Visa and residence glossary
So that an unfamiliar word never causes a wrong submission, here are the terms that come up most.
Basic terms
- Visa (사증) — permission to enter, obtained from a Korean mission before travelling.
- Status of stay (체류자격) — what you may do while in Korea, shown by codes such as E-9, F-6, D-2.
- Period of stay (체류기간) — how long you may remain; extend before it expires.
- Alien registration (외국인등록) — registration by long-term residents, giving you a residence card.
- Place of stay (체류지) — where you actually live; report changes.
Application terms
- Extension of period of stay — lengthening your stay on the same status.
- Change of status — moving to a different status (for example study to work).
- Permission for activities outside your status — exceptional permission for something your status doesn't cover (for example a student's part-time job).
- Report of change or addition of workplace — reporting a change of employer.
- Re-entry permit — permission to return after leaving.
Terms on documents
- Entry/exit record certificate — a record of when you entered and left.
- Certificate of alien registration — proof of your registration details.
- Letter of guarantee — a guarantor's assurance about your identity.
- Standard employment contract — an employment contract in the prescribed form.
- Business registration certificate — proof that a company is registered.
- Tax payment or income certificates — tax-related evidence.
Outcome terms
- Refusal (불허) — the application was not accepted.
- Request for supplementation (보완요구) — a demand for more documents, with a deadline.
- Departure order / deportation — an order to leave; seek advice immediately.
- Penalties and administrative fines — monetary penalties for breaches.
Where to go
- 1345 Immigration Contact Centre (20 languages)
- HiKorea www.hikorea.go.kr (apply and track)
- Your local immigration office
- 132 free legal advice
Take care
If a term is unfamiliar, always ask before signing. 1345 can explain in your own language. Notices such as refusal, supplementation requests and departure orders carry deadlines — seek advice at once.
Related
visa-types-overview · stay-extension-overview · change-of-status · immigration-1345 · free-legal-aid-visa
Source
Ministry of Justice, HiKorea www.hikorea.go.kr / As of 2026-08