Lost ARC in Korea: What Foreigners Should Do Next
If you lost your ARC or residence card in Korea, check whether it is truly missing, report the loss, prepare reissue documents, and contact immigration.
This guide is for foreigners who lost a Korean ARC, residence card, or foreigner registration card and need a practical next-step checklist. For the full immigration cluster, start from the ARC, Visa and Immigration Problems in Korea hub.
Quick Answer: What Should You Do First?
If your ARC is lost in Korea, do these checks before guessing what to file:
- search the last places where you used or carried the card
- check whether the card is lost, stolen, damaged, expired, or only temporarily unavailable
- check whether your passport and stay status are still valid
- check HiKorea for loss reporting or reissue information
- confirm the immigration office responsible for your address
- prepare reissue documents before booking or visiting
- protect banking, phone, school, employer, housing, and insurance tasks that may need the card
The goal is to avoid turning one missing card into several separate problems. A lost card, a pending reissue, a close stay expiration date, and blocked identity verification should be handled as connected issues.
Step 1: Make Sure the ARC Is Actually Lost
Before reporting or applying for reissue, check whether the card is at home, at work, at school, in a wallet, at a bank, at a hospital, in a delivery envelope, or with an office that recently checked your identification. If the card may have been stolen with a wallet or bag, also think about bank cards, phone access, and other identification.
Do not delay important immigration steps too long, but do avoid creating duplicate reports if you simply left the card at a known place. If you are unsure whether to report immediately, call 1345 or the responsible immigration office.
Step 2: Understand the Official Reissue Category
HiKorea's foreigner registration card issuance and reissue page lists loss or disappearance of the card as a reissue reason. The same page says reissue is handled by the local immigration office responsible for your address.
Many foreigners still say ARC, but official wording may use foreigner registration card, alien registration card, residence card, or registration card. When preparing documents or talking to an office, follow the wording used by HiKorea or the immigration office.
Step 3: Check the HiKorea Loss Report Page
HiKorea has a foreigner registration card loss report page. It may require identity authentication, so have passport and registration information ready if you can access it.
If the online report page does not work, do not assume the problem is solved. Contact 1345, check whether a visit is needed, and ask what evidence or form is required for your own case.
Step 4: Prepare the Reissue Documents
HiKorea's reissue page lists common documents for reissue, including passport, application form, material explaining the reason for the application when the card is lost, a color photo in some cases, and a fee. The exact handling can still depend on your situation and office.
Before visiting, prepare:
- passport
- application form for reissue
- explanation or proof related to the loss, if required
- recent color photo if required
- fee payment method accepted by the office
- address and contact information
- any appointment or reservation receipt
If your passport was also lost or replaced, that becomes a separate problem. Contact your embassy or consulate and confirm the immigration steps before trying to solve the ARC alone. If the passport has been renewed or changed, read Passport Change Report in Korea for Foreigners: What to Update After Renewal. If the replacement creates inconsistent name, passport, or registration details, read ARC Name or Passport Mismatch in Korea: What Foreigners Should Check.
Step 5: Confirm the Correct Immigration Office
HiKorea says foreigner registration card reissue is handled by the local immigration office responsible for the address. Use the HiKorea immigration office jurisdiction search before booking or visiting.
This matters if you moved recently, live in temporary housing, changed school or employer, or are not sure which address is in the immigration record. A wrong office can delay reissue.
If you moved recently, read Address Change in Korea for Foreigners: What to Report After You Move before booking the wrong office for a replacement card.
Step 6: Check Whether You Need a Visit Reservation
Many immigration office tasks use the HiKorea visit reservation system. If the card is lost and you need reissue, check whether your office and task require an appointment before going. The HiKorea visit reservation guide explains that visit reservation is used for selecting an immigration office visit date and time.
If the reservation screen is not working, read HiKorea Visit Reservation Not Working: What Foreigners Should Check. Do not wait until a deadline passes just because the calendar looks full.
Step 7: Check Your Stay Expiration Date
A lost ARC is a card problem, but it can become a stay-period problem if your permitted stay is close to ending. Use the HiKorea stay expiration check page if you need to confirm the date.
If you also need a stay extension, read Visa Extension in Korea for Foreigners: What to Check Before Your Stay Expires. Do not assume that applying for card reissue automatically solves an extension deadline.
Step 8: Protect Banking, Phone, and Daily-Life Access
A missing ARC can affect daily life. A bank, mobile carrier, hospital, landlord, employer, or school may ask for the residence card or registration details. If a bank account task is blocked, read Bank Account in Korea for Foreigners: Requirements and Common Problems.
