Domestic Residence Report Card (F-4) and Certificate of Residence Report Facts Guide

At a Glance

• A foreign national of Korean descent who entered with Overseas Korean status may, if needed, set a place of residence in Korea and file a domestic residence report with the head of the competent immigration office. If not, alien registration must be completed within 90 days from the date of entry.
• Where procedures and transactions under laws require a resident registration card, a copy or abstract of the resident registration, an alien registration card, or a certificate of alien registration facts, the Domestic Residence Report Card or the Certificate of Residence Report Facts may be used instead.
• A domestic residence report or relocation report is deemed to be alien registration and a report of change of place of stay, and no re-entry permit is needed when you leave and re-enter within your period of stay.
• Fees: 35,000 KRW for issuance or reissuance of the Domestic Residence Report Card, 2,000 KRW for issuance of the certificate, 1,000 KRW for inspection of the certificate.

Who Needs It

• Foreign nationals of Korean descent who entered with Overseas Korean (F-4) status and those staying under another status who received permission to change to Overseas Korean status.
• A person who moves from the reported place of residence must file a relocation report within 14 days.
• A person whose card is lost, worn out and unusable, out of space for entries, or whose name, sex, date of birth or nationality has changed applies for reissuance.
• The certificate is applied for by the person, a legal representative, or a person delegated by the person, and in certain cases a spouse, lineal family members or a creditor may also apply.

Where to Apply

• Domestic residence report and card reissuance: the immigration and foreigner office, branch or sub-office with jurisdiction over the place of residence.
• Relocation report: the city, county or district office, the town, township or neighborhood office, or the immigration office with jurisdiction over the new place of residence. It can also be filed through the information network designated by the Minister of Justice.
• Certificate: issued by immigration offices, city, county and district offices, and town, township and neighborhood offices. Government24 guides both online and in-person applications and states that an online application cannot be made by a representative.

What to Bring

• Domestic residence report: the domestic residence report form, 1 photo (half-size business card format), a copy of your passport, a certificate of enrollment or similar if you attend school, and other documents announced by the Minister of Justice.
• Relocation report: the domestic residence relocation report form and one document that confirms the move, such as a lease contract or a sales contract.
• Reissuance: the reissuance application, documents explaining the reason, and 1 photo. For reasons other than loss, also submit the original card.
• Certificate (Government24 guidance): the person shows an ID card; a delegated person brings a letter of delegation, a copy of the delegator's ID card, and the representative applicant's ID document.

Costs

• The fee is exempted when the certificate is issued or inspected as an electronic document, when independence patriots, persons of national merit and the like and their bereaved families, basic livelihood recipients, or persons eligible for single-parent family support apply for the certificate, and when the card is reissued because of an error in issuance.
• The card issuance and reissuance fee paid at an immigration office is paid in cash or with a voucher proving cash payment.

Procedure

• Step 1: After entering with Overseas Korean (F-4) status or receiving a change permission, set your place of residence in Korea. If you will not file a domestic residence report, complete alien registration within 90 days from the date of entry.
• Step 2: Submit the domestic residence report form and attachments to the competent office. The office may ask related agencies to verify facts.
• Step 3: The office assigns a 13-digit domestic residence report number, stamps the report seal in your passport or similar, and issues the Domestic Residence Report Card.
• Step 4: If you move, file a relocation report within 14 days, and the receiving office records the relocation on your card.

Common Sticking Points

• The Act says you may file a domestic residence report, but if you do not, you must complete alien registration within 90 days from the date of entry.
• If after re-entry you live at a new place instead of your former residence, you are deemed to have moved on the day you started living there, so file the relocation report within 14 days from that day.
• If the card is reissued because your sex or date of birth changed, a new domestic residence report number is assigned.
• The mobile Domestic Residence Report Card has the same effect as the physical card, is valid until the expiry date of your period of stay, and is issued to only 1 mobile phone that you use.

This guide is general information and does not judge whether something is possible in your individual case. Laws and fees can change, so check the original text through the official links and with the competent authority.