A foreigner who has completed alien registration in Korea and then moves must report the new address within 15 days from the date of moving in (Immigration Act Article 36(1)). Missing the deadline makes the person an immigration offender liable to a fine of up to KRW 1 million (Article 98(2)); in practice most cases end with a notice to pay an immigration fine after an interview. The base amount rises with the length of the delay, from KRW 100,000 to KRW 1,000,000. Reporting a new passport or a change of name is a separate duty, and a breach of that duty leads to an administrative fine, not an immigration fine.
Key points
- Change of address report: within 15 days of moving in, to the new local government office (city, county, district, eup, myeon or dong) or the immigration office with jurisdiction (Article 36(1))
- If late: liable to a fine of up to KRW 1 million (Article 98(2)) → immigration fine base amount KRW 100,000–1,000,000 (Enforcement Rule Annex 7)
- Change of registration information (passport, personal details): within 15 days, to the immigration office (Article 35) → if late, administrative fine of KRW 100,000–1,000,000 (Enforcement Decree Annex 2)
- The change of address report replaces the resident move-in report (Article 88-2(2))
- An immigration fine must be paid within 15 days of receiving the notice; otherwise a criminal complaint follows (Article 105)
1. When and where must I report a change of address?
Article 36(1) of the Immigration Act provides that "where a foreigner who has registered under Article 31 changes his or her place of stay, he or she shall file a move-in report … within 15 days from the date of moving in" with the head of the new city, county, district, eup, myeon or dong, or with the head of the regional immigration office having jurisdiction over the new address. The deadline runs from the day you actually moved in, not from the date of your lease.
- Where to report: the community service center (eup, myeon or dong office) or city/county/district office for your new address, or the immigration office with jurisdiction over it
- Online: the report may also be filed through the information network designated by the Minister of Justice (Enforcement Decree Article 45(1)).
- Documents: the change of address report form and your residence card (Article 36(2)), plus one document showing that you moved — a lease contract, a sale contract, or another document designated by the Minister of Justice (Enforcement Rule Article 49-3(2))
- Relation to the resident move-in report: a change of address report under the Immigration Act replaces the move-in report under the Resident Registration Act (Article 88-2(2)). You do not file twice.
The office records the new address on your residence card and returns it (Article 36(2)). If you hold a mobile residence card and file through the online civil service window, recording the change on the mobile card takes the place of that entry (Article 36(8)).
2. What penalty applies if I miss the deadline?
Article 98 punishes "a person who violates the duty to report a change of place of stay under Article 36(1)" with a fine of up to KRW 1 million (item 2). Because this is a criminal provision, the person becomes an "immigration offender," and the case follows these rules:
- An immigration offense cannot be prosecuted without a complaint from the head of the regional immigration office, and if the police or another investigative agency opens the case, it must hand it over to the competent immigration office (Article 101).
- When the investigation establishes the offense, the head of the office may notify the person in writing, with reasons, to pay an amount equivalent to the fine — the immigration fine (Article 102(1)).
3. How much is the immigration fine and how is it set?
The base amount is set by the entry for the address change duty in [Annex 7] of the Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, according to the period of violation.
| Period of violation (time past the deadline) | Base amount |
|---|---|
| Less than 3 months | KRW 100,000 |
| 3 months to less than 6 months | KRW 300,000 |
| 6 months to less than 1 year | KRW 500,000 |
| 1 year to less than 2 years | KRW 700,000 |
| 2 years or more | KRW 1,000,000 |
The base amount is not applied mechanically. The head of the office may reduce or increase it within half of the base amount, taking into account age and circumstances, the motive and result of the violation, ability to pay and the number of violations (Enforcement Rule Article 86(2)). The Minister of Justice may also waive the notice entirely on the same grounds (Act Article 103(2)). To compare with other violation types, see the immigration fines and administrative fines table.
4. What is different if my passport or personal details change?
The change of alien registration information report (Article 35) sounds similar but is a separate duty.
- When it applies: a change in (1) name, sex, date of birth or nationality, (2) passport number, issue date or expiry date, or (3) other matters set by Ministry of Justice ordinance
- Deadline and office: within 15 days, to the head of the immigration office for your address (Article 35). Attach your residence card and passport to the form (Enforcement Decree Article 44(1)). This report goes to the immigration office, not the community service center.
- If breached: an administrative fine of up to KRW 1 million (Article 100(2)(1)). It is not a criminal penalty, so the administrative fine procedure applies instead of an immigration fine notice.
