If you work on a ship or an aircraft that calls at a Korean port or airport, landing permission in Korea is a separate permission, and it is not the same as entry permission. HI KOREA states that a foreign crew member of a foreign-based airplane or vessel must receive a Landing Permission for Crew Members when transferring to another airplane or vessel, or when landing for recreational purposes. The official guidance says clearly that this permission differs from entry permission.
This guide covers who is included, which crew members go through crew immigration inspection, how crew registration works, and what the master mariner or common carrier must do during an inspection. Everything below is a summary of the HI KOREA pages on crew and landing permits and on ship and passenger plane inspection.
At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Who it applies to | Foreign crew of foreign-based airplanes and vessels who transfer to another airplane or vessel, or who land for recreational purposes |
| Not the same as entry | HI KOREA states that landing permission in Korea differs from entry permission |
| Where reports go | The head of the Immigration Office or Branch Office receives the preliminary notice and the immigration report |
| Crew registration covers | Crew of Korean-based airplanes or vessels, regardless of their individual nationality |
| When you register as crew | Upon first departure |
| Documents for crew registration | Passport or Seaman’s Identification Certificate, application for registration as a crew member, 1 passport-sized photo, certificate of employment |
| Carrier duties | Preliminary notice, an immigration report with the passenger list and crew list, and repatriation at the carrier’s own expense in the stated cases |
| If you are unsure | The 1345 Immigration Contact Center operates Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 22:00, excluding public holidays, and the call is charged |
Who needs landing permission in Korea
The official guidance sorts crew by the vessel and by your own role. Crew of Korean-based airplanes and vessels go through crew immigration inspection and crew registration. The note on landing permission is written about foreign crew members of foreign-based airplanes and vessels. Read the eligibility list first, because it decides whether you are inspected as a crew member or as a passenger.
- Korean-based airplane and vessel crew members, including foreigners
- Korean crew members of foreign-based airplanes and vessels
- Foreign crew of foreign-based airplanes and vessels who enter as crew but seek departure as a passenger, who must undergo crew immigration inspection upon entering
- Foreign crew of foreign-based airplanes and vessels who seek departure as crew after entering as a passenger, who must undergo crew immigration inspection upon departure
HI KOREA then adds a separate rule with a note mark. A foreign crew member of a foreign-based airplane or vessel who is either transferring to another airplane or vessel, or landing for recreational purposes, must receive a Landing Permission for Crew Members, and the page adds that this permission differs from entry permission.
⚠️ Landing permission is not entry permission. If your plan after leaving the vessel is anything other than transfer or recreation, confirm your case with the Immigration Office before you disembark.
Types of landing permission in Korea stated by the source
The HI KOREA crew page states two purposes for which a foreign crew member of a foreign-based airplane or vessel must receive this permission. Those two purposes are transfer to another airplane or vessel, and landing for recreational purposes.
| Stated purpose | What the source says |
|---|---|
| Transferring to another airplane or vessel | You are transferring to another airplane or vessel, and the page states that this permission differs from entry permission |
| Landing for recreational purposes | You are landing for recreational purposes, and the page states that this permission differs from entry permission |
Immigration Act Article 14 is the provision the inspection page connects to crew landing. Among the obligations of repatriation, that page lists vessel crew who landed according to Immigration Act Article 14 and did not get back to the vessel upon departure. The same page states that the heads or common carriers must repatriate the listed individuals at their own expense.
Because the rules are written around your role and your vessel, the answer for one crew member can differ from another on the same ship. The pages separate Korean-based from foreign-based vessels, refer to statuses such as Overseas Korean F-4 and permanent residence F-5, and refer to routinely operated vessels. If you are unsure which purpose fits you, ask the Immigration Office or Branch Office, or call the 1345 Immigration Contact Center.
Registering as a crew member and the documents you need
Registration as a crew member is a separate step, and it applies to crew of Korean-based airplanes or vessels regardless of their individual nationality. HI KOREA states that immigration inspections are facilitated for these crew members, that they must be registered, and that they are issued a crew registration card.
Registration allows separate immigration inspection for crew member departure, and it removes the entry and departure card submission requirement and the officer’s seal. One exception is stated: any crew member departing for the first time or entering for the last time must submit the entry and departure card.
Who can register
- Crew members of routinely operated vessels, including Overseas Koreans with F-4 status or foreigners with permanent residence status F-5
- Foreign crew hired by routinely operated Korean airplanes or vessels, but only during the re-entry permit period assigned to them after foreigner registration
- Re-entry authorization exemption is limited to individuals who enter and depart within the permitted stay period
Steps and documents
- Register upon your first departure, which is the registration period stated by HI KOREA
- Prepare your passport or Seaman’s Identification Certificate
- Prepare the application for registration as a crew member
- Prepare 1 passport-sized photo
- Prepare your certificate of employment
- Submit the registration and receive your crew registration card
Registration is not permanent. If a need for modification or termination of the registration arises, it must be reported to the Immigration Office. The stated causes for terminating registration include disembarking, except when disembarking for annual leave, and retirement.
How vessel and aircraft inspection works
The inspection side of landing permission in Korea rests mainly on the master mariner or the common carrier. HI KOREA states that their cooperation is essential to ensure a thorough entry and departure check, permission of landing, and prevention of illegal entry.
