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South Korea alien registration photo requirements

The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice for the South Korea alien registration, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 5 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the South Korea alien registration photo?

A photo for Korean foreigner registration (the ARC) is 3.5 x 4.5 cm (35 x 45 mm), in colour, taken within the past 6 months. The immigration service asks for a plain white background with no border, a face of 2.5 to 3.5 cm from crown to chin, a closed mouth, both ears visible and no hat. Bring one print to the immigration office; photos modified with Photoshop are refused.

Foreigners who plan to stay in South Korea for more than 90 days must register with the immigration service of the Ministry of Justice and receive a registration card, commonly called the ARC. Registration is due within 90 days of entry, or straight away when you are granted a status of stay or a change of status while in Korea. Diplomats, officials on government business and a few other groups are exempt.

You register in person at the immigration office that covers your address, after booking a visit through HiKorea, the government's immigration portal. HiKorea's checklist is the application form, your passport, one colour photo of 3.5 x 4.5 cm, the documents for your status of stay and the fee. Foreigner registration is not among the applications HiKorea accepts online, so the photo is always a print handed over at the counter.

The immigration service publishes a bilingual photo standard for foreigner registration. Two of its rules catch people out: the face must be 2.5 to 3.5 cm long, and both ears must show.

South Korea alien registration photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice:[1]

Print size35 x 45 mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm), width x height
Digital sizeNo digital file: registration is made in person with one printed photo
Head height25 to 35 mm (2.5 to 3.5 cm) from the crown of the head to the chin
BackgroundWhite, plain, with no border
ColourColour photograph of the face, front view
Photo ageTaken within the past 6 months
Print qualityAn undamaged print; photos with damaged parts are not accepted
Pixels when printed413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
35 mm45 mm25–35 mm
35 × 45 mm photo drawn to scale, with the 25–35 mm head height from chin to crown. Background: white.

In the official words

Exact wording from the official sources, quoted because the details matter:

Photographs should not be modified using Photoshop or similar software; photos with damaged parts are not acceptable.

Information on photo size for foreigner registration (외국인등록용 사진규격 안내)[1]

Key requirements

  • 3.5 x 4.5 cm, not 3 x 4 cm

    The immigration service's standard photo is 3.5 cm wide and 4.5 cm high, and HiKorea's registration guide asks for one colour photo of 3.5 x 4.5. A smaller 3 x 4 cm ID photo does not match the published size.

  • Face 2.5 to 3.5 cm

    The face, measured from the crown of the head to the chin, must be 2.5 to 3.5 cm long. Show the upper body only down to the shoulders, with both shoulders at the same height.

  • Both ears visible

    The photo must show both ears, and hats and mufflers are not allowed. Tuck long hair behind your ears if it would hide them.

  • Plain white and unaltered

    Use a plain white background with no border. The standard says photographs must not be modified with Photoshop or similar software, and a print with damaged parts is refused.

  • Sharp focus, no shadows

    The focus must be clear and there must be no shadow on the face. Face forward without tilting your head to one side, close your mouth and keep a natural expression.

  • Eyes straight ahead

    Look straight ahead, with no red-eye effect and no coloured contact lenses. Sunglasses are not allowed, and if you wear glasses, the frames must not hide your pupils.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Bring one 3.5 x 4.5 cm colour print
  • Use a plain white background with no border
  • Keep both ears visible
  • Keep your shoulders level and in the frame
  • Book a HiKorea visit before going to the immigration office
  • Register within 90 days of entering Korea

Don't

  • Do not bring a 3 x 4 cm photo
  • Do not edit the photo with Photoshop or similar software
  • Do not wear a hat or a muffler
  • Do not wear sunglasses or coloured lenses
  • Do not tilt your head to one side
  • Do not use a photo older than 6 months

Sample photos

How a South Korea alien registration photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 mm, head height and background colour.

Correct
Open-mouth smile
Head tilted
Too close: head too big
Too far: head too small
Busy background
Shadows on face or background
Glare on glasses

Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.

Glasses

Ordinary glasses may be worn, but sunglasses may not, and the frames must not cover your pupils. Your eyes must look straight ahead with no red eye, and coloured contact lenses are not allowed.

