Once you hold a residence card (외국인등록증), Korea expects your record to stay current. Report a move within 15 days of moving in, report a new passport or name within 15 days, and in most work statuses get permission before you start at a new employer. Each rule has its own fine, and an untidy record can slow down your next extension.
Key facts
| New address | Report within 15 days of moving in (Immigration Act art. 36) |
| New passport, name, nationality | Report within 15 days (art. 35) |
| New employer | Most statuses: permission before starting; some professionals: report within 15 days (art. 21) |
| Where | Immigration office, your community center (주민센터) for addresses, or HiKorea online |
| Cost | Address and passport reports are free; workplace change permission is ₩120,000 |
| Fines | Address: from ₩100,000; passport details: up to ₩1 million; unauthorized job change: from ₩1 million |
Moving house: change of address report (체류지 변경신고)
When you move, report your new address within 15 days of moving in. You can do it:
- at the community center (주민센터) of your new neighborhood,
- at the immigration office for your new area, or
- online through HiKorea, if you have online access or a mobile residence card.
Bring your residence card and proof of your new address, such as a lease contract or a confirmation from your landlord or dormitory. The office writes the new address on your card, or updates your mobile card.
This report is separate from anything your landlord does. For tenants, the move-in report also matters for deposit protection, so see Your Rights as a Tenant and our deposit guide.
Fines for a late address report
| How late | Standard fine |
|---|---|
| Less than 3 months | ₩100,000 |
| 3 to 6 months | ₩300,000 |
| 6 months to 1 year | ₩500,000 |
| 1 to 2 years | ₩700,000 |
| 2 years or more | ₩1,000,000 |
These are the base amounts in the Enforcement Rule. The office may adjust them by up to half.
New passport, name or nationality (외국인등록사항 변경신고)
Report within 15 days if any of these change:
- your name, sex, date of birth or nationality,
- your passport number, issue date or expiry date.
Take your new passport, your old passport if you still have it, your residence card and the application form to the immigration office. Some changes can be filed on HiKorea. The fine for not reporting is up to ₩1 million.
Renewing your passport at your embassy does not update Korean immigration. Banks and phone companies may also refuse services until the new passport number matches your immigration record.
Changing or adding an employer (근무처 변경·추가)
Work statuses are linked to the employer you registered. The general rule in art. 21 is that you need permission before you start working at a new or additional workplace. The fee is ₩120,000, or 20% less if you apply online.
- Permission first: most work statuses. Working somewhere new without it is a crime. The standard fine starts at ₩1 million for under 3 months and reaches ₩10 million at 2 years or more.
- Report afterwards: holders of certain professional statuses listed in the enforcement decree may change employer and report within 15 days instead. Not reporting can bring a fine of up to ₩2 million.
- E-9 workers change workplaces through the Employment Permit System and a job center (고용센터), and only for allowed reasons.
Which group you are in depends on your exact status and sub-type, so confirm with 1345 before you sign a new contract. If you are moving to a different type of work, you need a change of status instead. See Changing Your Visa Status Inside Korea.
An E-7 engineer accepts an offer from a new company starting 1 May.
She applies for workplace change permission on HiKorea in April and waits for approval before her first day.
Starting on 1 May without approval would count as working at an unauthorized workplace, even with a valid E-7.
Your employer’s duties
Employers must also tell immigration within 15 days when a foreign employee leaves or dies, when the employee’s whereabouts become unknown, or when key contract terms change (art. 19). If you quit, ask 1345 how your status is affected and how long you may stay to look for new work.
Common questions
I moved within the same building. Do I need to report?
Yes, if your registered address changes, including a new unit number.
Does my landlord report my address for me?
No. The duty is yours. Your landlord’s paperwork does not update immigration.
I changed jobs but my visa type stayed E-7. Is that a status change?
No. It is a workplace change. You still need permission or a report, depending on your status.
How do I prove I reported on time?
Keep the receipt or screenshot from HiKorea, or the updated card. Bring it if questions come up at your next extension.
Official sources
This guide explains the general rules as of the date above. Rules change and every case is different, so confirm with the office named here (or the 1345 Immigration Contact Center) before an important decision. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.