Conclusion First: If You Don’t Get These “3 Dates” Wrong, You’re Halfway to Success
In foreigner re-entry permit cases, most incidents where your status of stay becomes unstable between departure and re-entry start with a miscalculation of deadlines.
- Stay expiration date (= period of stay expiry)
- Passport validity period (often, your stay permission is granted only within the passport’s validity range)
- The period recognized as “re-entry permission exemption/permission” (typically 1 year; for permanent residents (F-5), 2 years, etc.)
This post organizes a checklist centered on the three items above—from before departure / while staying overseas / after re-entry—from the perspective of “maintaining your immigration status.”
0) 30-Second Self-Check: Do I Need Re-entry Permission?
Under Korean law, the basic principle is: “If you leave Korea and want to re-enter under the same status of stay, you must have re-entry permission (or qualify for an exemption).”
A. If You’re a Long-Term Resident with an ARC (Alien Registration Card)
- Principle: You are subject to re-entry permission (however, if you meet the exemption criteria, you may re-enter without permission)
- Exemption (most long-term residents): within 1 year from the date of departure (however, if your remaining period of stay is shorter than 1 year, only until that remaining period)
- Permanent resident (F-5): exempt if re-entering within 2 years from the date of departure
B. If You Have an F-4 (Overseas Korean) “Residence Card (Domestic Residence Report Certificate)”
- No re-entry permission is required as long as you re-enter within your period of stay (based on the Overseas Koreans Act)
C. If You “Plan to Stay Overseas for More Than 1 Year”
- (For registered foreigners) If you want to re-enter after staying overseas for 1 year or more ~ up to 2 years (or exceptionally longer) after departure, the usual flow is that you need to apply in advance for a multiple re-entry permit.
1) Pre-Departure Checklist (Print-Friendly)
Below is a “core checklist” that includes only items that directly affect maintaining your immigration status.
1-1. Check Mandatory Expiration Dates / Validity Periods
- Confirm your stay expiration date (whether your departure date + return date fall within your permitted period of stay)
- Even with the “exempt within 1 year” rule, if your remaining period of stay is shorter, you can re-enter only until that remaining period.
- Confirm your passport validity (if it’s short, your stay permission may be limited to that range)
- Classify whether you fall under “1-year exemption,” “2-year exemption (F-5),” or “Residence Card (F-4)”
1-2. Final Check: Are You Eligible for “Re-entry Permission Exemption”?
Re-entry permission exemption criteria (as of the enforcement rules effective 2025.11.6):
- Permanent resident (F-5): re-enter within 2 years after departure
- Many statuses of stay (A-1
F-3, F-6G-1, etc.): within 1 year after departure (however, if the remaining period of stay is shorter, only until that remaining period) - However, cases such as entry bans / visa issuance restrictions may be excluded from the exemption, so case-by-case confirmation is needed.
1-3. If Not “Exempt” → Prepare Re-entry Permission (Single/Multiple)
- Re-entry permission is divided into single (one time) / multiple (two or more times).
- The re-entry permission period cannot exceed your authorized period of stay (remaining period of stay).
- Commonly known maximum periods (principle): Single 1 year / Multiple 2 years
- However, for some cases (e.g., investment / large-scale investment, etc.), the maximum period may differ according to official guidance.
2) Practical Checks “1–2 Weeks Before Departure” (Key Points to Avoid Issues at the Airport)
2-1. On HiKorea, Check at Least These Items
Based on guidance materials from Seoul Immigration, HiKorea allows the following lookups/confirmations (identity verification required):
- Validity check for your registration card / residence card
- Lookup of your stay expiration date
- (Some) various information lookups
Also, the e-government (online civil service) service hours (example) are guide as weekdays 07:00–22:00.
2-2. When You Should Update Your Address Before You Leave
- If you moved (reported move-in): you must report within 15 days from the move-in date (for F-4, separately guide as within 14 days)
When people move right before departure, they often postpone it thinking “I’ll do it after I return,” and end up missing the deadline.
2-3. It’s Risky to Depart When Your Visa (Period of Stay) Is Close to Expiry
- In general, you can apply to extend your period of stay starting 4 months before expiration (for online civil petitions, separate limitations are guide, such as being allowed until the day before the expiration date, etc.)
- If it expires while you are overseas, the “1-year re-entry exemption” becomes meaningless. (Because even the exemption cannot exceed the remaining period of stay.)
3) Checks for Those Planning “Long-Term Overseas Stay (1 Year or More)”: This Is Where Problems Happen Most
“I think I’ll be overseas for more than a year” is the point where the game changes from the perspective of maintaining your status of stay.
3-1. For Registered Foreigners (ARC): If You’ll Be Overseas for 1 Year+, Consider a “Multiple Re-entry Permit”
Key points based on the Ministry of Justice notice (Notice on Re-Implementation of Re-entry Permission Exemption):
- If an exemption-eligible person (registered foreigner) wants to re-enter after staying abroad for 1 year or more ~ up to 2 years after departure, the flow is to apply for a multiple re-entry permit.
