Passport Change Report in Korea for Foreigners: What to Update After Renewal
If your passport is renewed or changed in Korea, check the reporting deadline, required documents, ARC record, HiKorea options, and service mismatches.
This guide is for foreigners in Korea who received a new passport, changed passport number, or discovered that a Korean service still has old passport details. For the full immigration cluster, start from the ARC, Visa and Immigration Problems in Korea hub.
Quick Answer: What Should You Check First?
If your passport changed in Korea, do not treat it as only an embassy matter. Check these items:
- what changed: passport number, issue date, expiration date, name, nationality, or other detail
- whether you are a registered foreigner in Korea
- the reporting deadline for foreigner registration changes
- which documents prove the change
- whether a visit reservation or online option is available
- whether your ARC, visa extension, bank, phone, employer, school, or insurance records still show old details
The main risk is a mismatch. Even if the new passport is valid, old passport details in immigration or private-service records can create problems later.
Step 1: Check Whether the Change Must Be Reported
HiKorea's reporting obligations page says registered foreigners must report certain foreigner registration changes within 15 days from the date the reporting reason occurs. The listed reasons include changes to passport number, issue date, and expiration date.
If your passport was renewed, reissued, corrected, extended, or replaced, treat it as something to confirm with HiKorea, 1345, or the immigration office. Do not assume the embassy, airline, bank, or school automatically updates immigration records.
Step 2: Separate Passport Change From Name or Nationality Change
A simple passport renewal may change the passport number and expiration date. A different situation may also involve name, gender, date of birth, nationality, or other personal details. HiKorea lists name, gender, date of birth, and nationality changes as separate reporting reasons on the same reporting-obligations page.
If your new passport changed the spelling or order of your name, treat the case carefully. A name mismatch can affect immigration, banking, phone verification, airline tickets, employer records, school records, and insurance records. If the main issue is inconsistent name or passport details across services, read ARC Name or Passport Mismatch in Korea: What Foreigners Should Check.
Step 3: Check the 15-Day Deadline
HiKorea says the report should be made within 15 days from the date the reporting reason occurs. For passport change, the date may depend on when the new passport was issued or when the change became effective. If you are unsure, ask 1345 or the immigration office instead of guessing.
If the deadline already passed, do not ignore it. HiKorea warns that failing to report a foreigner registration change within the period can lead to a penalty. Prepare the documents and ask how to handle the late report.
Step 4: Prepare the Core Documents
HiKorea lists passport, foreigner registration card, report form, and documents proving the change as reporting documents. The page also says documents may be added or reduced if needed during review. If your passport change is one part of a wider address, name, school, employer, or status update, read What to Prepare Before Reporting a Change in Korea: Foreigner Checklist before choosing only one form.
Before reporting, prepare:
- new passport
- old passport, if available
- ARC, residence card, or foreigner registration card
- report form, if required
- proof of the changed passport details
- phone number and current address
- visit reservation receipt, if a reservation is required
If the old passport was lost or stolen, explain that clearly when contacting the office. If your ARC was also lost, read Lost ARC in Korea: What Foreigners Should Do Next.
Step 5: Check Whether You Need a HiKorea Visit Reservation
HiKorea's visit reservation guide says many immigration office visits use visit reservation, but it also notes that some passport change reports may be handled without a separate reservation. Because handling can vary by office and task, confirm before visiting.
If the reservation page, non-member authentication, or office selection is not working, read HiKorea Visit Reservation Not Working: What Foreigners Should Check. If the 15-day deadline is close, ask 1345 or the responsible office what to do before the deadline passes.
HiKorea's 2026 e-fax notice says that from June 1, 2026, only certain employment-change and D-10 training-related reports can be reported by fax, while passport-change reporting and several other items should be handled through electronic petition filing and fax submissions may be rejected. If the electronic petition screen, certificate step, category selection, or file upload is blocking you, read HiKorea Electronic Civil Petition Not Working: What Foreigners Should Check.
Step 6: Confirm the Correct Immigration Office
Office handling can depend on your address. Use the HiKorea immigration office jurisdiction search if you need to confirm the office responsible for your address.
If you moved recently, first check whether your address record is current. The office connected to your old address may not be the right office for a later passport-change problem. For the address checklist, read Address Change in Korea for Foreigners: What to Report After You Move.
Step 7: Check Visa Extension and Stay-Period Timing
A passport change can affect a visa extension file, pending review, travel planning, and stay-period questions. If your stay period is close to ending, read Visa Extension in Korea for Foreigners: What to Check Before Your Stay Expires.
