For students with D-2 visa and is staying for more than 90 days in South Korea is required to apply for an Alien Registration Card (ARC) which will act like a visa for us to leave and return to South Korea at any time throughout the visa validity period. The visa that I had apply for back in Malaysia prior to coming to South Korea was only for a single entry, meaning that I cannot leave South Korea once I arrive here, until I get my ARC. According to an email I have received from Yonsei University regarding the application of ARC, and I quote, "You cannot leave Korea until have received your Alien Registration Card. Otherwise, you will have to reapply for D-2 visa when you come back." So I guess that explains it.
As September is the start of a new school semester hence there will be a lot of students registering for an ARC. Normally, ARC can be done within 2 weeks, but it could take up to 6 weeks during peak period (like now). As a student of Yonsei University, I had two choices:
1. To apply for the ARC myself at the Seoul Southern Immigration Office 서울남부출입국관리사무소 (Kindly check which immigration office branch your university belongs to, Yonsei University falls under the Southern branch) within 90 days of arrival in South Korea. If everything goes smoothly and all documents are submitted properly, one visit to the immigration office is sufficient. You can opt to come back for a second visit to collect the ARC or pay an extra 3,000won for them to mail it to your accommodation.
2. To apply with the aid of visa agency service provided by Yonsei University, which will be done in campus. It will be done slightly later, in early mid September. There is an extra charge of 10,000won if you apply it with Yonsei University as you will be able to save some time and more convenient (only one visit to the immigration office to register your fingerprints + collect your ARC in campus).
I opted for the first choice because to do the ARC myself now and receive it around October is almost the same time as me applying with Yonsei and then receive it in mid October. Lucky me, I had all my documents ready, I managed to apply for it in one go, so no second visit for me! And I paid extra 3,000won so that they can mail my ARC to my house.
Below are the documents that I brought with me, some mandatory and some I just bring it, juuuuust in case they need it. Better safe than sorry, right?
The documents needed for ARC application for different purpose of staying might be different, so kindly check the official website for more updated information (HiKorea).
1. Appointment receipt (go to HiKorea website to make an online appointment prior to visit, after inputing all your information and choosing an appointment time, a receipt will be generated)
2. Application form (you can get them here)
- There are also forms that the immigration office that you can fill up manually.
3. Passport (original)
4. Passport copy + visa copy (prepare copies of your passport that contains your details and visa information)
5. Passport photo (colour, 3.4x4.5)
6. Certificate of admission (Given by university that you are admitted to)
7. Documents to prove your place of residence (in my case, I am not staying in the dorm so I provided the lease contract).
8. Just in case, I have also prepared the Business Registration certificate of Yonsei, my medical check up result, and letter of invitation from NIIED.
I have booked an appointment at 9:50am and I arrived there around 9:20am. It was located at the 3rd floor. There was a name list at the door with your name and waiting number. Mine was 17 and the current number was 10. After my number was called, I handed over all the mandatory documents and I was ask to proceed to the 2nd floor near the Woori bank ATM to pay the 30,000won processing fee and 3,000won extra if I want my ARC to be mailed to me.
After that, I brought the receipt back to the 3rd floor to the counter where I handed all my documents to, my fingerprints were then registered. And poof, everything done by 10am. Everything was literally done in less than 10 minutes.
I was also schedule to do my medical check up by Yonsei University today. I think Korean universities here doesn't really need the checkups I did in Malaysia. They wanted me to re-do it in South Korea. I went to a check-up centre appointed to me by Yonsei University at Daerim.
My name was already in the list and they handed me a medical check up form. I did a urine test, x-ray, eye-sight test, listening test, blood test and also basic measurement of my height and weight. Although there were a lot of people come and go, the check-ups were done in less than 30mins.
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