A few months ago, I happened to take my passport out, and I realized it would be expiring soon. I admit that I didn’t really want to deal with it at the time and stuck my passport back in its drawer. However, as the expiration date approached, I knew I would have to renew my passport while abroad. Honestly, it’s not that difficult to do (thankfully) but it definitely felt like a hassle when I had a ton of other things on my plate (planning a wedding is no joke). So, I thought I would share my experience with all of you. Below I’ll outline the necessary steps for Americans to renew a passport in South Korea.

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The Basics

• The passport renewal fee is $110.
• You will need a new passport photo. It should be 2 inches x 2 inches (51mm x 51mm) in size.
• If you still have your old passport, you will need to submit it with your application.
• You can fill out a passport renewal application online here and print it out.
• You can either apply for a passport renewal in-person at the U.S. Embassy -or- you can apply via a courier service (you must have a social security number in order to apply using a courier).
• *You have to update Korean Immigration of your new passport number once it is issued.

Renewing in-person at the embassy? Jump ahead here.

Renewing via courier service? Jump ahead here.

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Renewing your passport at the embassy

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Schedule an appointment

If you’re renewing your passport at the embassy, you must schedule an appointment first. Unfortunately, you can’t just rock up to the embassy and expect to be let in. I recommend that you schedule an appointment at the embassy at least a week in advance. However, it’s better to try to schedule it 2 or even 3 weeks beforehand as the appointment slots fill up quickly. It’s also important to note that all passport renewals must go through the embassy in Seoul.

You can schedule your embassy appointment on their website here. I recommend printing out your appointment confirmation email and bringing it with you. You can then just show it to the guard when you arrive.

US Embassy Office Hours

8:45-11:15 am, Monday to Friday
1:00-3:00 pm, Monday to Friday except Wednesday
Enter through the Embassy’s side entrance.

Fill out and print the passport renewal application

You can find the Passport Renewal Application here. You have two options, you can either print out the PDF version of the form and complete it by hand -or- you can use the online passport wizard to fill out the form and then print it off. The embassy also provides a handy PDF of tips for using the passport wizard online. It explains everything for you very simply (although the program itself is already simple to use). You’ll find the PDF of instructions here.

You should fill this form out before your appointment at the embassy. You’ll need to know your SSN, current/expired passport number, and a bunch of other important information, so it’s easiest to just fill everything out beforehand.

Get a new passport photo

You’ll also need a new passport photo to go inside your new passport. You can have this done pretty much anywhere. I had mine done at the local photo studio near my apartment (and I thought they turned out pretty well), but there are plenty of photo booths for this purpose. There is even a photo booth inside the embassy in case you forget to bring one or you have the wrong size–but be warned! It’s more expensive to use the embassy booth (I think it’s around ₩10,000 for a set).

You should also be aware that Korean passport photo sizes are different from American passport photo sizes. If you go to a photo studio, you will have to tell them to make the photo 51mm x 51mm.

You should also be aware of the regulations regarding your appearance in your passport photo. You don’t want to go through the whole process just to get rejected for showing too many teeth when you smile! You can check out the passport photo regulations here.

Fun fact: I had to convince the Korean photographer that it was okay for me not to tuck my hair behind my ears. (Koreans must show their ears in their passport photos.)

Another fun fact: They sent me the digital copy of my passport photo so that I could reprint them, if need be. Nice!

application fee

The cost of renewing your passport is $110 USD. When applying in-person at the embassy, you can pay this with cash (both KRW and USD are accepted) or with a check card (from a Korean bank) or a credit card. If you plan on paying in cash, I recommend bringing the exact amount or close to it just to make things a bit easier for everyone.

Go to the Embassy

On the day of your scheduled appointment, you will need to bring the following items with you:

• Printout of appointment confirmation (recommended)
• Passport application
• Your previous U.S. passport
• One passport photo (I recommend bringing two photos just in case.)
• Application fee ($110)

U.S. Embassy Address in seoul:

U.S. Embassy
188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu
Seoul, Korea 03141

The main entrance to the embassy is on the southern side of the building. It’s not very big, but you will probably see the guards standing outside. You cannot enter the embassy until 15 minutes before your appointment time, so there’s not much use in arriving really early.

