About the service
Holders of the D-8 visa and their accompanying family members (the spouse and unmarried children aged 18) can exchange their foreign driver’s license for a Korean one.
*For D-8 visa holders and their dependent family members, document screening and physical exam are conducted and the written exam is exempted.
*Based on the relevant laws, ordinances and administrative guidelines, the provision of related services is restricted if the applicant does not visit in person.
Documents to be submitted
The applicant should visit KOTRA’s Investment Consulting Center (ICC) in person with the following documents. KOTRA’s ICC is located on the 2nd floor of IKP (Invest Korea Plaza).
(Tel) : +82-2-3497-1970
(Fax) : +82-2-3497-1611
• D-8 visa holder :
1. Driver’s license issued in the applicant’s home country
*Only full licenses that have not expired shall be accepted, and temporary licenses, learner’s licenses (learner’s, provisional and probationary licenses) and driving permits (permits, certificates) cannot be exchanged to a Korean driver’s license.
2. Certificate of Entry and Exit and passport (both new and old formats are accepted)
- The Certificate of Entry and Exit and the passport stamps are checked to confirm whether the applicant resided in the issuing country for 90 days or longer and whether he/she resided in that country on the license issuing date.
*Certificate of Entry and Exit: From the date of birth to present date (can be issued from the community service center or an immigration office - an issuing fee is charged)
*In the case of a license issued by a third country, a document proving that the applicant resided in the issuing country for 90 days or longer (including the date of acquisition of license) should be submitted. For inquiries, please contact the ICC (☏02-3497-1056).
3. Alien Registration Card or Domestic Residence Report (Original Copy)
*Short-term residents of less than 90 days are not permitted to exchange their driver’s license
4. Certificate from home country’s embassy or an apostille proving the authenticity of the applicant’s foreign driver’s license
- Certificates issued by an embassy are valid for one year from the date of issuance. In the case that the period of validity stated on the certificate is less than one year, the stated period shall be applied.
- The apostille shall be valid until the date designated by the Lottery.
*Embassy-issued certificates and apostilles should be in English or Korean.
*In the case of countries where a certification of authenticity is not issued by the embassy (e.g., United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Finland, the Netherlands, Colombia), only an apostille can be submitted.
- To find out whether the embassy of your country in Korea issues a certificate, inquire the relevant embassy beforehand.
5. Three passport photos (3.5cm x 4.5cm)
*Identification photo taken within the past six months
6. Physical exam report
- KOTRA’s ICC does not provide physical exams. Please visit a designated hospital for a physical exam and submit the report(Go to the map page for information on the designated hospital. Fees are incurred.)
7. License issuance fee: KRW 10,000 (KRW 15,000 for mobile IC card)
- The fee should be paid in cash
• Accompanying family members of D-8 visa holders :
The above documents PLUS the D-8 visa holder’s Certificate of Alien Registration (original certificate)
*“Accompanying family members” refers to the spouse and unmarried children (aged 18) of D-8 visa holders.
Keep in mind...
※ The essential documents required for exchange of driver’s license applies to all foreigners, and the submitted documents (certificate of entry and exit, certificate issued by embassy or apostille) are not returned.
※ When exchanging a foreign driver’s license to a Korean one, the foreign driver’s license should be returned (Article 84 of the Road Traffic Act), and it can be retrieved for the following reasons: 1) departure from Korea; 2) voluntary cancellation of Korean license; 3) request from diplomatic mission; 4) where the applicant is from a country where returning the foreign driver’s license is mutually exempted; and licenses which have not been claimed within 10 years of the date of exchange shall be discarded.
※ In the document screening process, different standards may apply depending on whether the applicant’s country has reciprocal agreements with Korea. ※ If the screening standards pursuant to reciprocal agreements and domestic law are not met, exchange of foreign driver’s license to a Korean one can be rejected (if rejected, the applicant may acquire a Korean license by taking a test).
※ Because the document screening may take a long time, it is advised to visit before 4 PM.
