Can I not extend my visa if I have unpaid taxes?

If you have unpaid taxes, your extension may be blocked or granted for a shorter period. So the safest way is to pay your overdue taxes before you apply.

People who have registered as foreigners or reported their residence must submit a tax payment certificate (납세증명서) to Immigration when they apply. A tax payment certificate is a document that shows you have no unpaid taxes. Applications that need this document include extension of stay, change of status of stay, change of workplace, permission for activities outside your status of stay, and alien registration.

Having unpaid taxes does not always mean you will be refused. How your case is actually handled depends on your visa type and the amount you owe. However, some visas, such as Residence (F-2), require full payment of taxes as a condition for extension.

⚠️ How to prepare

• You can get the tax payment certificate right away at the tax office (세무서) or at Hometax (홈택스) (hometax.go.kr).
• It is valid for 30 days from the date of issue. Get it to match your application date.
• If you have unpaid health insurance premiums, your extension period may be shortened to 6 months or less. Pay in advance and keep the receipt.
• You can apply for an extension from 4 months before expiry until the expiry date. Do not let your expiry date pass because of sorting out your taxes.

If the unpaid amount is large and hard to pay at once, try a consultation with the K-VISA AI administrative agent (K-VISA AI 행정사) (Visa Service in the app). Check the exact criteria once more with HiKorea (하이코리아) (hikorea.go.kr) or 1345.