This guide helps you decide whether to reserve an immigration-office visit and prepare a reservation that matches the correct office and service. HiKorea provides both electronic civil services and visit reservations. Do not assume that every task requires an in-person appointment: first check whether it is available online, then confirm the office with jurisdiction over your address.
Before you reserve: make three decisions
| Question | Action | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Can this be handled online? | Check HiKorea’s electronic civil-service menu. | An online application may avoid an unnecessary visit. |
| Which office has jurisdiction? | Use the official jurisdiction search with your Korean address. | A reservation at the wrong office may not be usable. |
| Which service do you need? | Identify the exact task: registration, extension, status change, card matter or another service. | The selected service must match your documents and purpose. |
If the route is unclear, call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345 in Korea before booking. The official center provides multilingual immigration counseling on weekdays from 09:00 to 22:00; after 18:00, service is limited to Korean, English and Chinese.
Prepare this information first
- Name exactly as shown in your passport
- Date of birth, nationality and a reachable phone number
- Passport number and, if applicable, residence-card number
- Current Korean residential address
- The exact immigration service required
- Your expiration date or deadline
- Preferred date and time plus a backup
A visit reservation is not an approval and does not extend a deadline. If your permitted stay is close to expiring or the case is unusual, confirm the correct filing route with 1345.
Step-by-step reservation
- Open the official HiKorea website and select a language if needed.
- Open Visit Reservation under the civil-service menu. Labels may differ slightly between desktop and mobile.
- Sign in or follow the identity-verification path shown by HiKorea.
- Select the office, then compare it with the official jurisdiction search.
- Select the service or purpose that matches the application you will submit.
- Choose an available date and time. Availability alone does not prove you chose the correct office.
- Review the details, submit the reservation and save the confirmation or receipt.
- Reopen the reservation-status page to confirm that the appointment appears. Save a screenshot or PDF showing the office, date and time.
Check the confirmation
- Applicant details are correct
- The office is responsible for your address
- The service matches your intended application
- Date and arrival time are clear
- Reservation or receipt number is visible
- Office-specific instructions are saved
A reservation does not replace the document checklist
Requirements vary by status, application and personal circumstances. Use current HiKorea guidance or ask 1345 for the checklist for your exact case. Organize:
- Passport and residence card, if issued
- Reservation confirmation
- Current application form
- Evidence required for the specific service
- Fee or payment method indicated by the authority
- Copies or originals specified in the official checklist
Do not rely on an old blog checklist for a visa or residence matter. Requirements can change, and two applicants may need different documents for similarly named services.
Common problems and next actions
| Problem | Next action |
|---|---|
| No suitable time appears | Check later and ask 1345 whether another filing route applies. Do not book the wrong office just because it has space. |
| Unsure which office to choose | Use the jurisdiction search or call 1345; official ARS option 1 covers office location, jurisdiction and service hours. |
| Reservation does not appear | Check the signed-in reservation-status page. If it is missing, do not assume completion. |
| Passport or address changed | Confirm whether the reservation and application details must be updated. |
| Deadline is close | Call 1345 promptly and ask how to file on time. An unavailable slot does not automatically change a legal deadline. |
| Need to cancel or change | Use the reservation-status screen and save the updated confirmation. |
On the appointment day
- Bring the confirmation and exact required documents.
- Arrive early enough to find the correct counter.
- Organize originals and copies by checklist item.
- If more evidence is requested, record the exact item, format, deadline and submission route.
- Keep every receipt and application number until the case is completed.
Useful Korean sentences
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 방문예약을 확인하고 싶습니다. | I would like to check my visit reservation. |
| 제 주소의 관할 사무소가 어디인가요? | Which office has jurisdiction over my address? |
| 이 민원은 온라인으로 신청할 수 있나요? | Can I apply for this service online? |
| 필요한 서류 목록을 확인하고 싶습니다. | I would like to confirm the required documents. |
| 예약 확인서를 다시 받을 수 있나요? | Can I receive the confirmation again? |
Official sources
- HiKorea official portal
- HiKorea office jurisdiction search
- Korea Immigration Service: Contact Center 1345
Reviewed against HiKorea and Korea Immigration Service information on 27 September 2026. This is a practical navigation guide, not legal advice; verify case-specific requirements with HiKorea or 1345.