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Permanent residence, overseas Koreans & family stay

Granting Status of Sojourn to a Foreign Child Born in Korea — 90-Day Deadline and Required Documents

When a child of two foreign parents is born in the Republic of Korea and stays without a status of sojourn, the child must obtain a status of sojourn within 90 days from the date of birth (Immigration Act, Article 23(1)1). Apply at an immigration office with an integrated application form and documents such as a birth certificate, and a child who will stay longer than 90 days completes alien registration at the time the status is granted (Article 31(3)).

Written by Hwang Yunsang, Administrative Agent · Published 2026-10-24 · Updated 2026-10-24

Procedure

Procedure type
  • Permit Difficulty High

    A procedure that allows a business, activity or stay that the law generally restricts, after review; licenses fall into this type. The authority reviews facility standards, location and consultation with other agencies, and a permit can be refused if the standards are not met.

We will fill out the necessary application documents for alien registration and extension of stay. We will check the proof of immigration status and guide you through the electronic civil service/visit application and identity verification procedures.

Scope & fee
Prepare foreigner registration documents for applicant's in-person filing
We will prepare an alien registration application form and proof of each qualification for 1 applicant. We will provide you with your identity and residence information and guide you through the visit and fingerprinting procedures. Office visit submission, stay extension, and qualification change are separate.
Official fee source ↗
Foreigner registration with 1 in-person filing in the Seoul metropolitan area
We will prepare alien registration documents for 1 applicant and submit them in person at the Seoul metropolitan area jurisdiction. You will be provided with proof of your identity, place of residence, and qualifications, and your fingerprints and identity verification will be performed by you. Extensions, qualification changes, and additional on-site visits are separate.
Official fee source ↗

  1. 1. Confirm the child's nationality first

    If the father or mother is a Korean national at the time of birth, the child acquires Korean nationality at birth and is not subject to a grant of status of sojourn (Nationality Act, Article 2(1)1). Apply for a grant of status only when both parents are foreign nationals.

  2. 2. Confirm the status and attachments

    The status the child receives and the required attachments depend on the parents' status. For example, F-3 (Dependent Family) requires a birth certificate, F-1 (Visiting or Joining Family) requires a birth certificate and proof of relationship, and if a parent held F-5 (Permanent Residence) at the time of birth, proof of family relationship, a birth certificate and an identity document of the country of nationality are required (Enforcement Rule, Annex 5-2).

  3. 3. Prepare the child's passport and birth certificate

    When the status is granted, a status-grant seal or sticker is placed in the passport (Enforcement Decree, Article 29(3)), so first obtain the child's passport from the embassy of the country of nationality. Documents issued abroad must have an apostille or consular legalization (Enforcement Rule, Annex 5-2, notes).

  4. 4. Apply for the status grant and alien registration within 90 days

    Submit the integrated application form (Enforcement Rule, Form No. 34) with the attachments to an immigration office (Enforcement Decree, Article 29(1)). The fees are 80,000 won for the status grant (Enforcement Rule, Article 72(4)) and 35,000 won for issuance of an alien registration card (Article 72(10)).

  5. 5. If the deadline has passed

    If the child does not obtain a status of sojourn within 90 days of birth, it is a violation of the Immigration Act and subject to a notice of fine. The fine is 500,000 won for a violation period of less than 1 month and increases with the period (Enforcement Rule, Annex 7), so apply immediately even if late.

Required documents

  • Integrated application form (Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Form No. 34, marking status grant and alien registration)
  • Child's passport
  • Birth certificate
  • Proof of family relationship (relationship with parents, submitted according to the status)
  • Copy of the parents' alien registration cards (to confirm the parents' status, if requested by the office)
  • Identity document of the country of nationality (if a parent holds F-5 (Permanent Residence))
  • Fees (80,000 won for the status grant, 35,000 won for the alien registration card)

Fees

Administrative service fee
  • Prepare foreigner registration documents for applicant's in-person filing from KRW 300,000
  • Foreigner registration with 1 in-person filing in the Seoul metropolitan area from KRW 500,000
All administrative service fees exclude 10% VAT.

The government fees are 80,000 won for the status grant and 35,000 won for issuance of an alien registration card, and they may be waived if the Minister of Justice recognizes humanitarian reasons. Our office fee starts from the amount shown above and may vary depending on the parents' status, whether documents issued abroad need authentication, and whether siblings apply at the same time; we will give you an exact quote after reviewing your documents.

See fees and official charges for this service →

Legal basis and review date

  • Immigration Act, Articles 23, 31, 94 and 95
  • Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Article 29
  • Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Article 72(4) and (10), Article 74
  • Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Article 76 and Annex 5-2
  • Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Article 86 and Annex 7
  • Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Form No. 34
  • Nationality Act, Article 2

Checked against the statutes on

Statutes and public notices change, so each case needs to be checked individually. Statute titles are given in English for reference. The Korean statutes are the authoritative text.

Check these first

  • The 90-day deadline is counted from the date of birth, so check in advance whether you can file within the deadline even if passport issuance is delayed.
  • Family relationship documents issued abroad may not be accepted without an apostille or consular legalization.

Frequently asked questions

When must we apply after our baby, born to foreign parents, is born in Korea?
The child must obtain a status of sojourn within 90 days from the date of birth (Immigration Act, Article 23(1)1). A child who will continue to stay beyond 90 days also completes alien registration at the time the status is granted (Article 31(3)).
If the father is Korean and the mother is a foreign national, does the child need a status of sojourn?
No. If the father or mother is a Korean national at the time of birth, the child acquires Korean nationality at birth (Nationality Act, Article 2(1)1). In this case, the child's birth is reported as a Korean national instead of applying for a status grant.
How much is the fee for a status grant?
The fee for a status grant is 80,000 won (Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Article 72(4)), and a separate fee of 35,000 won applies for the alien registration card (Article 72(10)). There is no exemption based on birth, but the fee may be waived if the Minister of Justice recognizes humanitarian reasons.
What happens if 90 days have already passed?
The child is treated as having stayed without a status of sojourn and is subject to a notice of fine. The fine is 500,000 won for less than 1 month and increases as the period gets longer (Enforcement Rule, Annex 7), so it is important to apply as soon as you notice.
Can we apply if the baby does not have a passport yet?
When the status is granted, a seal or sticker is placed in the passport (Enforcement Decree, Article 29(3)), so the usual order is to obtain the child's passport from the embassy of the country of nationality first. If passport issuance will be delayed, check with the competent immigration office in advance.
Can an administrative agent apply for the child's status grant for us?
Yes. Hwang Yunsang Administrative Office checks the attachments that match the parents' status, prepares the integrated application form, and submits the status grant and alien registration application to the immigration office on your behalf.

Other guides in this area

Contact us

Hwang Yunsang Administrative Office in Songdo, Incheon prepares and submits administrative documents and explains the procedure. If your situation is similar, send us a message.

📞 Call 010-3374-2687 KakaoTalk Book a free 1-hour consultation WhatsApp ✍️ Request a consultation for this service
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📍 2697, 26F POSCO Tower-Songdo, 165 Convensia-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea · 📞 010-3374-2687 · 🌐 hwangadmin.com

This guide is general information based on public sources. Requirements, documents and deadlines differ by case and by the competent agency, so please confirm them before you proceed.