Visa & Immigration

1. Alien Registration Card

All international students need to apply for an Alien Registration Card within 90 days of entry at the Immigration Office near their residence.

Required documents

• Application form (provided by the Immigration Office)
• Passport
• 1 color photo (3.5*4.5cm)
• Certificate of Admission, Enrollment certificate (Tuition payment certificate), Certificate of residence
• Application fee: ₩30,000
• Certificate of medical report issued by a regional health center :
  Students from following countries should submit the certificate of medical report tuberculosis test: China, Sri Lanka, Russia, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Vietnam, India,
  Nepal, Indonesia, Pakistan, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Malaysia
  (Total 17 countries)
• Test is free
• Certificate issuance fee: 5,000 Korean won
• Contact: the nearest available health center
• Reissue in the case of loss: In case of loss, you must request a replacement within 14 days.

Required documents

• Application form (provided by the Immigration Office)
• Passport and a copy of the passport
• 1 color photo (3.5*4.5cm)
• Certificate of Enrollment, Certificate of residence
• Application fee: ₩30,000
• Reason for loass

2. Address & Information Change

• When you move to another place, you MUST report your new address to our office (via personal visit, phone 02-715-6435, or School Kakao talk) and at the city hall, district office, Gu-office, or immigration office within 14 days of your move-in. If not, fines will be imposed.
• Required documents: application form, passport, alien registration card, real estate contract (or certificate of residence)
• A registered foreigner who wishes to change the information stated on the card such as name, gender, birthday, nationality and others must do it within 14 days of the change.
• Required Documents: Application form, passport, and alien registration card

3. Visa Extension

International students need to apply for their extension of visa in advance of the expiration date. A penalty fee would be charged after the expiration date.

• Extension period - Undergraduate : Maximum of 2 years - Master’s : Maximum of 3 years - Ph.D. : Maximum of 5 years

• Required documents

  • Application Form
  • Passport
  • Alien Registration Card
  • Certificate of Enrollment
  • Transcript
  • Certification of tuition payment
  • Certificate of Residency (Housing contract and etc.)
  • Processing fee KRW60,000 (Government Revenue Stamp)

• 4. Permission for Part-time job

  • Due to the Korean government law, international students must get permission from the immigration office before beginning a part-time job. (except for unpaid internship for getting credits, participating in a research project in college, or assistant/part-time job at school)
  • Being fully employed as an international student is forbidden. However, one may get a part-time job if her or his application is authorized.
  • Students are most likely to involve themselves in simple labor. In other words, the students are not allowed to do labor that involves professionalized skills or fields.

• Qualifiers

  • Students who are acknowledged by the International Education Institute that they have achieved a certain level of Korean language and have proven their dedication towards study can apply for the part-time job. The following

• conditions must be met:

  • GPA: At least “C” (2.0 GPA) or above
  • Freshmen (1st year) ~ Sophomore (2nd year): TOPIK Level 3 or above
  • Junior (3rd year) ~ Senior (4th year): TOPIK Level 4 or above
  • Note: Those who have not achieved the required language levels are limited in half the time they can work. However, during the weekends, holidays, and vacation periods, no restriction is applied.
  • Language trainees (D-4) must have passed 6 months after entering Korea, and the class attendance rate must be maintained at 90% or higher.
• TypesTOPIK LevelHours allowed per weekWeekdaysWeekends, holidays, vacationLanguage trainee (D-4)Undergraduate (D-2-2)Year 1~2Year 3~4Graduate (D-2-3, D-2-4)

  Level 2	X	10 hours
  	O	20 hours
  Level 3	X	10 hours
  	O	20 hours	no limit
  Level 4	X	10 hours
  	O	20 hours	no limit
  Level 4	X	15 hours
  	O	30 hours	no limit

  tudents in the following categories are not able to apply for a part-time job.

  • Those who have not signed a contract with the employer.
  • Those who are in research courses and possess the D-2-5 visa.
  • Those whose part-time job application has been rejected or who have a previous record of violating the rules and regulations related to the employment of immigrants.

• Penalties for Policy Violation

  • Those who illegally work will be deported from Korea
  • First-time violation will get a warning: must pay a violation fine and will not be able to apply and work part-time for a year.
  • Second-time violation will be deported
  • Those who were permitted to work but violated the policy will be:
    -1st-time violation → will be restricted in a part-time job for a year
    -2nd-time violation → will be restricted in a part-time job
    -3rd-time violation → will lose their privilege of studying abroad
  • When any change occurs (e.g., workplace and employers), students must visit and report to the International Education Institute within 14 days of the change.

• Required documents

  • Application
  • Passport / Alien Registration Card
  • Transcript / TOPIK Certificate
  • Copy of Business License
  • Copy of Labor contract (stating the pay hours)

• 5. Visa Status Change

  • [At first admission] Change General Trainee(D-4) to Overseas study(D-2)
  • Changing the status of stay from D-4(general trainee) to D-2(study abroad) requires prior permission from schools. Thus, the application for the status of stay change must be submitted and get approval before the semester starts.
  • It is not allowed to change C-3-2, C-3-3, C-3-9, D-3, D-9, E-10, and G-1 visa into D-2 in Korea. Students must go back to their home countries and apply for a D-2 visa.