General responsibilities during an inspection
- Prevent entry and landing of any individual who is not permitted to enter or land
- Prevent boarding of any person without a valid passport, a seaman’s identification certificate if applicable, and the necessary visa
- Prevent boarding of any person who did not receive boarding permission or departure examination
- Arrange and place monitoring personnel as requested by the Immigration Office
- Screen the vessel to check whether any person hides and attempts entry or departure in violation of the related law
- Refrain from entering the vessel during the immigration check procedures
- Prevent crew and passengers from boarding or disembarking until departing after the end of the checking procedures
The duty to keep crew and passengers on board until the checking procedures end is why you may be told to wait even when the vessel has already docked. That instruction comes from the carrier’s legal obligation.
Notices and reports before entry or departure
| Obligation | What must be done |
|---|---|
| Preliminary notice | Before a vessel’s entry or departure from the port, submit an immigration notice in advance to the head of the Immigration Office or Branch Office, with the expected date and time |
| When notice is impossible | If prior notification is impossible, such as an emergency landing or a ship in distress, make it at the earliest opportunity possible |
| Immigration report | Submit an immigration report in advance with the passenger list and the vessel crew list, using the information designated by Presidential Decree |
| Report format | Use a standardized electronic document; paper form is allowed only where that is not possible due to unavoidable causes |
| Person without a passport | Report immediately to the head of the Immigration Office or Branch Office and prevent that individual from landing |
| Departure procedures | Report whether any individuals on board did not complete appropriate departure procedures |
Immigration officials may also request reservation information held by common carriers for the investigation of a person who violates Immigration Act Article 7-1 on foreigners’ entry or Article 12-2-1 on prohibited offering of vessels, and of a person specified in Article 11-1-2 and 11-1-3 on prohibition of entry.
Information that can be requested
- Nationality and address
- Specific time of reservation or boarding procedures
- Traveling path and travel agency
- Accompanying passenger and seat number
- Luggage
- Payment method of the flight ticket
Repatriation duties, and mistakes that cause problems
The inspection page sets an obligation of repatriation. The heads or common carriers must, at their own expense, repatriate the listed individuals who are aboard the vessel. The list below is the wording used on that page.
- Those who fail to meet the necessary requirements in Immigration Act Article 7-1 through 7-4 and Article 10-1
- Those whose entry is prohibited or rejected according to Immigration Act Article 11
- Those who are not permitted to enter due to reasons attributed to the master mariner or common carrier according to Article 12-4
- Vessel crew who landed according to Article 14 and did not get back to the vessel upon departure
- Those described in Article 46-5 or 46-6 who received a compulsory evacuation order
Several common mistakes follow directly from the official wording.
- Treating landing permission as entry permission, when HI KOREA states the two are different
- Disembarking before the checking procedures are finished, when the carrier is obliged to stop crew and passengers from doing so
- Not getting back to the vessel upon departure after landing according to Article 14, which the page lists as a repatriation case
- Forgetting the entry and departure card on a first departure or a last entry, which is still required even with crew registration
- Not reporting a change to crew registration to the Immigration Office after disembarking other than for annual leave, or after retirement
What applies to you can depend on the nationality of your vessel, your own status, and whether your vessel is routinely operated. Where your case does not match the wording of the official page, confirm it with the Immigration Office or Branch Office before you act.
Frequently asked questions
Is landing permission the same as entry permission in Korea?
No. HI KOREA states that Landing Permission for Crew Members differs from entry permission. It is the permission a foreign crew member of a foreign-based airplane or vessel must receive when transferring to another airplane or vessel, or when landing for recreational purposes.
Who must receive landing permission in Korea?
Foreign crew members of foreign-based airplanes or vessels who are either transferring to another airplane or vessel, or landing for recreational purposes. Crew of Korean-based airplanes and vessels are described on the same page under crew immigration inspection and crew registration.
What documents do I need to register as a crew member?
HI KOREA lists a passport or Seaman’s Identification Certificate, the application for registration as a crew member, 1 passport-sized photo, and a certificate of employment. Registration takes place upon first departure.
Do I still need an entry and departure card if I have a crew registration card?
Usually no, because registration removes the entry and departure card requirement and the officer’s seal. However, any crew member departing for the first time or entering for the last time must submit the entry and departure card.
What happens if a crew member does not return to the vessel?
The inspection page lists, among the repatriation duties, vessel crew who landed according to Immigration Act Article 14 and did not get back to the vessel upon departure. The heads or common carriers must repatriate those individuals at their own expense.
Before you disembark, confirm with your captain or company which inspection applies to you and whether you need landing permission in Korea for your purpose, then prepare your passport or Seaman’s Identification Certificate and any registration documents in advance. Rules can differ by the nationality of your vessel, your own status, and whether your vessel is routinely operated, so check the official page for the current requirements. If anything is unclear, ask the Immigration Office or Branch Office, or call the 1345 Immigration Contact Center.
Last checked: November 2, 2026. Rules, fees and required documents in Korea change often, and some depend on your visa type and district office. Always confirm the current details on the official pages below before you go.