Headwear and religious dress

Hats and mufflers are not allowed, and both ears must be visible. The immigration photo standard does not mention religious head coverings. If you wear one for religious reasons, ask your immigration office or the 1345 Immigration Contact Center before you have the photo taken.

Babies and children

HiKorea's Korean-language registration page lists foreigners under 17 among the exemptions, adding that they must register within 90 days of turning 17. The photo standard has no separate rules for children, so a child who is registered needs the same 3.5 x 4.5 cm photo on a white background, with both ears showing.

Foreigner registration takes a printed photo only. On HiKorea's list of applications, foreigner registration is not one that can be submitted online, and the card is issued after you apply in person at the immigration office. Bring the print with your passport and other documents.

The standard asks for an unaltered photo: no Photoshop-type modification and no damaged parts. A digital photo can be cropped to 3.5 x 4.5 cm and printed at a photo counter, as long as the background was already white when the picture was taken.

Where to submit the photo

Register at the immigration office or branch with jurisdiction over your place of stay; HiKorea has a search for the competent office. Book through HiKorea's visit reservation service first. A reservation is only an appointment and does not count as filing your application. If no slot is free before your deadline, HiKorea tells you to visit the office before the reporting period ends, because a late visit can bring a penalty or fine.

How to get your South Korea alien registration photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the South Korea alien registration: 35 × 45 mm print, white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: 3.5 x 4.5 cm, not 3 x 4 cm; face 2.5 to 3.5 cm; both ears visible; plain white and unaltered.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. Foreigner registration takes a printed photo only. On HiKorea's list of applications, foreigner registration is not one that can be submitted online, and the card is issued after you apply in person at the immigration office.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. Register at the immigration office or branch with jurisdiction over your place of stay; HiKorea has a search for the competent office. Book through HiKorea's visit reservation service first.

Make this photo online

South Korea alien registration photo FAQ

One colour photo of 3.5 x 4.5 cm (35 x 45 mm). HiKorea lists it among the documents for foreigner registration, and the immigration service's photo standard gives the same size, with the face 2.5 to 3.5 cm long from the crown of the head to the chin.

The published size is 3.5 x 4.5 cm, both on HiKorea and in the immigration photo standard, so a 3 x 4 cm photo does not match it. Bring a print in the published size, on a plain white background with no border.

Yes. The immigration photo standard for foreigner registration says both ears should be visible, and that hats and mufflers must not be worn. Korean passport rules for nationals let hair cover the ears, so do not assume a photo made for another Korean document will pass.

No. HiKorea does not accept foreigner registration as an online application. Book a visit on HiKorea, then go to the immigration office with jurisdiction over your address with the application form, your passport, one 3.5 x 4.5 cm photo, the documents for your status of stay and the fee.

Within 90 days of entering Korea if you plan to stay longer than 90 days. If you are granted a status of stay, or a change of status, while in Korea, you register when that permission is given. Book the visit before the deadline, because coming late can lead to a penalty or fine.

Yes, ordinary glasses are allowed, but sunglasses are not, and the frames must not cover your pupils. Your eyes should look straight ahead without red eye, and coloured contact lenses are not accepted.

No. The immigration standard says photographs should not be modified using Photoshop or similar software. Take the photo in front of a real white wall or backdrop, keep the light even so there is no shadow on your face, and print it unaltered with no border.

Related photo specifications

Other South Korea documents

Residence and work permits nearby

Also 35 × 45 mm

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Official sources

  1. Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice. Information on photo size for foreigner registration (외국인등록용 사진규격 안내) immigration.go.kr. Checked 2 November 2026.
  2. HiKorea, Ministry of Justice. Foreigner registration (외국인등록) hikorea.go.kr. Checked 2 November 2026.
  3. HiKorea, Ministry of Justice. Foreign Resident Registration (English) hikorea.go.kr. Checked 2 November 2026.
  4. HiKorea, Ministry of Justice. E-application guide and list of applications (전자민원 안내) hikorea.go.kr. Checked 2 November 2026.
  5. HiKorea, Ministry of Justice. How to use Visit Reservation hikorea.go.kr. Checked 2 November 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

Cite this page

"South Korea alien registration photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/south-korea/alien-registration-photo

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