Alien registration for minor children

Foreign-national children staying beyond a set period complete alien registration.

Why it matters

• An alien registration number makes health insurance, nursery and school enrolment, and vaccination records work smoothly.
• It is needed for extension and change of residence status.
• It is used for identity verification at hospitals and banks.

Steps

1. Prepare the child's passport.
2. Confirm and apply for the child's residence status. See child-visa.
3. Visit your local immigration office — many require an appointment, booked through HiKorea.
4. Submit the application and documents and pay the fee.
5. Fingerprint and facial registration — subject to age thresholds.
6. Receive the Alien Registration Card.

What you need (typically)

• The child's passport
• Birth certificate or proof of family relationship (translation and consular certification may be needed)
• Parents' passports and Alien Registration Cards
• Photographs (check the specifications)
• The fee
• Proof of address

Required documents vary by office. Check with 1345 before you go.

Where to go

• Your local immigration office
• HiKorea www.hikorea.go.kr (appointments)
• 1345 Immigration Contact Centre (20 languages)
• 1577-1366 Danuri Helpline
• Your nearest family centre

Questions people ask

We lost the card. Apply for reissue. Ask 1345 whether a parent can apply on the child's behalf.

My child is too young for fingerprinting. Age thresholds apply; if the child is below them it is processed without fingerprints. Confirm with the officer.

What if I delay registration? Missing the deadline can bring a fine, and the child's medical and childcare procedures are delayed. Do it promptly.

My child is a Korean national. Then it is resident registration, not alien registration. Ask at the community service centre.

Take care

A child's stay expiry date can differ from the parents'. Check the date on the card and put it in your calendar. Once it expires, hospital and school procedures are blocked immediately.

Related

child-visa · child-birth-registration · alien-registration-card · fingerprint-registration

Source

Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice www.hikorea.go.kr / As of 2026-08