For foreigners living in Korea, the registration card is both an ID and proof of lawful stay. Many people leave it at home and get stopped, or lose it somewhere and panic. This guide covers the fine for not carrying it and how to get a replacement, article by article.
Key points
- Foreigners aged 17 or over must always carry a passport or similar document (passport, registration card, mobile registration card and so on) (Article 27(1)).
- You must show it when an immigration officer or authorized official asks in connection with their duties (Article 27(2)).
- Violations carry a criminal fine of up to KRW 1 million (Article 98, item 1), and the standard penalty fine runs from KRW 100,000 to KRW 1,000,000 by number of violations (as of October 2026, Immigration Act Enforcement Rule, Table 7).
- If you lose the card, you can have it reissued at the immigration office for your residence (Enforcement Decree, Article 42).
1. Who has the carry and show duty?
Article 27(1) says foreigners staying in Korea must always carry a passport, seaman's identification, foreigner entry permit, alien registration card, mobile alien registration card or landing permit (together called "passport and similar documents"). Foreigners under 17 are exempt. Article 27(2) requires you to show such a document when an immigration officer or authorized official requests it in connection with their duties.
If you are exempt from registration or a short-term visitor before registration, your passport is the main document; long-term residents who registered rely on the registration card (or mobile card). If you are unsure which document to carry, check with the office for your area.
2. What happens if you do not carry or show it?
Article 98, item 1 provides a criminal fine of up to KRW 1 million (as of October 2026) for violating the carry or show duty in Article 27. Immigration offense cases cannot be prosecuted without a complaint from the office head (Article 101(1)), and if an investigation confirms the offense, the office head may notify a penalty fine equivalent to a criminal fine (Article 102(1)).
Standard penalty fines are set in Table 7 of the Enforcement Rule by number of violations (as of October 2026).
| Number of violations | Standard fine |
|---|---|
| 1st | KRW 100,000 |
| 2nd | KRW 200,000 |
| 3rd | KRW 500,000 |
| 4th or more | KRW 1,000,000 |
The escalation applies if you received a penalty fine for the same violation within the last 3 years (Table 7, general standards). These are standard amounts; the office may reduce or increase them by up to one half considering age, circumstances, motive and result and ability to pay (Enforcement Rule, Article 86(2)). Pay within 15 days of receiving the notice (Article 105(1)); paying as notified bars further punishment for the same case (Article 106).
3. How do you reissue a lost registration card?
Enforcement Decree Article 42(1) says the head of the office for the place of residence may reissue a registration card where:
- The card was lost
- The card is worn out and unusable
- There is not enough room for entries
- A status change permit was granted
- A change of name, sex, date of birth or nationality was reported
- A general renewal is needed for anti-forgery purposes
To get a reissue, submit a reissue application with one photo to the office for your place of residence (paragraph 2). For reasons other than loss, the original card must be attached, but a lost card obviously cannot be. For loss, your previous registration number is kept (Enforcement Rule, Article 48, item 1(a)). The fee for issuing or reissuing a registration card should be checked in the fee guide on HiKorea; it is waived where the reissue is due to an error in issuing the card (Article 74(1), item 7).
Because the Decree says the office "may" reissue, processing and required documents can vary with office guidance. Check booking and what to bring with the office before visiting.
4. How is the mobile registration card different?
The head of the immigration office may issue a mobile alien registration card with the same effect as the physical card to a foreigner who has received a registration card (Article 33(6)). Under Enforcement Rule Article 48-2:
- Application: submit an application to the office for your residence and show your passport or registration card.
- Validity: until your stay expires.
- Device: issued for one mobile device that you use.
- Reissue: available where the physical card was reissued, the device was changed, or it can no longer be used.
- Cancellation: its effect can be cancelled where, for example, the device with the card is lost or unusable.
5. What do you do with the card when leaving?
Article 37(1) requires a registered foreigner to surrender the registration card to an immigration officer on departure, with exceptions such as people who will re-enter within the permitted period under a re-entry permit or exemption. Violating the surrender duty carries an administrative fine (Article 100(2), item 1), with standard amounts in Table 2 of the Enforcement Decree of KRW 100,000, 300,000, 500,000 and 1,000,000 by number of violations (as of October 2026). If you have to leave without the card, ask the office in advance.
6. What to do if you were stopped without it or lost it
- Write down what happened. Where, when and why you could not show it.
- Apply for reissue right away. Book a visit to the office for your residence and prepare the application, one photo and ID.
- Meet deadlines on any summons or notice. A summons states its purpose, date and place (Enforcement Decree, Article 58), and a fine notice runs 15 days from receipt.
- Carry your passport until the card is reissued. Having other documents to confirm your identity helps.
- Record how it was lost. Place and time of loss, and whether you filed a police report, help with later explanations.
7. What an administrative scrivener can do
We prepare and submit registration card reissue applications, draft written statements explaining how the violation occurred, and organize and translate supporting documents. Investigation and criminal trial defense after a complaint is filed is outside the scope of an administrative scrivener and we do not handle it.
The longer you go without the card, the more inconvenient it gets, so if you lost it, confirm the reissue procedure today. If you hold a notice or summons, check the dates and review the remaining deadline and supporting materials together.