To be recognized as a refugee in Korea, you need to submit an application and go through a formal review process. Depending on where you are when you apply, there are two routes: applying at a port of entry and applying while already staying in Korea. If the decision goes against you, you can also challenge it through an appeal or an administrative lawsuit. We walk through each step below. Please note that figures, deadlines, and the offices responsible can change, so always check the latest information with the Immigration Contact Center (1345) or your local Korea Immigration Service (KIS) before you apply.

Quick Overview of the Process

  1. 1. Submit the Refugee Recognition Application

    Submit it immediately upon arriving at a port of entry (before going through immigration inspection), or at the KIS office that covers your address if you are already in Korea.

  2. 2. Interview and Referral Decision

    For port-of-entry applications, a decision on whether to refer your case to the full review is made within 7 days. For in-country applications, the review begins straight away.

  3. 3. Refugee Interview

    A case officer checks your reasons for applying and any risk of persecution. You can request interpreter support.

  4. 4. Refugee Recognition Decision (within 6 months)

    If recognized, you receive a Refugee Recognition Certificate and F-2 residence status. If not recognized, you receive a Notice of Non-recognition.

  5. 5. Appeal (within 30 days)

    If not recognized, you can submit an appeal at any KIS office nationwide; the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) Refugee Committee reviews it.

  6. 6. Administrative Lawsuit (within 90 days)

    If the appeal is also dismissed, you can file a lawsuit in the administrative court to cancel the non-recognition decision.

1. Applying for Refugee Status at a Port of Entry

Who can apply, when, and how?

A foreign national who has just arrived at an airport or seaport and has not yet gone through immigration inspection can apply here. You submit a Refugee Recognition Application to the head of the regional KIS office that covers the port where you arrived.

How the process flows

  1. Submit the Refugee Recognition Application - Do this immediately upon arriving at the port of entry, before going through immigration inspection.
  2. Interview - The head of the KIS office or KIS branch office interviews you.
  3. Referral decision (within 7 days) - A decision is made on whether there are sufficient grounds to refer your case to the full refugee review.
  • If referred: You are admitted into Korea, and the full review is treated as having started on the date of the referral decision.
  • If not referred: A separate immigration inspection is conducted to decide whether you may enter. If you disagree with the non-referral decision, you can file an administrative lawsuit in court.

2. Applying for Refugee Status While Already in Korea

Who can apply, when, and how?

Any foreign national who is already staying in Korea can apply. You visit the regional KIS office that covers your current address in person and submit your Refugee Recognition Application along with the required documents.

For the full list of required documents and the location of the office that covers your address, check HiKorea or call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345. Figures and deadlines can change, so please verify the latest information with 1345 or your local KIS office before applying. Also see the guide on residence obligations and reporting an extension of stay for asylum seekers.

3. The Refugee Review Process (Common to Both Routes)

Once your case has been referred for a full review - whether you applied at a port of entry or from within Korea - the steps below apply to everyone.

  1. Refugee interview - A case officer interviews you to check your reasons for applying and any risk of persecution. If Korean is difficult for you, you can request interpreter support, and you can also ask for an interpreter of the same gender.
  2. Refugee recognition decision - In principle, a decision is issued within 6 months of the date your application was accepted. If unavoidable, this period can be extended by up to another 6 months. Please check the latest information with 1345 or your local KIS office before applying.
  3. Notification of outcome
  • If recognized as a refugee: You receive a Refugee Recognition Certificate and are granted F-2 (resident) status.
  • If not recognized: You receive a Notice of Non-recognition. The same notice will also tell you whether you have been granted humanitarian stay.

4. Appeal

Even if your application is not recognized, you can file an appeal. A first non-recognition decision is not necessarily final - you can challenge it through an appeal or an administrative lawsuit within the set deadlines. The procedures and deadlines are very important, so if at all possible, seek help from a lawyer or a refugee support organization.

  • Deadline: Within 30 days of the date you receive your Notice of Non-recognition
  • Where to submit: Any KIS office nationwide (branch offices, local offices, and foreigner detention centers all accept appeals)
  • Who decides: Your appeal goes through the MOJ Refugee Committee for deliberation, and the Minister of Justice issues the final decision. This means a different body reviews your case compared to the first-stage review.

Always verify the current deadline with 1345 or your local KIS office before filing.

Possible outcomes of the appeal

  • Appeal accepted: You are recognized as a refugee and receive a Refugee Recognition Certificate.
  • Appeal dismissed: You receive a Notice of Dismissal of Appeal, and you may then file an administrative lawsuit in court.

More detailed guidance on appeals (in Korean, English, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, and French) is available on the HiKorea appeal guidance page.

5. Administrative Lawsuit to Cancel a Refugee Non-recognition Decision

If your appeal has been dismissed - or if you want to go straight to court without filing an appeal first - you can file a lawsuit in court to have the non-recognition decision cancelled.

  • Deadline: Within 90 days of whichever of the following is applicable to you:
  • The date you received the Notice of Non-recognition, or
  • The date you received the Notice of Dismissal of Appeal
  • Where to file: A court (not a KIS office)
  • How: You must prepare a written complaint (소장) yourself and submit it to the relevant administrative court.

Deadlines and other figures can change, so please verify the latest information with 1345 or your local KIS office before proceeding.