Korea 1345 Helpline: What It Answers, When to Call, and…

One number. Twenty languages.

You need a quick answer about your visa. The rules online are long, and some pages default to Korean. The immigration office wants a reservation, and the next open slot is weeks away. You just want someone to tell you which documents to bring.

That’s the gap 1345 fills. It’s a phone line run by the Korea Immigration Service for foreign residents. Plenty of people only hear about it after a wasted trip to the office. If you’re still sorting out your ARC (oegugin deungnokjeung, Alien Registration Card), it’s one of the first numbers worth saving. ARC registration Korea

What is 1345, and why does everyone at immigration mention it?

1345 is the Immigration Contact Center of the Korea Immigration Service, part of the Ministry of Justice. You dial four digits with no area code from any phone in Korea. Agents answer general questions about visas, stay extensions, the ARC, re-entry and status changes in about 20 languages. It gives guidance, not decisions. An immigration officer still decides your case.

In Korean, the center is called the Oegugin Jonghap Annae Center (Foreigner Information Center). It sits under the Korea Immigration Service, the same body that runs every immigration office and the HiKorea portal. Office staff often send people to 1345. A walk-in counter is built for filing, not for open-ended questions.

Who actually calls? Almost everyone, at some point:

• D-2 and D-4 students checking part-time work rules before taking a job
• D-10 job seekers asking how to move to an E-7 once they land an offer
• E-7 and E-9 workers asking what changes when they switch employers
• F-6 marriage migrants preparing for an extension or a move to F-5
• F-4 overseas Koreans confirming which activities their status allows

Why does a phone line matter so much? Immigration rules run on deadlines. Missing one costs money. The registration rule alone catches many newcomers off guard.

“Any foreigner who intends to stay in the Republic of Korea for a period exceeding 90 days from the date of his/her entry shall register as a foreigner … within 90 days from the date of his/her entry.” (Immigration Act, Article 31, English translation via MOLEG)

That’s 90 days, counted from your entry date. A two-minute call can confirm your exact deadline and the documents your visa type needs.

But which language you get depends on the clock.

Which languages can you use, and when does the line go quiet?

1345 runs on weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Korea time. During daytime hours, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., you can choose from about 20 languages. From 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., service narrows to Korean, English and Chinese only. The line is closed on weekends and Korean public holidays, so plan your call around that.

The full immigration contact center languages list is posted on HiKorea. Beyond Korean, it includes English, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Mongolian, Indonesian, Russian, French, Nepali, Uzbek and Tagalog, plus several other South and Southeast Asian languages.

Here’s the catch. The 1345 operating hours line up with a normal office day. Work a 9-to-6 job and speak Vietnamese or Nepali? The evening window won’t help you. Your realistic options are a lunch-break call or the online route covered later.

Holidays are another trap. Long breaks like Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (the autumn harvest festival) close the line for several days in a row. If your stay expires right after one, call the week before.

Hours change occasionally. Check the notices on HiKorea before you plan a late call.

Getting through is only half of it. The bigger surprise is what the agent can’t do for you.

What can 1345 answer by phone, and where does it stop?

Agents handle general information: which visa fits your situation, documents for an extension or status change, ARC registration deadlines, reporting rules, re-entry, and how to book an office visit. They can’t approve, refuse or predict your application. Phone guidance is general. Immigration officers keep discretion when they review your actual file and documents.

Visa questions by phone work best when they’re about rules, not outcomes. Good questions sound like this:

• “I’m on D-2. Do I need a permit before starting a part-time job?” D-2 part-time work permit
• “My D-10 expires next month and I have an E-7 offer. Can I change status without leaving Korea?”
• “I’m on F-6. Which documents does the extension need if my spouse’s income changed?”
• “How many points do I need for F-2, and does KIIP count?”
• “I moved. How do I report my new address, and what’s the deadline?”

Bad questions sound like this: “Will my extension be approved?” or “Is my paperwork good enough?” No agent can answer that. The officer reviewing your file can request extra documents. The result depends on your full record.

Here’s what actually happens when people treat a phone answer as a promise. They show up with the documents an agent mentioned. Then the office asks for one more. That’s not a contradiction. Requirements can vary by office and by your personal circumstances.

