This is a special measure from the Ministry of Justice for undocumented foreigners (people staying in Korea without a valid visa or after their permitted stay has expired) who completed their COVID-19 vaccination in Korea. If you qualify and leave Korea voluntarily through the proper process, your overstay fine will be waived and any entry ban will be suspended. The Ministry of Justice introduced this measure on a temporary basis starting Tuesday, 12 October 2021.

Who Is Eligible

You must meet all of the following conditions.

  • You are an undocumented foreigner who completed your COVID-19 vaccination inside Korea by 31 December 2021.
  • This includes people who had already finished their vaccination before 12 October 2021.
  • “Fully vaccinated” means:
  • Single-dose vaccines (e.g. Janssen/Johnson & Johnson): 1 dose completed
  • Two-dose vaccines (e.g. Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca): both doses completed
  • You are still eligible even if 14 days have not yet passed since your final dose.
  • You can show proof of vaccination.
  • Both a printed COOV digital certificate and a paper certificate are accepted.

Benefits

If you follow the voluntary-departure pre-notification process described below, you receive two benefits.

  1. Fine waiver: The overstay fine, which can reach up to 30,000,000 Korean won (KRW) depending on how long you overstayed, is completely waived.
  2. Entry-ban suspension: Normally, leaving without paying the fine would trigger an entry ban ranging from 1 to 10 years depending on the length of overstay. Under this measure, that ban is suspended, meaning you will not face a disadvantage when applying for a visa to return to Korea in the future.

Who Is NOT Eligible

The following people cannot receive these benefits.

  • Foreigners who have committed a criminal offence
  • Foreigners caught violating quarantine or public health regulations
  • Foreigners whose custody has been transferred from a police station or similar authority

How to Voluntarily Depart

You need to follow the existing Voluntary Departure Pre-Notification System and then leave through an airport or seaport.

How to Submit Your Pre-Notification (choose one)

  1. Visit in person: Go to the nearest Korea Immigration Service office and notify them in person.
  2. Apply online: Submit your notification through the Hi Korea website (www.hikorea.go.kr).

When to Submit Your Notification

Please confirm the exact timing with your local Korea Immigration Service office or by calling 1345, as rules can change. Generally, the system operates on a window of 3 business days to 15 calendar days before your departure date.

Documents to Prepare

  • Passport
  • Voluntary departure notification form
  • Outbound flight or ferry ticket
  • Proof of vaccination (COOV app printout or paper certificate)

How Long This Measure Runs

This measure runs from Tuesday, 12 October 2021 until a separately announced end date. The end date will be set and announced with reference to the COVID-19 situation. If you are planning to depart, please call 1345 or contact your local Korea Immigration Service office to confirm that the measure is still active and to check the latest conditions.

Questions and Interpreter Support

If you have questions or are worried about the language barrier, do not hesitate to call the Immigration Contact Center (1345), just dial 1345 with no area code. Support is available in many languages.

HoursLanguages Available
24 hoursEnglish, Chinese
9 a.m., 6 p.m.Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Russian, Mongolian, Bangladeshi (Bengali), Pakistani (Urdu), Nepali, Cambodian (Khmer), Burmese, French, German, Spanish, Filipino (Tagalog), Arabic, Sinhalese