- Fee guide for a multiple re-entry permit: KRW 50,000
- When applying via HiKorea e-petition, a 20% fee discount is guide
Point: Rather than “I’ll be back within a year,” if there is even a 1% chance you’ll realistically exceed 12 months, setting a safety net from the start by going the “permission” route reduces accidents.
3-2. Application Timing (Miss This and Your Departure Itself Gets Complicated)
According to the same notice:
- HiKorea e-petition: you can apply until 3 days before the departure date (excluding holidays)
- Airport/port: in principle, only a single re-entry permit is possible (some exceptions are guide)
4) While Abroad: “What If Returning Within the Deadline Becomes Impossible?”
If, due to unavoidable reasons such as illness, it becomes difficult to re-enter within the re-entry permission period, you must obtain permission to extend the re-entry permission period before it expires.
- The law provides a structure where you apply for an extension permission at an overseas diplomatic mission (a Korean embassy/consulate abroad).
- Fee (example guide): USD 20
5) 10 Common Mistakes That Cause “Re-entry Failure / Unstable Status of Stay”
Here are the patterns that come up most often in practice.
- Leaving Korea trusting only “Within 1 year is OK,” even though your remaining period of stay is shorter
→ The exemption cannot exceed the remaining period of stay. - Not counting the 1 year based on the “date of departure”
→ The rules/guidance explain it based on “from the date you departed.” - Being a permanent resident (F-5) but planning a long stay without knowing the “2-year” rule
- Having F-4 (residence card) but mixing it up with ARC rules and making the wrong judgment
→ For F-4 residence reporters, the Overseas Koreans Act sets different re-entry permission requirements. - Planning a long-term overseas stay (1 year+) but not securing a multiple re-entry permit
- Trying to file an online re-entry permit application right before departure and getting blocked by the “3 days before departure” restriction
- Mistakenly assuming exemption in an exceptional case such as an entry ban/visa issuance restriction
- Setting an aggressive departure (or return) schedule even though your passport validity is short
- Planning to “extend right after returning” while in arrears on taxes / health insurance premiums
→ There is guidance stating there may be disadvantages such as period-of-stay restrictions. - Leaving Korea without reporting an address change after moving → exceeding the deadline after returning
6) After Entry (Return): Final Checks to “Maintain Your Status of Stay”
- If you moved / changed your address, report within 15 days (F-4 is guide as 14 days)
- Considering your next extension timing, pre-save in your calendar when you can apply to extend your period of stay (e.g., 4 months before expiration)
- If you need departure/entry records, you can request issuance of a “Certificate of Entry & Exit Records” (institutional guidance exists)
- If you’re unsure, call 1345 (Immigration Contact Center) for multilingual 상담 (operating guidance exists)
FAQ (Korea Foreigner Re-entry Permit)
Q1. Is the re-entry permission exemption “automatic,” or do I need to apply?
If you qualify for an exemption (e.g., many long-term residents within 1 year, permanent residents (F-5) within 2 years, etc.), the structure is that you do not need to obtain re-entry permission. However, since there may be exceptions such as entry bans / visa issuance restrictions, if you feel uncertain, it’s safest to confirm with the competent immigration office or official guidance.
Q2. What happens if I exceed 1 year after leaving Korea?
(For registered foreigners) If there is a possibility you will stay overseas for 1 year or more after departure, then based on the guidance notice, you may need to apply for a multiple re-entry permit.
Q3. What’s the difference between a “single” and “multiple” re-entry permit?
The law distinguishes between single (re-enter only once) and multiple (re-enter two or more times).
Q4. Can I extend the re-entry permission period while I’m overseas?
If re-entry within the period is impossible due to unavoidable reasons such as illness, you must obtain extension permission before the period expires, and regulations provide that the authority may be delegated to overseas diplomatic missions.
Q5. How much is the fee for a (multiple) re-entry permit?
According to the Ministry of Justice notice (guidance on re-implementation dated 2022.4.1), there is guidance stating KRW 50,000 for a multiple re-entry permit, and a 20% discount when applying via HiKorea e-petition.
(Single/other cases may differ depending on your status of stay and application channel, so it’s recommended to verify based on your specific case.)
Q6. Do F-4 (residence card) holders also need re-entry permission?
For foreign-national Koreans (F-4) who have filed a domestic residence report, the Overseas Koreans Act provides a basis stating that no re-entry permission is required when departing and re-entering within the period of stay.
Q7. What “online checks” should I 반드시 confirm before departure?
Based on HiKorea guidance materials, items introduced include validity checks for registration cards/residence cards and lookup of stay expiration dates.
Q8. Can I report an address change after I return?
There is a deadline. Based on guidance materials, registered foreigners / residence reporters (F-4) must report within 15 days (※ F-4 is guide as within 14 days) after moving (move-in).
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