So protect yourself:

1. Write down the date and time of your call and the answer you got.
2. Cross-check the document list on HiKorea before you go.
3. Bring extra copies of anything tied to income, address or enrollment.

1345 can’t file anything for you either. Applications go through HiKorea’s e-application system or an in-person visit.

So how do you get a useful answer in one call instead of three?

How do you get a straight answer on the first call?

Dial 1345, choose your language from the voice menu, then pick your topic. Have your passport number, ARC number, visa code and expiry date in front of you. From outside Korea, dial +82-1345 and expect international rates. Write your question in one sentence before calling. Short, specific questions get short, specific answers from the agent on the line.

Step-by-step

1. Pick your time. For languages other than Korean, English or Chinese, call between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on a weekday.
2. Gather your details. Passport, ARC, visa code (for example E-7 or F-6), entry date and stay expiry date.
3. Dial 1345. No area code needed from a Korean mobile or landline.
4. Choose your language. The recorded menu lists language options first. Listen for yours.
5. Choose your topic. The next menu separates visa and stay questions from other inquiries.
6. Ask one question at a time. Open with your visa code and your deadline. Then ask.
7. Repeat back the answer. Say, “So I need X, Y and Z, correct?” before you hang up.

Menu numbers change from time to time. Listen to the prompts instead of pressing keys from memory.

One more tip. 1345 is not a toll-free number, so normal call charges apply. On a prepaid SIM with little credit? Top up first. A dropped call after a long wait is painful.

Making a 1345 call from abroad

Outside Korea, dial +82-1345. That’s Korea’s country code followed by the same four digits. International rates apply. Some carriers and internet calling apps won’t connect to short codes. If your call fails, switch to online consultation on HiKorea.

Pre-entry questions are a different matter. If you haven’t been issued a visa yet, the Korean embassy or consulate in your country handles your application. The Korea Visa Portal covers online applications for some visa categories. 1345 is strongest once you’re already living in Korea.

Sometimes, though, the phone is the wrong tool entirely.

When should you skip the phone and go online or call another hotline?

Go online when you need a written answer, when you’re calling outside hours, or when your language isn’t offered in the evening. HiKorea also handles office visit reservations and many e-applications. For health insurance, labor disputes, tourism or family issues, a dedicated national hotline gets you to the right specialist faster than 1345 can.

Online consultation HiKorea offers

HiKorea is the Korea Immigration Service’s online portal. Once you sign up and log in, you can post a question, book a visit to your immigration office, and file certain applications electronically. A written reply is something you can save and show later. That’s a real advantage over a phone call.

Many immigration offices require a reservation booked through HiKorea before you visit. Book early. Slots near extension deadlines fill fast. Need a foreigner registration certificate for a bank or landlord? Government24 issues several certificates online.

Other numbers worth saving

1345 covers immigration and general living information. For other problems, these lines are built for the job:

The Danuri Helpline, linked to the Danuri portal, matters most for F-6 and F-5 spouses. It runs 24 hours a day, including weekends when 1345 is closed. Health insurance questions belong with NHIS, which manages enrollment and premiums for foreign residents. NHIS for foreigners Wage disputes go to the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Tourist questions go to 1330, run by the Korea Tourism Organization.

Planning a long stay? The Korea Immigration and Integration Program at KIIP affects F-2 points and F-5 eligibility. 1345 can explain how completion counts for your specific visa.

What should you do before your next deadline?

Save 1345 in your phone today under a clear name like “Immigration.” Check the stay expiry date on your ARC. Extension applications can be filed starting 4 months before expiry, so that’s your window. Call 1345 on a weekday to confirm documents, then book an office visit on HiKorea. Confirm the document list online before your appointment.

A short checklist to finish this in ten minutes:

• Add both 1345 and +82-1345 to your contacts.
• Set a calendar reminder 4 months before your stay expires.
• Create your HiKorea account now, not the night before a deadline.
• If your language isn’t English or Chinese, schedule a daytime call.
• Keep a simple log: date, question, answer.

That last habit pays off. When an office asks why you brought a certain document, you’ll have the date and the answer in front of you. visa extension Korea