Living in Korea, explained properly.
Visas, banking, phone plans, taxes and housing — written for people who actually have to do it, and sourced from the published criteria.
Alien Registration Card in Korea: Deadline, Documents and Why You Need It First
The ARC deadline, what to bring to immigration, how to book a slot on HiKorea, and the everyday services that stay locked until the card arrives.
alien registration card — Read guideWhat's in this guide
- You must register within 90 days of arrival if staying longer than that — the deadline runs from entry, not from when you settle in.
- Almost nothing else works without it: bank accounts, phone contracts, health insurance and most online identity verification depend on the registration number.
- Appointment slots at busy offices fill weeks ahead, so book on HiKorea before you need the card, not after.
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- Visa
D-10 Job Seeker Visa in Korea: Points, Documents and What It Allows
The D-10 lets you stay in Korea while looking for work or preparing a start-up. Here is the points assessment, the documents required, and the activity limits that catch people out.
- Visa
D-2 Student Visa in Korea: Requirements, Part-Time Work and Attendance Rules
What the D-2 student visa requires — admission, financial evidence and documents — plus the part-time work permission process and the attendance rules that can cost you the status.
- Visa
D-4 Visa Korea: Language Study Requirements and What It Does Not Allow
The D-4 general trainee visa covers Korean language study and similar training. Here are the published requirements, the financial proof expected, the part-time work rules and the attendance conditions that affect extension.
- Visa
E-2 Visa Korea Requirements: Documents, Criminal Check and Employer Ties
The E-2 foreign language instructor visa has a fixed nationality list, an apostilled document set and a visa tied to one employer. Here is what is required and where applications commonly stall.
- Visa
E-7 Visa Requirements in Korea: Occupation Codes, Employer Criteria and Documents
The E-7 is Korea's sponsored professional work visa. Here is how occupation codes work, what the employer has to prove, the education and experience matching rule, and the documents involved.
- Visa
F-2-7 Points-Based Residence in Korea: Eligibility, Documents and What Changes
What the F-2-7 residence status actually gives you beyond a work visa, which base statuses can apply, the documents required, and how it differs from F-5 permanent residency.
- Visa
F-4 Overseas Korean Visa: Who Qualifies and What It Permits
The F-4 is for overseas Koreans and gives broad activity rights, but it excludes certain kinds of work. Here is who qualifies, the documents that prove lineage, and the activity restrictions.
- Visa
F-5 Permanent Residency in Korea: Routes, Conditions and What It Does Not Give You
The main routes to F-5, the residence period and income conditions, the Korean language and social integration requirement, and how permanent residency differs from citizenship.