Once you walk through the outer door, you’ll go through a security check. The guards will scan your things, and you’ll be required to check your phone with security. They’ll give you a number tag to hold onto so that you can retrieve your phone after your visit. You’re not allowed anything bigger than a cellphone, so don’t even bother bringing anything with you. I only brought my cellphone, passport, paperwork, and wallet with me when I went to the embassy. You shouldn’t need anything else.

Once inside, you’ll get a second number–this is your queue number that will be called when a window is available. Just wait for your number to pop up, go to the available window, and tell them you want to renew your passport.

fill out a courier form

While you’re waiting for your number to be called, I suggest filling out a delivery form. You will need to have this filled out and ready when your number is called. Once your new passport is ready, the embassy will use the delivery slip to return everything (including your new passport) back to you, and you won’t need to go back to the embassy again.

The delivery charges are COD, and at the time that I’m writing this the cost is ₩10,000. This is the quickest and easiest way to get your documents back. However, you can always schedule another appointment to pick up your new passport at the embassy when it is ready–but I’ve heard this method delays the process.

Finished! You should get your new passport delivered to you in about 2-4 weeks.

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Renewing Your Passport via Courier Service

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Who can renew a passport using a courier service?

You can renew your existing passport without a personal appearance at the embassy if: 

• You are age 16 or over, and
• You have a Social Security number, and
• You can submit your most recent passport, and
• Your most recent U.S. passport had a validity of 10 years, and
• You were issued your most recent U.S. passport at age 16 or older, and within the past 15 years, and
• Your name will remain the same as on your most recent passport.

If you meet the above criteria, then you can renew your passport by using a courier service.

If that’s your plan, then continue reading!

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Fill out and print the passport renewal application

You can find the Passport Renewal Application here. If you are renewing your passport via courier service, then you must use the online passport wizard to fill out the forms. The embassy will not accept applications filled out by hand if it’s an application by courier. Once you’ve finished filling in the forms, print them out and sign them. You should then staple your new passport photo to the application in the designated box on the form.

Get a new passport photo

You’ll also need a new passport photo to go inside your new passport. You can have this done pretty much anywhere. I had mine done at the local photo studio near my apartment (and I thought they turned out pretty well), but there are plenty of photo booths for this purpose. There is even a photo booth inside the embassy in case you forget to bring one or you have the wrong size–but be warned! It’s more expensive to use the embassy booth (I think it’s around ₩10,000 for a set).

You should also be aware that Korean passport photo sizes are different from American passport photo sizes. If you go to a photo studio, you will have to tell them to make the photo 51mm x 51mm.

You should also be aware of the regulations regarding your appearance in your passport photo. You don’t want to go through the whole process just to get rejected for showing too many teeth when you smile! You can check out the passport photo regulations here.

Fun fact: I had to convince the Korean photographer that it was okay for me not to tuck my hair behind my ears. (Koreans must show their ears in their passport photos.)

Another fun fact: They sent me the digital copy of my passport photo so that I could reprint them, if need be. Nice!

Application fee

The cost of renewing your passport is $110 USD. When applying via courier, the only accepted form of payment is an international money order from a Korean bank. This is probably one of the most time-consuming parts of applying via courier service. If you live in Seoul or another big city in Korea, this won’t be a big problem for you. Most big banks like NH Bank, KEB, Kookmin, and Shinhan can do an international money order. However, not all branches offer this service – it’s often only available at bigger branches of these banks. I recommend calling your bank to check if they can offer this service for you.

When you go to the bank, you should bring the following with you:

• Alien Registration Card (ARC)
• Passport
• Money to pay for the international money order (about $110 in KRW-exchange rates will vary)
• Embassy’s instructions regarding the money order (see below)
• International money order sample for reference (here)

When getting your money order be sure it includes the following:

1. There must be a barcode in the bottom of the money order.
2. There must be bank information (or address) on the money order.
3. Money orders must be made payable to “CASHIER FMC U.S. EMBASSY SEOUL” in the exact amount in U.S. dollars.
4. Your name and local (Korean) phone number must be written on the back of the money order.
5. The money order must be issued within the last six months.

