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.
The Alien Registration Number in Korea: What It Is and Where It Appears
The 13-digit foreigner registration number printed on your ARC functions as your identity number in Korea. What the digits mean, where you find it, and what opens only once you have it.
alien registration document number — Read guideWhat's in this guide
- The alien registration number is a 13-digit identifier on your Alien Registration Card — six digits from your date of birth, a hyphen, then seven more digits assigned at registration.
- It works as your identity and tax identification number in Korea: banking, phone contracts, health insurance and most online identity verification read it.
- Without the number, postpaid phones, full bank accounts and the identity-verified Korean apps stay locked, so it is the number most services ask for first.
- The same format is used for resident registration numbers of Korean citizens — the difference is that yours is issued at alien registration, not at birth.
Recently updated
- Tax
Taxes in Korea for Foreigners: The Taxes That Apply and What Opens Them
The taxes a foreigner actually meets in Korea — income tax by residency, local income tax, VAT on spending, and the property taxes that arrive with ownership — with the 183-day rule and the flat 19% option explained.
- Visa
How Can I Get a Visa to South Korea? The First-Timer's Path, Step by Step
The practical path to a Korean visa for a first-time applicant: whether you need a visa at all, short-stay vs long-stay, sponsored vs direct, the documents to gather, and where to apply. A step-by-step decision route.
- Tax
Is There a Tax Treaty Between the US and South Korea? What the Rates Are
Yes — the US and South Korea have had an income tax convention since 1979. Here is what it caps: dividend, interest and royalty withholding, the permanent establishment rule, and how double taxation is relieved.
- Visa
Is South Korea Visa-Free? Who Can Enter Without a Visa in 2026
Whether you can enter South Korea without a visa depends on your nationality and the K-ETA requirement. Here is who qualifies for visa-free entry in 2026, how long they can stay, and what the K-ETA exemption actually covers.
- Tax
Seoul Tax Refund for Tourists: How the VAT Refund Actually Works
How to get your VAT refund as a tourist in Seoul — the minimum purchase, the three refund routes (immediate, downtown, airport), and the customs step that determines whether you actually get the money.
- Visa
How Long Is a Korean Visa Valid? Visa Validity vs Stay Period
The two 'validity' concepts that confuse people — how long a Korean visa lets you enter, and how long you may actually stay. Single vs multiple entry, the 90-day limit, the ARC stay period and K-ETA.
- Tax
Is Korea Tax Free? The Tax-Free Myth vs What Is Actually Exempt
Korea is not tax-free — income, VAT, property and capital gains all apply. What people actually mean by 'tax free': VAT refunds for visitors, the foreign-worker flat rate, and income that is genuinely outside Korean tax.
- Visa
How to Get a Korean Visa: Types, Sponsor Routes and the Steps
The practical path to a Korean visa — how the visa families are organised, who sponsors each type, what you apply with, and the step from visa to alien registration once you arrive.