Moving Address Report in Korea 2026: 15-Day Deadline, Up to $920 Fine

Bottom line: If you're a foreign resident with Alien Registration who moves to a new address in Korea, you must report the change within 15 days of moving. Tourists and short-term stayers under 90 days with no registration card are not covered by this.

If you didn't know: Miss the 15-day window and you can be fined up to 1 million won. But there's a separate, much bigger mistake people confuse this with — failing to complete Alien Registration itself (the 90-day rule) is punished far more heavily: up to 1 year in prison or a fine of up to 10 million won. Many residents think both violations carry the same weight. They don't.

Before a law revision took effect on 2025-07-22, the deadline was 14 days. It is now 15, but many immigration-consultant blogs and even some city-office pages online still show "14 days," which can make residents miscalculate. You file at the immigration office covering your new address, or electronically through Hi Korea. This is a separate filing from the Korean resident registration (jeonip-singo) you do at a community center — changing your address on the Alien Registration Card is its own step, and the two are often confused.

This article summarizes official guidance and is not legal, medical, or financial advice.

Journey stage: During the trip — a missed deadline here can count against you later when you apply for a visa extension or status change. · Verified 2026-11-06