When I went to the bank, I had this information printed out in Korean for the bank teller to reference, in order to make sure it would be done correctly. Below is the Korean version of that information.

1. Money Order 하단부에 반드시 바코드 형식으로 된 숫자가  있어야 하고
2. 은행 정보 또는 은행 주소가 Money Order에 반드시 기재되어 있어야 하고,
3. CASHIER FMC U.S. EMBASSY SEOUL 로 수표가 발행 되어야 하고, 정확한 수수료 액수가 미국 달러로 기재 되어 있어야 하고 Delivery Methods 와 빠른 수속 옵션은 미국외 지역에서는 선택하실 수 없습니다.  여권Delivery Methods 와 빠른 수속 옵션은 미국외 지역에서는 선택하실 수 없습니다.)
4. Money Order 뒷면에 신청자 이름과 한국내 전화번호가 반드시 기재되어 있어야 하고
5. 최근 6개월 이내에 발행된 Money Order 이어야 합니다

My Experience

I live in a smaller city (Sokcho), and I bank with NH (because they’re the only ones with a bank branch in my neighborhood). I checked whether NH offers the international money order service, and they do. However, when I went to my local branch, they told me they didn’t have the specially printed money order checks, and so they couldn’t do it for me. Then they called the other branches of the bank in the city for me, and it turned out that NO ONE had the money order checks. The bank teller then told me that I if I wanted to go through NH, I would have to go to the closest big city (over an hour away from me by bus). Um, no thanks.

I ended up calling around to other banks in my city to see if someone else provided this service. Of all of the banks (literally ONE bank in my entire city) I called, only Shinhan Bank could do an international money order for me – and only at their downtown branch. I was worried, because I didn’t have an account with them, but they told me it was fine. All in all, it took about an hour to fill out all the forms correctly, and print out my international money order.

I had to bring my ARC, passport, and the cash to pay for the money order. I also brought a printout of money order samples from the embassy website, and the embassy’s instructions in Korean. All of this helped the process to go smoothly, and I recommend you do the same.

Arrange the Courier Service

There is only one courier company that is allowed to provide service to the embassy – ILYANG. You cannot use any other courier service. You can arrange for an Ilyang courier to pick up your packet through either their website or by phone.

Ilyang Logis

(02) 3277-9453

(02) 3277-9531

(02) 3277-9534

Courier Request via Their Website

After you arrange for your passport materials to be picked up by a courier, you should put everything together into a sealed envelope and address it to the embassy.

U.S. Embassy Address in seoul:

U.S. Embassy
188 Sejong-daero, Jongno-gu
Seoul, Korea 03141

In the envelope you should include:

• Passport application
• Your previous U.S. passport
• One passport photo affixed to your application (I recommend throwing another in the envelope just in case.)
• International money order

A courier will pick it up at the pre-arranged time, and you should pay cash to the courier. At the time that I’m writing this, it costs ₩10,000 to have your documents couriered to the embassy.

I actually left my envelope with the guard in the security office of my apartment building with a separate envelope containing the courier payment. (I had to leave my apartment before the courier came.) And this was fine. The courier came and picked everything up – no problem!

When everything is ready at the embassy, they will send it all back to you using the same courier service. The embassy will send it COD through the courier, and you will pay another ₩10,000 to the courier when you receive your documents back.

If you sent your application via courier, you can also request to pick up your new passport at the embassy in-person. If you want to do this, you will have to tell the embassy that is what you would like to do–otherwise, they will just send the documents back to you using a courier. Just remember! If you want to pick your new passport up yourself at the embassy, you must first make an appointment. You can’t enter the embassy without a scheduled appointment–even if you’re only picking up a passport.

Finished! You should get your new passport delivered to you in about 2-4 weeks.