Contact immigration promptly
If you may be unable to leave before your permitted stay ends, contact immigration before the deadline. If you have already overstayed, contact it promptly rather than waiting until the airport.
Call 1345, the Ministry of Justice's immigration information service. Have your passport, arrival date, permitted departure date and travel plans ready. Explain any illness, cancelled flight or other circumstances and keep supporting records.
Ask which departure procedure applies
The immigration service's voluntary-departure policy describes advance notification and potential relief from entry restrictions for eligible people who depart voluntarily and pay the assessed fine. Its published procedure includes notification 3–15 days before departure through the responsible office or online service.
Confirm the exact deadline, eligibility and required steps with immigration for your case. Do not treat a general description as a guarantee that a fine or entry restriction will be waived. Temporary programmes can have additional conditions and end dates.
Ask when to arrive at the airport, which office to attend and how any payment must be made. Buying a ticket alone does not complete the reporting process.
Understand that the outcome depends on the case
The length of the overstay, previous violations and other circumstances can affect the outcome. Consequences can include fines, removal and restrictions on future entry. Do not rely on an unofficial table to calculate a guaranteed penalty.
If you need advice about a disputed decision, criminal exposure or a complicated immigration history, seek a qualified Korean lawyer. The information service can explain procedures, but it does not replace representation in an individual case.
Keep records and answer future applications accurately
Keep copies of notices, receipts and departure documents. An overstay can be relevant to later visa or travel-authorisation applications, so answer the questions asked accurately.
K-ETA means Korea Electronic Travel Authorization, a pre-travel approval for eligible visa-free visitors. A later approval or exemption does not erase the need to disclose information requested in a future application.
