Change of Status of Stay Permit Guide

At a Glance

• To engage in activities falling under a different status of stay, you must obtain a change of status of stay permit in advance.
• Persons exempt from alien registration, such as Diplomacy (A-1), Official Duty (A-2) and Agreement (A-3), who wish to change their status of stay because their position has changed must obtain permission within 30 days from the date their position changed.
• The fee is 100,000 KRW, or 200,000 KRW when changing to permanent residence (F-5). An online application reduces the fee by 2/10.
• The application is submitted to the immigration and foreigner office, branch office or sub-office with jurisdiction.

Who Needs It

• Foreigners who want to stop the activities of their current status of stay and engage in activities falling under a different status of stay. HiKorea states that, in principle, you must leave Korea, obtain a visa for the relevant status of stay and then enter, and that where the requirements can be met within Korea, a change may be allowed on a limited basis after strict review.
• Examples given by HiKorea: changing from Short-term Visit (C-3) to Corporate Investment (D-8), to Study (D-2) after completing Language Training (D-4), and to Marriage Migrant (F-6) after marrying a Korean national.
• Persons exempt from alien registration (A-1, A-2, A-3, etc.) whose position has changed.
• If a person under 17 does not apply in person, a parent or other designated person must apply.

Where to Apply

• Apply at the immigration and foreigner office, branch office or sub-office with jurisdiction. HiKorea states that the applicant or a representative applies at the office with jurisdiction over the applicant’s address.
• Online applications for a change of status of stay permit get a fee reduction. Check in the HiKorea e-civil service whether the status of stay you want to change to can be applied for online.

What to Bring

• Application form for a change of status of stay permit
• Passport, alien registration card (if registered), and a certificate of enrollment if attending elementary, middle or high school (common items)
• Attached documents for each status of stay you want to change to. In cases such as a national of a country at high risk of tuberculosis who entered on a short-term status of stay and applies for a change in order to stay more than 90 days, a tuberculosis certificate issued by a public health center or similar body
• A person who will stay more than 90 days from the date of entry must also complete alien registration when receiving the change permit, and alien registration requires 1 passport photo (3.5cm×4.5cm).

Cost

• The amounts in the table are the prescribed fees, and the online amounts are calculated using the online application reduction rule.
• Holders of Diplomacy (A-1) through Agreement (A-3) status and Corporate Investment (D-8) status, and applications for D-1, D-2 or D-4 activities by persons invited with the government or similar bodies covering their living expenses in Korea, among others, are exempt from the fee.

Procedure

• Step 1: Check the requirements and documents for the status of stay you want to change to in the HiKorea guide manual by status of stay.
• Step 2: Submit the application form and documents to the office, branch office or sub-office with jurisdiction.
• Step 3: The receiving office attaches its opinion and sends the application to the Minister of Justice for review.
• Step 4: If permitted, a change of status of stay permit stamp is placed or a sticker is attached in the passport; when an alien registration card is issued or reissued, the card replaces this.

Common Sticking Points

• You must not start activities under the new status of stay before obtaining permission. Engaging in activities under a different status of stay without permission is subject to imprisonment of up to 3 years or a fine of up to 30,000,000 KRW.
• The same violation is also listed among the grounds for deportation.
• For persons exempt from alien registration such as A-1, A-2 and A-3, a change of position has a 30-day deadline.
• HiKorea describes a change of status of stay within Korea not as the rule but as something allowed on a limited basis. Requirements and documents differ for each status of stay.

This guide is general information and does not determine whether something is possible in your individual case. Laws and fees may change, so check the original text at the official links and with the authority with jurisdiction.