Korean Residence Card (ARC) Guide for E-2 Teachers
- Status
- E-2
- Register within
- 90 days
- Fee
- ₩35,000 cash
- Appointment
- Required
Your residence card is the thing that makes ordinary life possible in Korea — a bank account, a phone contract, health insurance. Two details decide whether you get it smoothly: you must book the immigration appointment in advance, and your medical certificate must come from a hospital the Ministry of Justice has designated.
How to apply for the Korean Residence Card on an E-2 visa, from OK Recruiting, a Korea-based recruiter (since 2006). General information, current as of 2026 — document requirements vary between immigration offices, so confirm with yours or with the immigration contact center (1345).
On this page
What the card is — and why "ARC" is a legacy name
The Korean Residence Card (외국인등록증) is the official ID card issued to registered foreign residents. You will need it for banking, a mobile phone contract, national health insurance and most administrative tasks.
Most teachers and schools still say "ARC" — Alien Registration Card. That was the official English name until the Ministry of Justice replaced it: cards issued from January 2021 read Residence Card, because "alien" was judged to carry an exclusionary tone. The Korean name never changed. Both terms are in daily use; the card in your hand will say Residence Card.
When to apply — the 90-day rule
Under the Immigration Act (출입국관리법 §31), a foreigner intending to stay in Korea for more than 90 days must complete foreigner registration within 90 days of entry. For E-2 teachers, that means preparing documents, booking an appointment, and completing the medical exam — all inside that window.
Treat 90 days as the outer wall, not the plan. The medical certificate takes days to issue, and appointment slots at busy offices (Seoul, Suwon) can be weeks out. Start in your first fortnight.
Booking the appointment — it is mandatory
Do not just turn up
Since April 2021, immigration offices operate on a reservation system: without a booking, your application will not be accepted. Reserve through HiKorea's visit reservation service.
The one exception worth knowing: collecting a card that has already been issued is a walk-in service. It is the application that needs the booking.
Useful official links: HiKorea main · visit reservation · forms.
Required documents
For a first Residence Card application on an E-2 visa. The core set is fixed by regulation; the housing and employer paperwork varies between offices, so confirm yours before you go.
- Completed application form (available at the office or on HiKorea)
- One passport-sized photo, 3.5 × 4.5 cm
- Passport (original) and a photocopy
- Employment contract — original and a copy
- Sealed medical certificate (채용신체검사서) from a Ministry of Justice–designated hospital
- Photocopy of the school's business registration certificate (사업자등록증 / 고유번호증)
- Photocopy of the housing contract (숙소계약서) and the accommodation confirmation letter (거주로 숙소제공확인서)
- Your apostilled degree and criminal record check, if they were not already consumed at the visa-issuance stage — bring them, or copies, in case
- Where applicable, the school's hagwon registration certificate (학원설립·운영등록증)
The housing address on your documents should match where you actually live. If your school provides your apartment, they will normally supply both the contract copy and the confirmation letter — ask for them before your appointment, not on the morning of it.
The medical certificate
E-2 applicants must submit a sealed employment medical certificate as part of the registration. Three things decide whether it will be accepted:
- Designated hospital only. The certificate must come from a medical institution designated by the Ministry of Justice. A certificate from any other hospital — including many local public health centres — is rejected.
- Sealed. Do not open the envelope. Documents issued by the hospital must reach immigration in sealed condition.
- Valid for 3 months from the date of issue.
What is actually on the panel, what it costs, and the HIV test that Korea abolished in 2017: see our E-2 medical check guide. Your school's admin staff usually know which nearby hospital teachers use — asking them first is the fastest route.
Fees
The residence card issuance fee is ₩35,000, paid at the immigration office. It was raised from ₩30,000 on 1 January 2025 — older guides (and, at the time of writing, one HiKorea page) still show the old figure.
Bring cash. The fee is collected in cash at the window.
Some offices offer to post the finished card to you instead of you collecting it. Where that service exists it may carry a small courier charge, set locally — ask at your appointment. It is not part of the statutory fee.
Step by step
- Book the appointment on HiKorea as soon as you arrive. Slots go first, everything else can be prepared around them.
- Get the medical exam at a designated hospital and collect the sealed certificate.
- Collect your paperwork from the school — contract, business registration copy, housing contract and confirmation letter.
- Fill in the application form before you go, if you can get a copy in advance.
- Attend immigration with the full set, including your passport and one photo. You will give fingerprints.
- Pay the ₩35,000 fee in cash, and say whether you want the card posted or will collect it.
- Keep the receipt until the card is in your hand. Issuance typically takes a few weeks, depending on the office's backlog.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Residence Card the same as the ARC?
Yes. "Alien Registration Card" was the official English name until the Ministry of Justice changed it; cards issued from January 2021 read "Residence Card". The Korean name (외국인등록증) never changed, and most teachers and schools still say ARC in daily conversation.
Do I need an appointment, or can I walk in?
You need an appointment. Immigration offices have run a mandatory reservation system since April 2021, and an application without a booking will not be accepted. Reserve through HiKorea's visit reservation service. Walk-in is allowed for one thing only: collecting a card that has already been issued.
How much does the Korean Residence Card cost?
₩35,000, paid in cash at the immigration office. The fee was raised from ₩30,000 on 1 January 2025, so older guides still quote the lower figure. If your office offers to post the card to you, that delivery service may carry a small local courier charge, which is separate from the statutory fee.
When do I have to apply for my Residence Card?
Within 90 days of entering Korea, under Immigration Act §31, if you intend to stay longer than 90 days. In practice you should start much sooner: the medical certificate takes days to issue and appointment slots at busy offices can be weeks away.
Do E-2 teachers need a medical check for the Residence Card?
Yes. You must submit a sealed employment medical certificate from a hospital designated by the Ministry of Justice. A certificate from a non-designated facility will be rejected, the envelope must not be opened, and the result is valid for three months from the date of issue.
How many photos do I need?
One passport-sized photo, 3.5 × 4.5 cm — the Korean standard size, which is different from the 2×2 inch photo US consulates ask for at the visa stage.
Sources: foreigner registration within 90 days — 출입국관리법 §31 via law.go.kr; the ₩35,000 issuance fee — 출입국관리법 시행규칙 fee schedule and the Korea Immigration Service notice of the 1 January 2025 increase; mandatory visit reservation and the sealed-certificate rule — HiKorea; the Residence Card renaming — Ministry of Justice. As of 2026.
Note: immigration offices differ in the supporting documents they ask for, and processing times vary with local backlogs. Confirm your own case with your office or the immigration contact center (1345). Next steps: extending your E-2 · visa document downloads.