Moving to Korea: The Complete Checklist from Pre-Arrival to Your First 30 Days

Korea has a rhythm to arrival. Miss a deadline and you pay a fine, or lose deposit protection, or drive illegally. Follow the sequence and the process is orderly. Most steps are not complicated. They just need to happen in the right order.

This checklist runs from 60 days before your departure through your first 30 days in Korea. Each step includes the action, the reason it matters, and the relevant deadline. Where a full guide exists, we link to it. This page is the map. The linked guides have the depth.

All figures and rules here are sourced from Korean government primary sources. Fees, visa rules, and program thresholds change. Links go directly to the source so you can verify before acting.

Hard deadlines: know these before anything else

These four deadlines have fines or loss of rights attached. Keep them in view throughout the arrival process.

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Pre-arrival: 60 to 30 days out

Passport validity

Your passport must be valid on the date you enter Korea. The commonly repeated "6-month validity rule" is not a Korean government requirement. It is an airline or booking platform policy. Korea officially requires only that your passport is valid on entry. That said, check with your airline before travel, as many carriers apply their own rules.

Visa processing

If you need a visa, start early. Processing timelines vary by visa type and consulate. These are estimates from community reports, not guaranteed official timelines. Verify directly at HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) and your local Korean consulate.

• E-2 (English teaching): allow roughly 4 to 6 weeks total (work visa issuance notification plus consular processing)
• E-7 (specialized work): allow 3 to 7 weeks total
• D-10 (job seeker visa, in-country status change): allow 3 to 5 weeks

For all visa types: treat published timelines as minimums. Start earlier than you think necessary.

Apostille and document legalization

Korea joined the Hague Convention on July 14 2007. Documents issued in Hague member countries (including the US, UK, Australia, and most of the EU) require an apostille stamp, not full consular legalization. Documents issued in non-member countries need consular legalization in the issuing country.

Criminal background checks are typically valid 6 months from issuance. Apostilles must be obtained in the country that issued the document. Some US states (notably California) have multi-week backlogs for apostilling criminal background checks, which directly affects E-2 teaching visa applicants, so start this step early. For Korean documents, use the Korea e-Apostille service at apostille.go.kr.

What to pack: electronics and restricted items

Korea uses 220V at 60Hz with Type C and F plugs. Dual-voltage devices (labeled 100 to 240V) need only a plug adapter, not a converter. Appliances rated only for 110V will be damaged.

For restricted and banned items:

• ADHD medications containing amphetamines (such as Adderall): require a Narcotics Import Permit from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS, mfds.go.kr), applied for at least 2 weeks before arrival
• Standard prescription medications: bring an English prescription; no special permit needed
• CBD oil: illegal in Korea regardless of THC content
• Nicotine vaping liquids: high-concentration liquids may be confiscated, and the allowed limit changes with enforcement, so check customs.go.kr before you travel
• Meat products from non-approved countries (jerky, cured hams, canned meat): prohibited

For the current list of prohibited items and applicable fines, check customs.go.kr directly before packing.

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Pre-arrival: 30 to 7 days out

K-ETA status

As of June 2026, K-ETA is suspended for 67 visa-exempt countries through December 31 2026. The list includes the US, UK, all EU member states, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, most of the Gulf (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel), and Pacific island nations. The current extension was confirmed by MOFA on December 26 2025 and is published at k-eta.go.kr. From January 1 2027, K-ETA is expected to be required again for visa-free travelers unless the exemption is extended further. The fee is ₩10,000, the authorization is valid for 3 years, and applications require 72 hours lead time. Always verify your country's status at k-eta.go.kr and the MOFA notice before booking, as both the list and the timeline can change.

First-week accommodation

Book before you land. Three options work well for foreign residents in transit between arrival and a long-term apartment.

Hotels in Seoul run ₩70,000 to ₩150,000 per night at budget level. Goshiwon (고시원) rooms cost ₩200,000 to ₩1,000,000 per month with deposits around ₩100,000, practical for stays of two weeks or longer. Serviced apartments are available at higher cost.