If phone identity verification is affected, check the Phone, SIM and Verification Problems in Korea hub and Korean Phone Number for Foreigners: Do You Really Need One?. If hospital or insurance paperwork is affected, check Health Insurance in Korea for Foreigners: Basic Guide.
Step 9: If Your Reissue Application Becomes Pending
After you report the loss or apply for reissue, your issue may become a pending application problem. Keep the receipt, appointment confirmation, text message, or office instruction. If card issuance, review, pickup, or delivery is delayed, read ARC Korea Delayed or Pending: What Foreigners Should Check and Residence Card Pickup or Delivery Problems in Korea: What Foreigners Should Check.
Ask the office what proof you can use while the replacement card is pending. Do not assume every bank, carrier, employer, or hospital will accept the same temporary evidence.
If you were using a mobile residence card or lost the phone that held it, also read Mobile Residence Card in Korea for Foreigners: What to Check. The safe next step depends on whether the physical card, the phone, or both are missing.
Step 10: If the Lost Card Is Found Later
If you find the old card after reporting a loss or applying for reissue, do not simply use both cards. Confirm with HiKorea, 1345, or the immigration office what to do. The old card may not be valid after a replacement process begins or finishes.
You can also use official HiKorea tools such as the registration card validity check page when relevant, but official office guidance is still important if a lost card was reported.
Step 11: If the ARC Was Lost With Your Wallet or Phone
If the card was lost with bank cards, a phone, passport copy, or other personal documents, treat it as an identity and access problem too. Contact your bank or card issuer about payment cards, lock phone access if necessary, and avoid sharing photos of the card online.
This article focuses on the immigration card. It does not replace police, bank, phone carrier, embassy, school, employer, or insurance guidance when those separate problems are involved.
Step 12: What to Ask 1345 or the Immigration Office
Before calling or visiting, prepare a specific question. Include:
- your visa or stay status
- whether the card is lost, stolen, damaged, or found again
- your passport nationality and passport status
- your current address and responsible office
- your stay expiration date
- whether you already made a HiKorea report or reservation
- whether you have a receipt or confirmation number
- whether any bank, phone, employer, school, or hospital task is blocked
Ask which reissue documents are required, whether a visit reservation is needed, how to handle a close deadline, and what proof can be used while the replacement card is pending.
What Not to Do After Losing an ARC
Do not use a photo of the old ARC as if it replaces the physical card unless the receiving office or company accepts it. Do not ignore a close visa or stay deadline. Do not give personal documents to unofficial agents or random online groups. Do not assume the same rule applies to every office or visa status.
Also avoid relying on another person's experience as a complete answer. The right process can depend on address, card type, visa status, whether the card was lost or stolen, and whether any other immigration application is pending.
Official Places to Check
For official information, start with the HiKorea main portal. For registration basics, check HiKorea foreigner registration. For card reissue, check HiKorea foreigner registration card issuance and reissue. For online loss reporting, check the HiKorea foreigner registration card loss report page.
For office jurisdiction, use the HiKorea immigration office search. For office visits, check the HiKorea visit reservation guide. For stay period lookup, use the HiKorea stay expiration check. If the answer is still unclear, call 1345 or contact your local immigration office.
FAQ
Can I get a new ARC if I lost it in Korea?
HiKorea lists loss or disappearance of a foreigner registration card as a reissue reason. Confirm the required documents and office handling for your own situation.
Where do I apply for ARC reissue?
HiKorea says reissue is handled by the local immigration office responsible for your address. Use the office jurisdiction search before booking or visiting.
What documents are needed for a lost ARC?
HiKorea lists passport, application form, material explaining the reason for the application when the card is lost, photo in some cases, and fee. Ask the office if your case needs anything else.
Do I need a HiKorea visit reservation?
Many immigration office tasks use visit reservation, but handling can depend on task and office. Check HiKorea and ask 1345 or your office if you are unsure.
Can I use a photo of my ARC while waiting?
Sometimes a company may accept a copy for limited checks, but do not assume it replaces the physical card or official proof. Ask the bank, carrier, employer, school, hospital, or office that needs it.
What if I find the old ARC after applying for reissue?
Confirm with HiKorea, 1345, or the immigration office before using the old card. It may not be valid after a loss report or replacement process.
Final Check
If your ARC is lost in Korea, confirm the card is missing, check the official reissue process, prepare documents, confirm the correct office, and protect any bank, phone, insurance, school, employer, or visa deadline affected by the missing card. For more related immigration guides, return to the ARC, Visa and Immigration Problems in Korea hub.
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