Visa guide
Visa extension documents, status by status
We transcribed the "extension of stay" rows of Annex 5-2 of the Immigration Act Enforcement Rules (revised 24 Dec 2024) for each visa status. Check before you go so you are not sent home for one missing paper.
Four things to check before applying
- When: You can apply from 4 months before your expiry date up to the expiry date itself. Overstaying even one day makes you liable for a fine, so the extension must be granted before expiry (Immigration Act Art. 25).
- Where: Your local Immigration Office in person, or online through HiKorea e-Application. In-person visits require an advance reservation on HiKorea, and some statuses are excluded from e-Application and must apply in person. Check eligibility on HiKorea first.
- Fee: KRW 60,000 in person, KRW 30,000 for Marriage Migrant (F-6), KRW 50,000 online (Enforcement Rules Art. 72; Gov24 Foreigner Portal).
- Extension vs. change: This guide covers extending your period of stay while keeping your current status. Changing to a different status is a separate application with different documents.
Start with your remaining days. Enter your entry date and status and we calculate the days left and when you can apply — Visa expiry calculator.
Documents every status needs
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Integrated Application Form (Form 34) | Available at the office or on HiKorea. Attach one passport photo (3.5×4.5 cm) |
| Passport | Bring the original. If it expires before the period you want, renew the passport first |
| Alien Registration Card (ARC) | Only if you have completed alien registration |
| Proof of residence | Lease contract, dormitory certificate, or a letter from whoever provides your housing |
| Certificate of enrollment | Only if you attend an elementary, middle or high school |
| Fee | Revenue stamp or card at the counter; online payment for e-Application |
Annex 5-2 general rules, in short
- Documents the officer can verify through shared government data (business registration, resident registration, etc.) may be omitted — unless you refuse consent, in which case attach them.
- Documents issued abroad need an Apostille from your government or consular legalization by the Korean mission in that country.
- Submit originals. If that is impossible, the officer checks the original and returns it; for e-Application your own "true copy" signature replaces this.
- The head of the office may add or waive documents as needed for review. Treat the tables below as the minimum and bring extra proof of income or funds.
Study and training (D-1 · D-2 · D-3 · D-4)
| Status | Extension documents (Annex 5-2) |
|---|---|
| Student (D-2) | Regular program at a college or above: certificate of enrollment (a supervisor's recommendation or government-scholarship confirmation may substitute while writing a master's/doctoral thesis), proof of funds for tuition and living costs Specific research: documents proving the research activity |
| General training (D-4) | University language institute or K-12 school: certificate of enrollment Other training: training certificate (plan) or certificate of enrollment |
| Industrial trainee (D-3) | Extension request letter and training evaluation from the company, business registration (corporate registry for corporations) and factory registration, the company's tax payment certificate, tax proof of the overseas subsidiary, proof of training allowance payments, proof of industrial-accident and health insurance plus guarantee insurance against unpaid allowances, letter of guarantee |
| Culture and arts (D-1) | Training schedule from the institution, business registration (corporate registry for corporations) or other proof of the arts organization |
Proof of funds for students: a bank balance certificate (yours or a parent's), scholarship award letter, or tuition payment receipt are typical. Low attendance or grades can trigger requests for extra explanation — talk to your school's international office first.
Employment (E-1 to E-10)
| Status | Extension documents (Annex 5-2) |
|---|---|
| Professor (E-1) | Employment contract |
| Foreign language instructor (E-2) | Employment contract, business registration (corporate registry for corporations) |
| Research (E-3) | Employment contract, business registration (corporate registry for corporations) |
| Technology transfer (E-4) | Dispatch order or certificate of employment; technology-import contract, proof of its filing, service import/export confirmation, or defense-contractor designation; business registration (corporate registry for corporations) |
| Professional (E-5) | Employment contract, business registration (corporate registry for corporations) |
| Arts and performance (E-6) | Employment/performance recommendation (Ministry of Culture, Media Rating Board, KCC or the relevant association) or proof that the employment is necessary, performance and employment contract, letter of guarantee (hotel and entertainment venue workers only), business registration (corporate registry for corporations) |
| Specially designated activities (E-7) | Employment contract, letter of guarantee (restricted occupations only), tax and social-insurance payment certificate, business registration (corporate registry for corporations) |
| Seasonal worker (E-8) | Employment contract, extension recommendation for seasonal workers issued by the local government head |
| Non-professional employment (E-9) | Employment permit, labor contract, confirmation of extended employment period for workers whose term has expired, letter of guarantee |
| Crew member (E-10) | Seafarer's employment contract, letter of guarantee |
E-7 payment certificate: issued by Hometax (tax payment certificate) and the Social Insurance Information Center. Unpaid health-insurance premiums can cap your extension at 6 months or lead to refusal — see health insurance arrears and visa extension.