One important note: Airbnb supply in Korea dropped sharply after January 2026 enforcement requiring hosts to hold business registration. Studios and officetels are not permitted for short-term rental under Korean law. Many listings that existed in 2025 are no longer available. Book from verified hotels or goshiwon providers rather than relying on Airbnb for your first nights.

Apps to download before departure

Four apps make the first week significantly easier: Naver Map (Korean navigation, better than Google Maps in Korea), Kakao T (taxi hailing), KakaoTalk (messaging used by nearly everyone in Korea), and Papago (translation, including camera-based translation of Korean text). Download them before landing while you still have data access.

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Arrival: day 0 to 3

Immigration entry and your 90-day ARC clock

Your ARC registration deadline starts from your immigration entry stamp, not from any later date. If you arrive on a long-term visa and plan to stay more than 90 days, your application clock starts immediately.

Getting from Incheon Airport to Seoul

Two rail options connect Incheon Airport to the city. Both depart from the underground level at Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

AREX Express (직통): ₩13,000 purchased on-site, approximately ₩11,500 pre-purchased online. Non-stop to Seoul Station in 43 minutes. This is the fastest option.

AREX All-Stop (일반): ₩4,150 to ₩4,750 depending on destination. Stops at all stations between Incheon and Seoul. Slower but cheaper if your destination is not Seoul Station.

Full details at airportrailroad.com.

SIM card at the airport

All three Korean carriers (SK Telecom, KT, and LG U+) have booths in the arrival halls of both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Bring your passport. Booth hours are roughly 06:00 to 22:00. SK Telecom's roaming desks sit at Terminal 1 near Gate 13 and Terminal 2 near Gate 2. Confirm current hours with the carrier before you rely on a late-night arrival.

If carrier booths are closed or you want a cheaper option, CU, GS25, and 7-Eleven convenience stores sell prepaid SIM cards usable immediately with a passport.

Full guide: Korea SIM card guide

Cash, ATMs, and T-money

Most foreign Visa and Mastercard debit cards work at Korean bank ATMs. ATM fees vary and change often. As of mid-2026, Citibank Korea charges no foreign withdrawal fee, Woori charges around ₩2,000 to ₩3,000, most other banks charge ₩3,000 to ₩5,000, and convenience store ATMs charge up to ₩6,000. Check the on-screen fee before confirming a withdrawal.

Buy a T-money card (₩3,000) at any convenience store immediately after clearing customs. T-money works on all Seoul subway and bus routes, and at convenience stores. From March 17 2026, Seoul Metro's 440 new T-money top-up kiosks at 273 stations on Lines 1 through 8 accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay, and AmEx, so you can top up with your international card. A 3.7% service fee applies to international-card top-ups, so expect a small surcharge.

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Week 1: days 1 to 7

Book your ARC appointment immediately

ARC appointments at Korea Immigration Service offices fill fast in Seoul, sometimes weeks in advance. Book your appointment on your first day in Korea via HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr, English interface). Do not wait. The appointment itself is typically 2 to 3 weeks after booking, and processing takes another 2 to 4 weeks after the appointment.

Full guide: ARC registration guide

Set up a Korean phone plan

If you bought a prepaid SIM at the airport, you have connectivity. Within the first week, consider whether you want a full monthly plan (cheaper per month, requires ARC or passport depending on carrier and plan). Most carriers offer tourist or foreigner plans at the airport or in carrier stores.

Full guide: Korea SIM card guide

Get oriented: transport and groceries

Load T-money, open Naver Map, and find the nearest large supermarket (Emart, Lotte Mart, Homeplus, or a local market). Stock basics. Learn your nearest subway station. This is not urgent in the paperwork sense, but taking two hours to orient yourself in the first week saves a lot of confusion later.

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Week 2: days 8 to 14

Attend your ARC appointment

Bring all required documents to your scheduled appointment at the immigration office. Required: your passport, visa, one standardized passport photo (3.5 x 4.5 cm, color, white background), proof of address (signed lease contract or a statement from your host), completed application form, and the ₩35,000 fee (new issuance, raised from ₩30,000 on January 1 2025 due to IC chip upgrade) (as of 2025, verify current fee at immigration.go.kr).

