Korean Immigration and Residence Status Answers

Residence status runs underneath every other legal problem a foreign national has in Korea. A criminal case, a divorce, a change of job or a missed form can each reach your right to stay, and they do it through different provisions of the Immigration Control Act with different deadlines. These answers set out what each provision actually requires.

Every answer states the current version of the Act it relies on, so you can see what it is based on and when it was checked.

Answers in this section

• What is the difference between a departure order and deportation in Korea?
  Article 68 lets you leave at your own expense. Article 46 is removal. The route is often still open.
• Can I appeal a deportation order in Korea?
  Seven days from receipt, through the issuing office to the Minister of Justice.
• Can immigration detain me in Korea?
  Article 51 on flight risk, Article 63 after a deportation order, with limits of two, nine or twenty months.
• Can I re-enter Korea after being deported?
  Five years from departure, and that is a ground for refusal rather than automatic clearance.
• Can I leave Korea while under investigation?
  Suspension of departure under Article 29, plus an emergency route applied at the gate.
• Can I work on a different visa or change employer in Korea?
  Article 20 and Article 21 are different permissions, and both must be obtained in advance.
• Do I have to report a change of address in Korea?
  Fifteen days from moving in, and a missed report means missed summonses.
• What happens to my visa after divorce in Korea?
  Marriage-based status does not survive the marriage on its own.

Related

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Written and reviewed by Soobin You, Attorney at YUSU Lawfirm. Former prosecutor. Last legal review: 12 September 2026.