Intra-company, investment and trade (D-5 to D-10)
| Status | Extension documents (Annex 5-2) |
|---|---|
| Journalism (D-5) | Certificate of employment or dispatch order |
| Religious affairs (D-6) | Certificate of employment or dispatch order |
| Intra-company transfer (D-7) | Item (a) — foreign company branch: personnel/dispatch order, branch establishment report (permit) documents, proof of imported business funds such as foreign-exchange purchase certificates, tax payment certificate Item (b): certificate of employment, tax payment certificate |
| Corporate investment (D-8) | Item (a) — foreign-invested company: dispatch order or certificate of employment (employees other than the investor only), business registration (corporate registry for corporations), personal tax payment proof or VAT tax-base confirmation, proof of business results (import/export records) Items (b)/(c) — venture or technology start-up: proof of business results, tax payment certificate |
| Trade management (D-9) | Shipbuilding/equipment supervision: certificate of employment or dispatch order, shipbuilding or equipment contract, business registration, personal tax payment proof Company management, trade, for-profit business: certificate of employment, business registration (corporate registry for corporations), personal tax payment proof, proof that the workplace exists Trade business ID holder: copy of business registration, trade business ID certificate, proof that the workplace exists, proof of trade point-system score |
| Job seeker (D-10) | Annex 5-2 has no separate extension row. Prepare your job-search plan and records and ask your local Immigration Office (1345). |
Family and residence (F-1 to F-6)
| Status | Extension documents (Annex 5-2) |
|---|---|
| Visiting or joining family (F-1) | Visiting relatives in Korea: the relative's resident registration copy, letter of guarantee (adults only) Household helper of an investor or professional: employment contract, letter of guarantee Dependents or helpers of foreign diplomats: diplomat ID and embassy cooperation letter, employment contract (helpers only) |
| Residence (F-2) | Items (a)/(b) — spouse or child of a Korean national, etc.: proof of family relationship, spouse's letter of guarantee (spouses of F-5 holders only) Item (j) — investment: proof of investment Others: documents showing you still need to keep F-2 status |
| Dependent family (F-3) | Proof of family relationship (marriage or birth certificate, etc.) |
| Overseas Korean (F-4) | Family register or removed family register showing loss or renunciation of Korean nationality (first extension only). Men aged 18–38 applying for their first extension after 29 Dec 2005 must add proof that nationality was not renounced to evade military service (exempt if service completed, exempted, or assigned to the second citizen service) |
| Permanent resident (F-5) | Permanent residence has no period-of-stay limit, so there is no extension. The permanent resident card is reissued every 10 years (Immigration Act Art. 33). |
| Marriage migrant (F-6) | Item (a) — spouse of a Korean national: the Korean spouse's marriage certificate and resident registration copy Item (b) — raising a child: family relationship certificate, proof that you are raising the child Item (c) — marriage ended: proof of the spouse's death or disappearance, or proof that the marriage ended through no fault of your own |
Short-term and other statuses (B · C · G-1 · H)
| Status | Extension documents (Annex 5-2) |
|---|---|
| Visa exemption (B-1) · Tourist/transit (B-2) · Temporary journalism (C-1) · Short-term visit (C-3) · Short-term employment (C-4) | Documents explaining why the extension is necessary (medical certificate, flight cancellation confirmation, official letter from the inviting organization, etc.) |
| Miscellaneous (G-1) | The documents required for the change-of-status application, plus a letter of guarantee Industrial accident, illness or accident: confirmation of industrial-accident benefit payment or accident report, medical certificate or doctor's opinion, letter of guarantee (not required for industrial accidents), proof of family relationship, etc. Wage-claim mediation or lawsuit: proof of unpaid wages, proof that the lawsuit was filed, letter of guarantee |
| Working holiday (H-1) | Travel itinerary including an activity plan |
| Working visit (H-2) | Certificate of enrollment of the D-2 student (only if you entered on an H-2 visa as the parent or spouse of a student) |
| Extension for departure | Copy of the booked departure ticket (common rule) |
Why applications get sent back
- No proof of residence — if the lease is not in your name, add a letter from the person providing your housing and a copy of their ID.
- Passport validity too short — renew the passport before applying if it ends before the period you want.
- Foreign documents without legalization — attach an Apostille or consular legalization, and a Korean translation where needed.
- Unpaid taxes or insurance — E-7 and others must submit a payment certificate, and unpaid health-insurance premiums restrict extensions regardless of status.
- Applying after expiry — once the date passes you face a fine and a different procedure. If it already happened, call 1345 first for voluntary-reporting guidance.
If the paperwork or the language is overwhelming, book a WeBring consultation. We go through the checklist for your status with you and help with the reservation.
Sources & references
- Immigration Act Enforcement Rules, Annex 5-2 — Documents for permission of activities outside status, etc. (Art. 76(2)) — Revised 2024-12-24 — source of every table on this page
- Immigration Act Art. 25 (Permission to extend period of stay) — Permission must be obtained before the period ends
- Immigration Act Enforcement Rules Art. 72 (Fees) — KRW 60,000; Marriage Migrant (F-6) KRW 30,000
- Gov24 Foreigner Portal — Stay information — Apply from 4 months before expiry; online fee KRW 50,000
- HiKorea e-Application
- HiKorea visit reservation
- Immigration Contact Center 1345 — Phone support in 20 languages
Reviewed by: Miyoung Cho (WeBring (주식회사 위카코퍼레이션) CEO · DB Insurance PA · Reg. No. 23065460) · Last verified:
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