Reissue of an existing ARC costs ₩30,000. Processing after the appointment typically takes 2 to 4 weeks. You collect the card in person. Since January 10 2025, a Mobile ARC (모바일 신분증) is available for all ARC types through the Government24 app, and it is accepted at most places that take the physical card.

Full guide: ARC registration guide

Start your long-term housing search

Week 2 is a good time to start viewing apartments and understanding Korean lease types. Korea uses three main residential lease structures: full-deposit jeonse (전세), monthly-rent wolse (월세), and short-term options. Each has different upfront capital requirements and risk profiles.

Full guide: Korea apartment types

For the full step-by-step housing timeline: First month housing timeline

Open a Korean bank account

Before your ARC arrives, passport-only non-resident KRW accounts are available at Woori Bank (Woori Global Center) and KEB Hana Bank (One Q branch). These accounts cannot send international wire transfers. Once you have your ARC, upgrade to a full standard account.

Most major banks in Korea work for day-to-day use. For foreign residents, Woori Global Center and KEB Hana One Q have English-speaking staff.

Full guide: How to open a Korean bank account

File 전입신고 within 14 days of moving in

As soon as you sign a lease and take possession of a property, the 14-day clock for move-in registration (전입신고) starts. File at your local district office (구청) with your lease contract, passport, and ARC. Foreign residents must also separately notify immigration of the change of address: within 15 days for most visa categories, or within 14 days for F-4 holders. This immigration report is a separate obligation from the 전입신고 at the district office, and both must be filed.

Filing 전입신고 is the prerequisite for 확정일자. Together they are the minimum legal protection for any Korean rental deposit. Missing the window means fines and an unprotected deposit.

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Week 3: days 15 to 21

Sign your long-term lease

If your housing search from Week 2 has led to a candidate property, this is typically when you finalize and sign. Always work with a licensed agent (공인중개사). Run the property safety checks before signing.

Full guide on deposit protection: How to avoid deposit scams

NHIS health insurance enrollment

If you are employed in Korea, your employer enrolled you in National Health Insurance (국민건강보험, NHIS) automatically from your first day of work. If you are not employed (freelancer, student, dependant, self-employed), enrollment becomes mandatory once you reach 6 months of residency, a rule in effect since July 16 2019. Some groups skip the 6-month wait and can enroll immediately, including marriage migrants (F-6), spouses of Korean nationals, D-2 students, D-4-3 trainees, E-9 workers, and F-5 permanent residents. You can also request voluntary early enrollment before the threshold if you want coverage sooner. Contact NHIS at nhis.or.kr/english.

The 2026 employee contribution rate is 3.595% of gross salary, with the employer matching that amount (7.19% total in 2026, per NHIS; verify at nhis.or.kr).

Full guide: NHIS enrollment guide. To find a doctor once you are covered, browse the healthcare directory of English-speaking clinics and hospitals.

Set up utilities

Korea's utility setup requires some navigation for first-time residents. Electricity, gas, water, and internet each have their own processes and providers. Internet is fast and relatively inexpensive.

Full guide: Korea utilities setup guide

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Week 4: days 22 to 30

Business registration if self-employed

If you are operating any business activity in Korea, register with your district tax office or via Hometax (hometax.go.kr) within 20 days of starting. Documents required: ARC, lease for your office or home address, passport.

Self-registration is permitted for holders of F-2, F-4, F-5, F-6, D-8-4, and D-8 visas. Other visa holders generally cannot self-register as a sole proprietor and should seek immigration advice.

Annual income tax filing covers May 1 to 31 for the prior year. VAT returns are filed every 6 months (January and July).

Driver's license conversion

Korea has bilateral mutual recognition agreements with approximately 130 countries. Holders of licenses from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, and most EU countries can convert their license directly without a written test. Other nationalities must pass a 40-question written exam and health check.

Apply through KOROAD (도로교통공단) at safedriving.or.kr. You can drive on your foreign license for up to one year from your entry date.

