Alien Registration Card (ARC)

Updated: September 30, 2024

When studying abroad in Korea, you must apply for the Alien Registration Card (ARC) within 90 days of arriving in the country. If you fail to apply for the ARC, you will not be able to leave and re-enter Korea with your student visa. Most visas allow only single entry.

The school will provide information regarding the ARC application process, so be sure to look out for it and read the instructions carefully. Every student has the option of completing the ARC application either as part of a group (University) through HireVISA or independently.

I decided to apply for my ARC independently as it is faster and cheaper. If you apply as part of the group, you will receive your ARC around mid to late October, and the cost is around 41,000 KRW. If you apply independently, you will receive your ARC within 1-3 weeks after your appointment, and the cost is between 30,000 and 34,000 KRW.

Independent Application

Appointment

Depending on your residential area, you may be required to visit specific Immigration Office locations. Since I live in the KU dorms (Frontier Hall), I must make an appointment at the Seoul Immigration Office Sejongno Branch. If you book an appointment at a different location, your appointment will be denied! This happened to some of my friends, and they had to reschedule, which is very difficult.

Website Link: HiKorea
ARC Instructions: ARC PPT

I scheduled my appointment about 3 weeks before arriving in Korea, and there were a decent number of available dates and times. I recommend making an appointment as soon as you receive your visa to secure a spot, as appointments fill up quickly. For KU students, you will receive your Certificate of Enrollment on orientation day, so you can only book an appointment for a date after the semester begins.

Documents

Application Form
- It is the first form named: Application Form (report form)
Passport
Copy of Passport
Color Headshot
- Make sure the dimensions are accurate. There is also a photo booth in the office where you can take your headshot.
Certificate of Enrollment
- KU will provide this to all students on the day of orientation, along with student IDs. For business students, you will need to pick it up at the Main Business Building.
  * Note: This is different from the Certificate of Admission provided in the admission package.
Proof of Residence in Korea
- If you live in the dorms, it will be available on the dorm portal about 2-3 weeks before the start of the semester.
Fee (Cash only)
- The fee for the ARC with pick-up at the office is 30,000 KRW. If you want it mailed, it is 34,000 KRW.
- You will pay the fee at the ATM and can get change.

There are printers all over KU, especially in the underground hallway.

ARC Arrival

I decided to pay 34,000 KRW for the mail-in delivery of the ARC. It was delivered 1 week after my appointment, and I had to pick it up from the security guards at the dorm. It also came with a letter regarding national health care in Korea.

Group Application

As mentioned above, you may apply for the ARC as a group through your university. If you're not in a rush or do not plan to leave Korea soon, you may prefer this method. An email will be sent out with all the information regarding the group application. According to the email, the ARC is expected to arrive around mid to late October. The group process is done mostly online, except for fingerprint scans.