The base administrative fine (Enforcement Decree [Annex 2], entry for the registration information duty) is KRW 100,000 if less than 3 months late, KRW 300,000 for 3 to under 6 months, KRW 500,000 for 6 months to under 1 year, and KRW 1,000,000 for 1 year or more. It may be reduced by up to half considering the degree, motive and result of the violation and the person's age, circumstances and ability to pay, but not while the person has unpaid administrative fines (general rules of the same Annex).
Before an administrative fine is imposed, you receive an advance notice and at least 10 days to submit your opinion (Act on the Regulation of Violations of Public Order Article 16(1)). If your reasons are substantial, the agency may decide not to impose the fine or may change it (Article 16(3)), and voluntary payment within the period may be reduced by up to 20% (Article 18 of the same Act and Article 5 of its Enforcement Decree). If you disagree with the fine, you may file a written objection within 60 days of receiving the notice (Article 20(1)).
5. Can a late report affect my stay?
Deportation grounds. Article 46(1) of the Immigration Act lists the grounds for deportation. Breaches of the address change duty (Article 36) and of the registration information duty (Article 35) are not on that list. By contrast, never completing alien registration (breach of Article 31) is a deportation ground under item 12 and carries a heavier penalty of up to 1 year in prison or a fine of up to KRW 10 million (Article 95(7)). If you did not register within 90 days of entry, your situation is different from the one described here and needs to be checked separately.
Status-specific requirements. For statuses that require actual residence in a region, the address report doubles as proof of that requirement. The Ministry of Justice Guide to Stay for Foreigners (March 2026), in its section on the Regional Talent visa (F-2-R), explains that if more than 15 days pass between the lease contract date and the move-in report, this is a breach of Article 36 of the Immigration Act, and that breaching the special conditions may lead to cancellation of the status. The same guide's section on international students also directs them to report within 15 days of moving in.
6. What should I do if I only just realized the deadline passed?
- Report now — the report is still required after the deadline. Because the base amount rises with the period of violation, every month of delay can push the case into a higher bracket.
- Fix the dates — gather the actual move-in date, the contract and occupancy dates on your lease, and the date you reported. The period of violation is calculated from these.
- Respond to an interview request — if you are summoned, your statement is recorded in a written record, which must be read to you or shown to you and you must be asked whether anything needs correcting (Article 48 as applied by Article 102(4)).
- Notice and payment — pay within 15 days of receiving the notice (Article 105(1)). Once you pay as notified, you cannot be punished again for the same case (Article 106). If you do not pay in time, the office must file a complaint, unless you pay before it does (Article 105(2)).
7. What to include in a written statement
Organizing the facts around the factors for reducing an immigration fine (Enforcement Rule Article 86(2)) makes your explanation clearer.
- Period of violation: move-in date, report date and the time in between — this determines the bracket, so state it precisely with evidence
- Motive: why you did not know about the duty, any attempt to visit an office, and how the lease and move-in dates diverged
- Result: whether you reported on your own, even late, and whether you have kept your other stay obligations
- Ability to pay and circumstances: income, dependants, study or work situation
- Number of violations: if you have no prior violations, say so
Statements that do not match the facts are compared with the interview record and can work against you, so write only what can be confirmed. See also how to write an apology letter and petition.
8. How we can help
- Preparing the change of address report or change of registration information form and checking the supporting documents
- Preparing and submitting written statements and opinions that explain how the delay happened
- Organizing evidence such as your lease and translating foreign-language documents
Defense in a criminal investigation or trial after a complaint is filed is outside the scope of an administrative scrivener, and we do not take on that work.
Official sources — statutory text (English translation by this site)
- Immigration Act Article 36(1): "Where a foreigner who has registered under Article 31 changes his or her place of stay, he or she shall file a move-in report with the head of the new city, county or district or eup, myeon or dong, or with the head of the regional immigration office having jurisdiction over the new place of stay, within 15 days from the date of moving in, as prescribed by Presidential Decree."
- Article 98: "Any of the following persons shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one million won: … 2. A person who violates the duty to report a change of place of stay under Article 36(1)"
- Article 88-2(2): "Alien registration and a report on change of place of stay under this Act shall replace resident registration and a move-in report."
- Article 100(2)(1): a person who violates Article 35 — administrative fine not exceeding one million won
- Immigration fine base amounts: Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act [Annex 7] / administrative fine base amounts: Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act [Annex 2]
Checked against the current statutes on the National Law Information Center on October 7, 2026 (Immigration Act in force January 23, 2026; Enforcement Decree in force October 2, 2026)
Related pages
- Immigration fines table — explained by violation type
- What is an immigration offense review
- What to do after an immigration fine notice
- Korea Immigration Act penalties and fines explained
If more than 15 days have passed since you moved, report today first. If you have already received a summons or a fine notice, check the dates on it, and we can review the remaining deadline and the documents for your statement in a consultation.