Moving in Korea as an international student: when and how to report your new address

Final review date: 2026-06-29

When you move to a new one-room, goshiwon, share house, or dormitory in Korea, signing the housing contract is not the last step. If you are a D-2 or D-4 international student with an 외국인등록증 (Alien Registration Card), changing your actual residence usually means you need to check the 체류지 변경 신고 process, which is the report of change of place of stay.

The main rule is simple: registered foreigners generally need to report a change of residence within 15 days from the date they move. This article is based on official guidance checked on 2026-06-29, but you should still confirm with Hi Korea, 1345, or your local office before submitting documents.

When is a residence-change report needed?

If you already have an Alien Registration Card and move from your old address to a new address, treat it as something that needs to be checked. This includes moving from one room to another, moving into a goshiwon, staying in a share house, moving into a dormitory, or living at a friend's place.

This is not exactly the same as the Korean resident move-in report called 전입신고. It is connected to your foreigner registration and immigration residence record. Updating your address in your school portal does not automatically complete the immigration-related report.

The Hi Korea guidance on reporting duties is a useful official starting point. If your situation is unclear, call 1345 or ask the competent office before the deadline passes.

What is the deadline?

For registered foreigners, the basic deadline is within 15 days from the date the place of stay changes. Your contract date, deposit transfer date, and real move-in date can be different, so keep documents that show when you actually started living at the new address.

If the deadline has already passed, a local 주민센터 may not be able to handle the case directly, and you may need immigration-office guidance. When the timing is unclear, check with 1345 or the competent office first.

The Government24 page for foreigner residence-change reporting is an official service page for this civil petition. If the page is under maintenance or hard to access, use Hi Korea and your local office guidance together.

Where can you report it?

In general, you can report to the immigration office responsible for your new address, or to the city, county, district office, or 읍·면·동 주민센터 that covers your new place of stay. The exact counter name can differ by district, so it is worth calling before visiting.

Some cases can be handled online through Hi Korea e-Application. However, online availability, login requirements, file attachments, and processing time can change. If your paperwork is simple, online may be convenient. If you live in a share house, a friend's home, or are already late, direct confirmation is safer.

The Yeongdeungpo-gu residence-change guide clearly lists the deadline, processing agencies, and typical documents. Even if you do not live in Yeongdeungpo, it helps show what documents are commonly requested.

Document checklist

Typical documents include your Alien Registration Card or residence card, the residence-change report form, and proof of residence. A lease contract under your own name is easiest, but international student housing often has other document patterns.

• One-room contract under your name: Alien Registration Card, lease contract, report form
• Goshiwon or short-term housing: payment receipt, move-in confirmation, business or facility information
• Dormitory: dormitory residence certificate or dormitory fee payment proof
• Friend's house or contract not under your name: 숙소제공확인서, provider's ID copy, and a lease-contract copy may be requested
• Family or company-provided housing: relationship proof and address proof may be needed

Document names can vary by district and office. In particular, 숙소제공확인서 should include the provider's information, the actual address, and the proper signature or seal.

5 cases where students get stuck

First, the housing contract is not under your name. Share houses and friend-name contracts often require 숙소제공확인서 and documents from the person providing the accommodation.

Second, you have not received your Alien Registration Card yet. Right after arrival, foreigner registration, temporary housing, and school records can overlap. Check with your school international office or 1345 first.

Third, you are not sure whether a goshiwon address can be reported. It can be possible, but you need proof that you actually live there, such as a receipt, move-in confirmation, or clear facility information.

Fourth, the contract address and the real room address look different. Building name, unit number, road-name address, and lot-number address can be confusing. Confirm the exact address with the contract, map, and building manager before reporting.

Fifth, you are already past 15 days. In that case, contact the immigration office or 1345 before assuming a 주민센터 visit will solve it.

What else should you update after moving?

체류지 변경 신고 and 확정일자 have different purposes. The residence-change report updates your foreigner registration address. 확정일자 is related to lease and deposit protection. If you signed a one-room contract, check whether you need both procedures.

Also update your bank, mobile carrier, school portal, insurance records, and delivery address. If important mail goes to the old address, you may miss notices about your residence card, phone bills, or school administration.

Related guides: 12 checks before signing a Korean rental contract, foreign-student housing deposit comparison, and Korea arrival week 1 checklist.

Frequently asked questions

Q. If I told my school my new address, is the immigration report finished?

No. Updating your school record and reporting your change of residence as a foreigner are separate tasks. You may need to do both.

Q. What if the contract is not under my name?

That does not automatically make reporting impossible. But you may need 숙소제공확인서, an ID copy from the accommodation provider, and proof that you actually live there. Ask the competent office before visiting.

Q. Can I do everything online?

Sometimes, but you need to meet the login and attachment requirements. If your documents are complex or the deadline has passed, calling 1345 or visiting the office may be safer.

Q. If the contract date and move-in date are different, which date matters?

Prepare around the date you actually changed your place of stay. If the timing is unclear, keep the contract, receipts, move-in proof, and ask the responsible office.

Q. What can GEA help with?

GEA housing consultation can help you review the contract, proof-of-residence documents, and the likely document gaps before you report the address change. Final decisions belong to the competent office, but preparing the right documents reduces avoidable delays.

A residence-change report is not difficult when the address and proof are clear. Handle it right after moving, then update your bank, SIM, school, and insurance records so your stay in Korea stays stable.