• Required documents

  • Application Form
  • Passport / Alien Registration Card
  • Certificate of admission
  • Certificate of Korean language course Enrollment (including attendance rate)
  • Certificate of tuition payment o

• [Employment activity after graduation] Change Overseas Study (D-2) to Job Seeking (D-10)

  Required documents

  • Application Form
  • Passport / Alien Registration Card
  • Certificate of Graduation (Diploma) / Transcript
  • Employment Activity Plan Form (employer’s)
  • Certificate of residency
  • Processing fee KRW 130,000
  • *Maximum period allowed: 2 years

• 6. How to use ‘HiKorea’ System (www.hikorea.go.kr)

  • You may do various immigration/visa related works by yourself through ‘HiKorea’ online system. Online application is available from 7 am to 6 pm on weekdays (not available on weekends and holidays). You may also book your appointment for your visit to any nearby immigration office.
  • Online services are offered in Korean, English, Chinese, and Japanese
  • Services offered:
    - Immigration/visa related information and online service without visiting the immigration office
    - Information Change (e.g., passport number, address)
    - Permission for participating in a part-time job
    - Address Change
    - Extension of Stay
    - Reserve an immigration office visit for immigration and visa-related works.
    - Employment: Information about employment for foreigners.

• Insurance

  From March 1, 2021, the Korean government decided to make it mandatory for all foreign students to subscribe to National Health Insurance. All international students who enter Korea and complete foreign registration will be automatically enrolled in National Health Insurance. When this service is implemented, international students will be able to receive the same high-quality medical services as Korean nationals at an expense equal to 50% of their monthly premiums. The premium will be reduced by 70% until February 2022, 60% reduction until 2023, and 50% after March 2023.

  Eligibility: Students (D-2) and General Trainee (D-4)

  • When to join:
    - All current students (D-2) will be automatically enrolled on March 1, 2021.
    - All incoming new D-2 students and elementary to high school students (D-4-3) will also be automatically enrolled when they complete their alien registration.
    - D-4 trainees will be enrolled 6 months after their initial entry
  • If you have a family, you must translate and notarize family (marriage) relations certificates and bring them to the National Health Insurance Foreigner Civil Service Center to apply for your family’s coverage
• 

  Benefits

  • Your medical insurance coverage will be effective from March 1, 2021. National Health Insurance ID　card will be mailed to your address from March. You can receive medical treatment at any hospitals in Korea with your National Health Insurance ID or alien registration card.
  • With the previous school insurance service, you must first pay for all the medical expenses at your own expense and then apply for reimbursement from the insurance company. However, the new insurance service enables you to visit a hospital and receive benefits immediately.
  • You may pay 30-60% of your medical expenses for outpatient treatment and 20% in the case of hospitalization. You can get a free general health checkup every two years.

• Monthly premium

  Your monthly Insurance premium is paid in advance.
  The current monthly premium of National Health Insurance for foreigners is KRW131,790. Temporarily, until February 2022, the premium will be discounted by 70%. Thus, your monthly payment will be KRW39,540.
  However, for technical reasons, the first premium for March, 2021 will be charged in 10 installments (KRW39,350/10=3,950) starting from April. Therefore, you will receive your first April bill on March 25 (KRW43,490) which includes the 1st installment of the premium for March (KRW3,950).

  

  Temporary premium reduction plan:
  -Mar, 2021 – Feb, 2022: KRW39,540 (70% deduction)
  -Mar, 2022 – Feb, 2023: 60% deduction
  -After Mar, 2023: 50% deduction.

  [For students who have already enrolled in National Health Insurance]
  Students who have already been enrolled in National Health Insurance will pay 50% of the insurance premium (KRW 65,850) in March, and the difference from the new premium (KRW 26,350) will be deducted from the April premium (KRW13,190).
  If you visit your home country for more than one month, you will be exempted from insurance premiums for that period.

  

  Students on leave of absence must continue to pay insurance premiums if they stay in Korea.

  If you do not pay insurance premiums

  You cannot receive benefits from the first day of the following month when you do not pay premiums.
  If insurance premiums are overdue, the visa will not be extended until the amount is paid. (In case the insurance premium of KRW500,000 or more, and other fees of KRW100,000 or more is overdue)
  If insurance premiums are overdue, you can pay in installments for the number of months in arrears.

  Payment Methods

  Please update your current address accurately through the International Education Institute office and "Hi Korea“ (https://www.hikorea.go.kr/). The insurance card and the first bill will be sent to the address. After receiving the first notice, you can apply for an electronic notice, receive an e-mail or mobile bill, and apply for automatic transfer of premium from your bank account.