MOJ enforces 4th Extension of Stay by Authority for 90,000 foreign residents to minimize local travel amid the COVID pandemic
□ The Ministry of Justice (Minister Park Beom Kye) announces that it will extend the Period of Stay, by its authority, for some 90,000 registered foreign residents and Overseas Korean (F-4) residents whose authorized stay in the country is set to expire soon. The measure, effective from July 19 (Mon.), 2021 will grant them extension of stay for three (3) months as part of efforts to prevent the community spread of COVID-19 as the nation raises its social distancing rules to the toughest level of 4 for the greater Seoul area.
□ The MOJ’s decision to extend their stay comes at a time when the country continues to report record-high daily cases of COVID-19, prompting calls for stricter social distancing measures to contain surging infections and aims to curb local travel among registered foreign residents who otherwise need to travel in their communities to extend the stay as their permission approaches expiration date.
❍ The Extension of Stay by authority measure is expected to significantly decrease visit volume at local immigration (branch) offices across the nation, considering that individual applications for the permission account for more than 20% (2,200 on daily average with a total of 552,043 cases processed in 2020) of entire applications filed by foreign residents in the nation.
❍ In addition, this policy will be particularly effective in limiting the virus transmission in local communities by reducing public transportation usage, given that it requires more than a 2-hour travel to visit a jurisdictional immigration office depending on foreigners’ place of residence.
□ To be more specific, out of registered foreigners who are legally staying in the Republic of Korea as of July 9 (Fri.), 2021, around 90,000 foreign nationals (including Foreign National Koreans who have reported their domestic place of residence) whose period of stay comes to an end between July 19 (Mon.) and September 30 (Thu.), 2021 will be granted a 3-month extension of stay from the original date of expiration.
＊ The Extension of Stay by Authority Measure only applies to those legally staying in the Republic of Korea and does not apply to illegal/missing immigrants.
※ Those who have already applied for Permission to Extend Period of Stay either in-person or online, those staying abroad, foreign residents defaulting on national health insurance fees/tax payments and those with recent criminal records (including suspension of prosecution, suspension of sentence) are excluded from the measure.
❍ Non-Professional (E-9), Maritime Crew (E-10), Work and Visit (H-2) and Miscellaneous (G-1) status holders are, however, excluded from the above measure as their status can not be extended by authority under the relevant laws and regulations.
※ Using e-Application services at www.hikorea.go.kr, or filing group applications through employers is highly recommended for those not eligible for the Extension of Stay by Authority.
❍ The aforementioned measure requires no additional applications at local immigration offices as it comes into force by authority of Minister of Justice, and the extended period of stay can be checked at Expiry Date Check on the HiKorea website (www.hikorea.go.kr).
□ The Ministry of Justice has previously implemented such Extension of Stay by Authority in February, April and December of 2020 respectively, in line with the nation’s social distancing guidelines and has contributed to preventing the spread of COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic by curtailing in-person visits to public institutions in the nation.
□ Details regarding its implementation will be posted on the website of HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr) and further inquiries on the measure can be addressed at 1345, the Immigration Contact Center, with no need to visit local immigration offices.