Why to do it on the day you move
For foreign residents, the address report counts as the moving-in report (전입신고) that Korean tenants make. Korea’s Supreme Court confirmed this in 2016 (case 2015다14136). Together with living in the home, it gives you tenant protection against new owners and creditors from the following day — and with a fixed-date stamp (확정일자) your deposit gets priority if the home is sold at auction. See rent report and fixed date.
How to report
- Go to the community service center (주민센터) of your new neighbourhood, or to the immigration office, with your residence card and lease contract.
- Fill in the form; staff update your registration and write the new address on your card.
Hi Korea also offers online applications for some services. If the online route does not work for your case, the 주민센터 is the quickest option.
If you report late
Not reporting is an offence under the Immigration Act, punishable by a fine of up to ₩1,000,000. In practice offices usually issue a smaller penalty notice, but it can count against you when you renew your stay — and you lose tenant protection until you report.
Official websites
- Hi Korea (하이코리아) www.hikorea.go.kr
- Korea Immigration Service (출입국·외국인정책본부) www.immigration.go.kr
We link only to official sites and re-check these guides, but fees, rules and screens change and can differ between offices. Before you go, confirm on the official site or call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345 (multilingual).