Your authorised period of stay is the end date printed on your Residence Card or approval notice, not the date you feel settled. When that date approaches and you still qualify on the same status, file an extension of stay before midnight on the expiry day. If your plans changed into study, employment, or marriage routes, you may need change of status instead of a simple extension. First-time long stays still begin with apply for residence and get a Residence Card; extension keeps an existing code alive.
When should you apply through HiKorea?
HiKorea, Korea's immigration e-government portal, opens extension e-applications for many status codes in a window that often starts around 60 weekdays before expiry and can narrow to about three weekdays before expiry for some categories. Treat the live HiKorea timer for your code as law, because the portal blocks late filings. If e-application is unavailable for your case, reserve an in-person slot at the immigration office or branch with jurisdiction over your reported address, the same routing used for card collection.
Bring the integrated application form, valid passport, current Residence Card, colour photo when requested, proof of place of stay aligned with register address records, and status evidence. Employees commonly supply an updated contract and employer letter; D-2 students supply enrolment and tuition proof; F-6 spouses supply relationship continuity documents. HiKorea publishes status-by-status manuals that can lag rule changes, so confirm the current PDF and call 1345 when a employer or school letter template looks outdated.
What fees and timing should you expect?
Immigration fees are set in government schedules published through the Gazette and quoted on HiKorea service pages. Many extension filings show a standard charge in the ballpark of KRW 60,000 for common work and study extensions, while some family statuses such as F-6 have historically been listed near KRW 30,000. Verify the amount on HiKorea for your exact service code before payment, because reprints of the fee table can adjust figures without a headline announcement.
Processing may finish on the spot at the counter or take several weekdays when additional review is needed. Keep your receipt and check whether HiKorea posts an electronic approval you must print. Do not travel assuming approval until you hold confirmation. If you must leave Korea while a decision is pending, read re-entry permit rules so you do not forfeit the filing.
Plan the rest of your admin stack in paperwork after moving: National Health Insurance and banking do not auto-renew just because immigration extended your stay.
Common misconceptions
A visa stamp in an old passport does not extend itself when you receive a new passport. Move the valid status to the new passport through the correct immigration service before you file extension evidence.
Paying a recruiter or agent is not a substitute for filing before expiry. Third parties cannot override the legal deadline if you miss the HiKorea window.
Summary
Watch the period-of-stay date on your Residence Card, open HiKorea early enough for your status code, and submit status-specific evidence with a fee taken from the live Gazette schedule rather than a blog post from last year.
If your activity changed, switch to change-of-status planning instead of stretching the wrong code, and keep re-entry rules in mind before any trip during processing.
Sources
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