/report form or the form required by the live service
- Proof of the new residence
| Housing situation | Evidence to prepare |
|---|---|
| Lease in your name | The current lease showing the new address and relevant parties |
| Home you own | A sale or ownership document that confirms the new residence |
| Dormitory | A dormitory or school accommodation confirmation showing your name, address and move-in information |
| Employer-provided housing | An accommodation confirmation and supporting documents from the employer or housing provider |
| Living with family, a friend or another provider | An accommodation-provider confirmation, the provider’s identification and evidence that the provider can offer the address |
| Old lease continued by renewal | The existing lease plus current evidence showing that the arrangement and residence continue |
Upload or bring readable documents. The address, names, housing relationship and relevant dates should be visible. An office may request additional proof if the document does not establish that you actually live at the address.
4. How to report through Hi Korea
- Sign in and open the current e-application list.
Find the service for a change of residence or domestic-residence relocation. Menu wording can change. - Confirm that the service matches your record.
Do not select an F-4 domestic-residence route only because you hold an F-4 visa; check whether you use foreigner registration or a domestic residence report. - Enter the new address and move-in date carefully.
Use the address shown in your residence evidence. - Upload the required documents.
Make sure every page is readable before submitting. - Track the result in My Page.
Save the receipt or approval record. If the physical card does not display the updated address, ask the responsible office whether an in-person annotation is needed.
Contact 1345 or the immigration office promptly to confirm how to file. A late report can be subject to an immigration penalty, and the handling route can differ from an on-time online report.
5. Common housing situations
You changed rooms in the same dormitory or building
If the address detail recorded by immigration changes, prepare the updated room or unit confirmation and check whether a new report is required. Do not assume that the same building name makes the record unchanged.
The lease is not in your name
Ask the named tenant, owner, employer, school or other housing provider for the confirmation and supporting documents needed to show why you are living there.
You are also protecting a rental deposit
This immigration report updates your place of stay. Housing steps concerning a lease, fixed date or deposit protection have a different legal purpose. Check the housing procedure that applies to your contract instead of assuming that one immigration filing completes every housing step.
Frequently asked questions
Does every F-4 holder use the 14-day rule?
Not necessarily. The 14-day rule belongs to a person who has made a domestic residence report under the Overseas Koreans Act. Check whether your current card and record are a domestic residence report or foreigner registration.
Can I report at any community center?
The statutes refer to the local-government or immigration authority for the new residence. Use the office serving the new address rather than assuming that any office nationwide will handle it.
Do I need a new Residence Card after moving?
A move normally updates the residence record rather than creating a new immigration status. If you file online and the physical card does not show the new address, keep the approval record and ask whether the card needs an in-person annotation.
Can my school or employer report for me?
They can help prepare housing evidence, but do not assume that this removes your legal reporting obligation. Confirm any authorized filing method with the live Hi Korea service or the responsible office.
What if I move again before my visa extension?
Report the new residence within the deadline that applies to your record. A later extension application does not replace a report that was already due.
Final checklist
- I confirmed whether I use foreigner registration or a domestic residence report.
- I recorded the date I actually moved into the new residence.
- I prepared identification and evidence that matches the new address.
- I selected the reporting route for the new residence.
- I saved the filing receipt or approval result.
- I separately checked any housing steps needed for my lease or deposit.
Official sources and related guides
- National Law Information Center — Immigration Act, Article 36
- National Law Information Center — Overseas Koreans Act, Article 6
- Korea Immigration Service — official guide for local-government immigration services
- Hi Korea — current e-applications and jurisdiction lookup
- KoreaWorkExpert — Residence Card guide
- KoreaWorkExpert — moving-day and housing checklist