Permanent residents' obligations

"I'm a permanent resident, so I don't have to do anything" is the most dangerous misconception.

Main obligations

1. Renew the residence card — the status may continue, but the card has an expiry date. Renew in time.
2. Report a change of address — within the set period after moving. See arc-address-change.
3. Report changes to personal details — name, nationality, passport number.
4. Check re-entry requirements — before a long absence. See reentry-permit and long-term-departure.
5. Obey domestic law — serious crimes can be grounds for cancelling the status.

Renewal

1. Apply on HiKorea before the expiry date or visit the immigration office. See immigration-visit-reservation.
2. Check the documents required (passport, current card, photographs, fee).
3. After assessment, receive your new card.
4. Missing the deadline can bring a fine. See fine-for-late-reporting.

When status can be at risk

• Long periods abroad — check the re-entry requirements.
• Serious criminal offences
• Discovery that the status was obtained with false documents
• Confirm the specific grounds and procedures with 1345 and immigration.

Where to go

• 1345 Immigration Contact Centre (multilingual)
• HiKorea www.hikorea.go.kr
• Your local immigration office
• Community centre (address registration)
• 132 legal advice (disputes over cancellation)

Questions people ask

Does permanent residence expire? The status and the card's validity are different things. The card must be renewed. Check your card's expiry with 1345.

Can I stay abroad for a long time? There are re-entry requirements. Always check before a long departure. See long-term-departure.

What happens if I take Korean nationality? On naturalisation the permanent residence ends and you become a national. Check the procedure with 1345. See naturalization-overview.

I forgot to report something. Report it now, even late. Leaving it makes matters worse. See fine-for-late-reporting.

Take care

Even permanent residents are fined for failing to meet reporting duties. Always report moves, passport renewals and name changes. Marking the card's expiry on your calendar is the surest safeguard.

Related

f5-permanent-residency · arc-address-change · reentry-permit · fine-for-late-reporting · naturalization-overview

Source

Ministry of Justice, HiKorea www.hikorea.go.kr / As of 2026-08