🇰🇷 "Green corridor" for foreigners with an expired visa in Korea

The Ministry of Justice of South Korea has announced the launch of a temporary voluntary departure program for foreigners who have overstayed their visas and wish to return home without fines and re-entry bans.

📅 Program Period:

December 1, 2025 — February 28, 2026

- Who can participate?

Foreigners who:

• already have an overstayed visa

• voluntarily depart Korea during the specified period

- Who is not eligible for the program?

• illegal entry (crossing the border illegally)

• forged/altered passport

• criminal offenses

• violation of a departure order

• those who became violators after December 1, 2025

- What are the benefits?

• complete exemption from fines

• deferral of re-entry restrictions

• even if you do not pay a fine, entry restrictions are temporarily lifted

• parents departing with a child under 17 years of age are also exempt from fines

🛫 How does voluntary departure work?

1) 3–15 days before departure

Submit a "preliminary notification of voluntary departure":

• at the immigration office in your place of residence

• or online: [www.hikorea.go.kr]

(required information: personal data, address, departure date, airport, flight number)

2) On the day of departure

Criminal background check at the airport immigration office.

3) Voluntary departure

📞 Where to seek help?

📌 1345 - Unified Support Center for Foreigners (interpretation available)

📌 [www.immigration.go.kr]

📌 [www.hikorea.go.kr]