You can also use the HiKorea stay expiration check page when you need to confirm the stay expiration date. Do not assume a new passport changes your permitted stay period.
Step 8: If an ARC or Residence Card Application Is Pending
If your passport changed while an ARC, residence card, visa extension, status change, or reissue application is pending, contact the office before submitting duplicate or conflicting information. A pending case may need the new passport detail attached to the file.
If you are not sure which stage is pending, read ARC Korea Delayed or Pending: What Foreigners Should Check. Ask whether your pending application needs an update, extra document, or new appointment.
Step 9: Update Banking, Phone, and Identity Records
Immigration reporting does not automatically update every bank, phone carrier, app, employer, school, hospital, or insurer. Some services may compare passport number, name, date of birth, nationality, registration number, phone number, and address.
If a bank task is blocked, read Bank Account in Korea for Foreigners: Requirements and Common Problems. If phone or app verification is affected, use the Phone, SIM and Verification Problems in Korea hub and Korean Phone Number for Foreigners: Do You Really Need One?. If insurance or hospital paperwork is affected, check Health Insurance in Korea for Foreigners: Basic Guide.
Step 10: If Your Name Looks Different on the New Passport
Name formatting can be a headache in Korea. A bank, phone carrier, school, airline, or app may treat spacing, hyphens, middle names, order, or capitalization differently. Immigration records may also need to match official passport wording.
Write down exactly how the name appears on the new passport, ARC, bank, phone contract, school or employer record, and key apps. If the mismatch blocks important services, ask the relevant office or company which record must be corrected first. If the passport update happened together with a new school, employer, workplace, or organization, read School or Employer Change in Korea for Foreign Residents: What to Check.
Step 11: If You Are Traveling Soon
If you have an upcoming flight, visa appointment, re-entry question, or overseas trip, check whether the new passport details are reflected in immigration and travel documents. Do not assume that renewing a passport automatically fixes airline, visa, or residence records.
If travel is urgent, contact 1345, your immigration office, airline, embassy or consulate, and any visa-related office involved. This article cannot confirm travel permission for your status.
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 you are a registered foreigner
- old passport number and new passport number
- new passport issue date and expiration date
- whether name, nationality, or date of birth changed
- whether your ARC or residence card is available
- whether you moved recently
- whether a visa extension or ARC application is pending
- whether the 15-day period is close or already passed
Ask where to report, whether a reservation is needed, which documents are accepted, whether a pending case must be updated, and what to do if private services still show the old passport details.
What Not to Do After a Passport Change
Do not ignore the passport-change report because your ARC is still valid. Do not assume the embassy, school, employer, bank, or airline updates immigration. Do not use old passport details on new applications after the record should be updated. Do not submit conflicting spellings of your name without checking which one should be official.
Also avoid relying only on another person's experience. Passport-change handling can depend on your status, office, address, pending applications, and the exact detail that changed.
Official Places to Check
For official information, start with the HiKorea main portal. For passport-change reporting, check HiKorea reporting obligations. For foreigner registration basics, check HiKorea foreigner registration. For immigration categories, check HiKorea immigration and stay information.
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 the responsible office.
FAQ
Do foreigners need to report a new passport in Korea?
HiKorea lists changes to passport number, issue date, and expiration date as foreigner registration change reporting reasons for registered foreigners. Confirm your own case with HiKorea, 1345, or the immigration office.
How soon should I report a passport change?
HiKorea says the report should be made within 15 days from the date the reporting reason occurs. If the deadline is unclear or already passed, ask the office how to handle it.
What documents are usually needed?
HiKorea lists passport, foreigner registration card, report form, and documents proving the change. The office may add or reduce documents depending on review.
Do I need a HiKorea visit reservation?
HiKorea's reservation guide notes that some passport change reports may be handled without a separate reservation, but you should confirm the handling for your office and case.
Does a new passport change my visa expiration date?
No, do not assume that. A passport change and stay-period permission are separate issues. Check your stay expiration date and contact immigration if unsure.
What if my bank or phone carrier still has my old passport?
Update immigration first if required, then ask the bank, carrier, employer, school, hospital, or insurer what document they need to update their own record.
Final Check
After renewing or changing your passport in Korea, confirm the report deadline, documents, correct office, reservation handling, pending immigration files, and any bank, phone, insurance, school, employer, or travel records that still show old passport details. For more related immigration guides, return to the ARC, Visa and Immigration Problems in Korea hub.
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