Alien Registration Card

Before you head out to the immigration office to apply for your Alien Registration Card (ARC) you'll need:

• Filled out application
• Passport
• Certificate of Admission
• Korean Address
• ₩10,000
• 1 Color Photo

You can take your photo at Sinchon station on one of the photo machines. It's located in the middle of the station:

Please remember to bring your Korean address cause they WILL need it. If your 하숙 has a business card, then bring it with you. To get your ARC you will need to go to Seoul Immigration Office. To get to Seoul Immigration Office take Line 2 toward Hongik University station. Transfer off Line 5 at Yeongdeungpo-gu Office station. Get off at Omokgyo station. Go through exit 7 and you should see:

Go straight and you should see this sign:

Keep going straight and pass this:

Keep going straight until you see:

Once you see the buildings above you should be almost there. Cross the street to the left and then forward and enter:

Once you enter the building you'll be tempted to go to the visa floor upstairs like I did and wander around aimlessly, haha. While I was at the Visa floor, someone I THOUGHT was going to help me scammed me a little. I went up to the window at the Visa department and the attendant photocopied my passport . I thought I was on the right floor, but apparently I wasn't. The attendant charged me a fee for photocopying my passport and then directed me back downstairs which I never wanted done in the first place. I still didn't know where the hell I was going. I keep changing rooms on the first floor not knowing if I was even in the right place. I figured out which room was the right one by looking at the faces of a lot of foreigners at the Residence Service Division room:

Once you're there take a number at the ticket machine, but remember to press the red arrow. For some reason I had better luck getting the ticket machine to spit out a number then the "Click" button. Get a ticket for Alien Registration/Visa Extension:

Wait for your number:

While you're waiting for your number go grab a Application Form(Report Form) and remember to mark an X on Alien Registration on the upper right corner of the form:

Once your number comes up, go the attendant and they will take care of the rest for you. Pay the attendant ₩10,000. Once everything is done they will give you a receipt, but will KEEP YOUR PASSPORT. They will mark on the receipt when to pick up your ARC:

It usually takes 14 days. When you go back to pick up your ARC and passport, remember to get a ticket for Registration Card/Passport Pick Up instead of the Alien Registration/Visa Extension ticket this time. I took the Alien Registration/Visa Extension ticket and had to wait a long while:

Then they just directed me to the other line >__<. Such a waste of time. Don't make follow my mistakes guys. This is how your card should look like:

My eyes are all cockeyed, haha. I was wearing a hat too so my hair is all lopsided. I really didn't care too much though. It's only a picture to me.

Get more information about Seoul Immigration Office directions and ARC procedure here.