An apology letter or petition in a Korean immigration offense review is not a document with a prescribed form. It is your own and other people's factual explanation of the circumstances the immigration office weighs when deciding a disposition. Korea's Immigration Act requires age and circumstances, motive and consequences of the violation, ability to pay, and number of violations to be considered when waiving a fine notice or setting the amount (Act Article 103(2), Enforcement Rule Article 86(2)). The key is to write to those factors, with concrete facts and evidence.
Key points
- Apology letter: your own factual account of what happened, your acknowledgement, your motive, your life in Korea and your plan to prevent a repeat
- Petition: a letter from family, an employer or acquaintances describing your life and circumstances and asking for leniency
- Write to the statutory factors (age and circumstances, motive and consequences, ability to pay, number of violations) and attach evidence
- Anything that contradicts what you said in your interview record will hurt you
- An administrative scrivener can help draft, translate and submit; criminal defense is the work of a lawyer
1. What role do apology letters and petitions play in an offense review?
"Immigration offense review" is not a statutory term. It is the practical name for the process in which an immigration office investigates a breach of the Immigration Act and decides on a fine, a departure order, deportation or another disposition. During that process the law lets the authorities take circumstances into account:
- Amount of the fine: may be reduced or increased by up to one half of the base amount, considering age and circumstances, motive and consequences, ability to pay and number of violations (Enforcement Rule Article 86(2))
- Waiver of the fine notice: the Minister of Justice may waive it on the same grounds (Act Article 103(2))
- Waiver of an administrative fine: possible considering age and circumstances, motive and consequences and ability to pay (Act Article 100(5))
We found no provision or form for apology letters or petitions in the articles of the Immigration Act, its Enforcement Decree and Enforcement Rule, or in the Ministry of Justice's residence management manual (September 2026 edition), as searched on 3 October 2026. It is therefore most accurate to treat these letters as statements of opinion that convey the factors above to the officer in charge.
2. What should an apology letter include?
Following this order, mapped to the statutory factors, lets the reader find everything needed for the decision:
- Personal details — name, nationality, date of birth, alien registration number, current status of stay and period
- What happened — when, where and what you did, stated as dated facts
- Acknowledgement — which rule you broke, in your own words, and that you accept responsibility
- Motive — why it happened (for example, how you misunderstood your expiry date), as facts rather than excuses
- Consequences and repair — compensation, settlement, fines already paid and other steps taken since
- Age and circumstances — family, work, study and tax record in Korea
- Plan to prevent a repeat — concrete steps, such as how you will track your period of stay or check permit rules before changing jobs
- Date, name and signature
3. Who writes a petition, and how?
A petition is testimony from someone who knows you well, describing your life and circumstances from a third-party view. A spouse or family member, an employer, an academic supervisor or a long-standing member of your community can write one.
- The writer's name, contact details, relationship to you and how long they have known you
- Specific things the writer has seen (for example, your work, how you support your family, how you changed after the incident)
- Why you need to remain in Korea, and a request for leniency
- Date and signature, with material that confirms the writer's identity (a copy of an ID card, a certificate of employment and so on)
Attaching identity material makes it easy to confirm who wrote the letter.
4. What supporting evidence should go with it?
The words of an apology letter gain weight when evidence backs them. Every case differs, but by factor you can consider:
| Factor | Examples of evidence |
|---|---|
| Consequences and repair | Disposition documents (summary order, judgment), settlement, victim's statement of no wish to punish, receipts for fines paid |
| Age and circumstances | Family relationship documents, certificate of employment or enrolment, lease |
| Ability to pay | Income records and documents showing your finances |
| Number of violations | An explanation that you have no previous violation |
| Prevention | Course completion certificates, records of later steps such as applying for a workplace-change permit |
The summons and the officer's instructions take priority — check the items listed in your summons first. A fuller list is on our documents to prepare page.
5. What should you avoid in an apology letter?
- Anything untrue — what you say in the interview is written into a record, which must be read back to you or shown to you so you can request corrections (Act Article 48(3)–(4), applied by Article 102(4)). A letter that contradicts the record loses credibility. If the record is wrong, ask for a correction at the time.
- Shifting blame — sentences that only blame an employer or friend. Explain the circumstances as facts and leave the judgment to the officer.
- Promises you cannot keep — one or two workable steps are better than vague pledges.
- Copied templates — a letter built from stock sentences does not show your situation.
6. Can I write in a foreign language?
We recommend writing in the language you can express yourself in most accurately and attaching a Korean translation. Even at the interview stage, the law requires an interpreter for a person who does not understand Korean and a translation of any non-Korean writing in a statement (Act Article 48(6)–(7), applied by Article 102(4)). A letter is only useful if the officer can read it as you wrote it.
7. When and where do I submit it?
Letters matter before the disposition is decided. If you have a summons, bring them when you attend the regional immigration office that issued it, or ask the officer in advance how to submit them. If you have already received a fine notice, the fine must be paid within 15 days of receiving it, or a criminal complaint follows (Act Article 105) — check that deadline first.
8. How we can help
- Drafting an apology letter or statement of opinion organized around the statutory factors
- Guidance on structuring petitions from family or employers
- Korean translation of letters and supporting documents written in another language
- Submission to the immigration office and preparation before your interview
An administrative scrivener may draft documents submitted to administrative agencies, draft documents certifying facts, translate them and submit them (Haengjeongsa Act Article 2(1)). Defense in a criminal trial and representation in lawsuits are the work of a lawyer; if criminal proceedings are still under way, we will recommend that you also consult one.
Official sources — statutory text (English is our translation)
- Immigration Act Art. 103(2): "The Minister of Justice may waive a notice under Article 102(1), taking into account the age and circumstances of the immigration offender, the motive for and consequences of the violation, the ability to pay the fine and other circumstances."
- Enforcement Rule Art. 86(2): the fine may be reduced or increased within one half of the base amount, "taking into account the age and circumstances of the offender, the motive for and consequences of the violation, the ability to pay the fine, the number of violations, etc."
- Immigration Act Art. 48(4): the record must be read to the suspect or shown to him or her, the suspect must be asked whether it contains errors, and any request to add, delete or change content must be recorded.
- Haengjeongsa Act Art. 2(1): drafting documents submitted to administrative agencies (item 1), drafting documents on rights, duties or proof of facts (item 2), translating documents related to administrative work (item 3), submitting the documents so prepared (item 4)
Checked against the current statutes on the Korean National Law Information Center on 3 October 2026.
Related pages
- What is an immigration offense review, and what should you prepare?
- Documents to prepare for an immigration offense review
- Korea immigration offense review — complete guide
- DUI and visa extension for foreigners in Korea
- What to do after an immigration fine notice
If you have received a summons or a fine notice, check the dates on it first. We can work through the facts and evidence for your letter in a consultation.