Full guide: Korea driver's license guide

Join the foreign resident community

The practical benefits of connecting with other long-term residents are real: verified referrals for doctors, dentists, agents, and accountants; current information on rule changes; and the social layer that makes any new city livable.

Full guide: Community guide. To find groups to join, browse the communities directory of chambers, clubs, and online groups for foreign residents.

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First 90 days and beyond

Year-end tax settlement (연말정산)

All foreign employees with income tax withheld in Korea participate in year-end tax settlement (연말정산) each January to February. Your employer handles the process. Submit supporting documents (receipts, credit card statements, dependant details) by mid-January.

Foreign employees can elect a flat 19% income tax rate for up to 20 years from their first year of Korean employment. With the 10% local income tax surcharge added, the effective combined rate is about 20.9% in 2026. Under this option, no deductions apply, but the flat rate is favorable for many foreign residents compared to the standard progressive rates. Reconciliation refunds or additional tax appears in the February to March paycheck.

Annual income tax for self-employed residents: file from May 1 to 31 for the prior year via Hometax.

Full guide: Korea tax guide for foreign residents

National Pension Service (국민연금 NPS)

Most foreign residents are enrolled in the National Pension Service (NPS, 국민연금) unless a bilateral social security totalization treaty exempts them. In 2026, the total contribution rate is reported to rise to 9.5% (4.75% employee, 4.75% employer), the first rate increase in 27 years, rising 0.5% per year to 13.0% by 2033 per enacted legislation. Confirm the current rate with your employer or at nps.or.kr.

Whether you can be exempted depends on whether your home country has a social security totalization agreement with Korea. Some countries do not. Vietnam, for example, has no totalization treaty, so Vietnamese workers pay into NPS but can claim a lump-sum refund when they leave Korea.

If you leave Korea, eligible nationalities can claim a lump-sum refund of their contributions. A same-day cash refund is available at Incheon Airport on departure if your application was submitted in advance. Details at nps.or.kr/eng.

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Country-specific callouts

US citizens and green card holders

US persons are required to report foreign bank accounts to the IRS regardless of where they live.

FBAR (FinCEN Form 114): file if the aggregate balance across all foreign accounts exceeded $10,000 at any point in the calendar year. Deadline April 15, with automatic extension to October 15. Required from the first year you open a Korean bank account.

FATCA Form 8938: file if foreign financial assets exceeded $200,000 on the last day of the year (single filer abroad threshold). This is separate from and in addition to the FBAR.

Both obligations begin from your first year of Korean banking.

Full guide: Korea tax guide for foreign residents

Vietnamese, Filipino, and Chinese residents: remittances

International wire transfers require a full ARC-linked Korean bank account. The passport-only non-resident accounts available before ARC arrival cannot send money abroad. Plan accordingly.

Korea-based remittance services with competitive rates and coverage for major corridors include Sentbe (sentbe.com, covering Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, China, and other corridors) and WireBarley (wirebarley.com, covering many countries and corridors). Western Union and Wise are widely used. Compare rates and confirm your destination is supported before transferring.

EU residents

EU residency rights (freedom of movement, Schengen visa) do not apply in Korea. Your immigration status in Korea depends entirely on your nationality and the visa type you hold, not on EU membership. Apply for the correct Korean visa as an individual.

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How to use this checklist

Come back to this page as your reference point. Each section links to a deeper guide with the specifics, fees, documents, and forms for that step. The hub covers the sequence. The guides cover the details.

For connection with other foreign residents once you are settled, the community guide is a practical starting point.

For a quick-reference list of the government portals and resources mentioned in this checklist, see awesome-living-in-korea, an open list maintained on GitHub in six languages.

@misc{seoulstart-moving-to-korea-checklist,
  author = {{Seoulstart Editorial Team}},
  title = {{Moving to Korea: The Complete Checklist from Pre-Arrival to Your First 30 Days (2026)}},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Seoulstart},
  url = {https://seoulstart.com/guides/moving-to-korea-checklist},
  note = {Last updated June 4, 2026}
}