If you live in Korea long enough, someone will eventually ask you for a document with a name such as:
외국인등록 사실증명
출입국에 관한 사실증명
주민등록표 등본
or
소득금액증명
The difficult part is often not clicking the “issue” button.
It is knowing:
Which Korean document do they actually want?
A Residence Card is not the same thing as a Certificate of Foreign Resident Registration.
A Certificate of Foreign Resident Registration is not the same thing as a Resident Registration Copy.
And a family-relation certificate is handled through a different government system.
That is why I would not start by memorizing the Government24 menu.
Start with the document.
Find the exact Korean certificate name first. Then find the correct portal.
Last verified: September 2026
Quick Answer: Which Document Do You Need?
These are some of the documents foreign residents commonly encounter.
| What you need to prove | Korean document name | Main online route |
|---|---|---|
| Your foreign-resident registration information | 외국인등록 사실증명 | Government24 |
| Your entry and exit history | 출입국에 관한 사실증명 | Government24 |
| Your reported taxable income | 소득금액증명 | Government24 / HomeTax |
| Local-tax payment status | 지방세 납세증명서 | Government24 |
| Building registration information | 건축물대장 | Government24 |
| Household resident-registration record | 주민등록표 등본 | Government24, only where eligibility rules are met |
| Family / marriage relationship | 가족관계증명서 / 혼인관계증명서 | Supreme Court e-Family system |
Government24 currently provides online issuance for documents such as the Certificate of Foreign Resident Registration, Certificate of Entry and Exit, Income Amount Certificate and Building Register. Exact eligibility, fees and receipt methods differ by service. 정부24
The most useful rule is:
Do not search only by English translation. Search the exact Korean document name.
1. What Is Government24?
Government24, or 정부24, is Korea’s main online portal for public administrative services.
In 2026, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety expanded the service under Government24+, including AI-based service search and broader government-service integration. 정부24
Depending on the service, Government24 can help you:
- Apply for public certificates
- Check service eligibility
- Review required documents
- See fees and processing times
- Receive or view issued documents
- Find the responsible government agency
You may see both:
plus.gov.kr
and
gov.kr
during normal use.
Some newer Government24+ functions are centered on the new portal, while many individual civil-service pages still open under the existing gov.kr domain.
That does not automatically mean you have left the official government system.
2. Can Foreign Residents Use Government24?
Yes, but not every Government24 service is available to every foreign resident.
The important distinction is:
Access to Government24 does not mean universal eligibility for every certificate.
Each service page has its own section for:
신청자격 — Who can apply
Some services are available to both Korean citizens and registered foreign residents.
Some are restricted by the type of record being requested.
Some allow online issuance only for the person concerned.
And some services may require an in-person application.
For example, the official Government24 page for the Certificate of Foreign Resident Registration allows internet or in-person applications. The person concerned or a representative may apply, but online representative applications are not permitted. Internet issuance is currently free, while in-person issuance costs ₩2,000 per copy. 정부24
So before clicking anything, check:
Can I apply?
Can I do it online?
Is there a fee?
Do I need identity verification?
3. Before You Start: Check Four Things
Before using Government24, I would prepare four pieces of information.
1. The Exact Korean Document Name
Do not start with:
“I need proof of residence.”
That could mean several different documents.
Instead, ask the company, bank, school, landlord, or government office:
서류의 정확한 한글 이름이 무엇인가요?
What is the exact Korean name of the document?
That one question can save a lot of time.
2. Who the Document Must Be About
Some certificates are issued in your own name.
Others may need information about:
- Your spouse
- A household
- A child
- A building
- A tax record
Make sure you know whose record is required.
3. What Information Must Be Visible
Some organizations want:
- Current address only
- Address history
- Registration number displayed
- Entry and exit dates
- Specific tax year
- Detailed family information
A genuine certificate can still be rejected if it does not show the information the recipient needs.
4. How They Want to Receive It
Ask whether the recipient accepts:
- Printed original
- Electronically issued certificate
- Online submission
- Uploaded file
- Recently issued document only
Do not assume that a screenshot is equivalent to an officially issued certificate.
4. Real Example: Getting a Certificate of Foreign Resident Registration
One of the most useful Government24 documents for foreigners is:
외국인등록 사실증명
A practical English translation is:
Certificate of Foreign Resident Registration
This certificate proves information recorded in Korea’s foreigner-registration system.
Government24 describes it as a certificate issued when a foreign resident needs official proof of foreigner-registration facts. It can be requested online or in person. 정부24
The official foreign-resident Government24 guide also notes that this document can be used in many situations where Korean administrative procedures would otherwise request identity or resident-registration evidence. Foreigner
Here is the practical process.
Step 1. Open Government24
Use the official Government24 site.
You may enter through Government24+ and then be taken to an individual gov.kr service page.
Step 2. Search the Korean Name
Search:
외국인등록 사실증명
Searching the Korean name is more reliable than trying different English translations.
Step 3. Check the Service Information Before Applying
The service page currently shows:
Application method: Internet or in person
Applicant: The person concerned or representative
Online representative application: Not allowed
Processing: Immediate, generally within working hours
In-person fee: ₩2,000 per copy
Online fee: Free 정부24
This small information box is worth reading before starting any Government24 application.
Step 4. Complete Identity Verification
Government24 services may require login or another form of identity verification.
Some services allow both member and non-member applications, but even a non-member application can still require simple authentication or an electronic certificate. Government24 explicitly gives this warning on eligible online services. 정부24
If authentication fails, check whether the following match your official records:
- Name spelling
- Foreign registration number
- Mobile-phone subscriber information
Step 5. Select the Information Required
Read the options carefully.
If the organization receiving the certificate requires specific registration or address details, make sure the issued document contains them.
Do not automatically choose the maximum amount of personal information.
Ask what is actually required.
Step 6. Issue and Check the Certificate
After issuance, verify:
- Your name
- Registration information
- Address information, if required
- Issue date
- Requested period or details
Government24 also allows certain online-issued documents to be viewed through the user’s application history.
Then send or print the document in the format requested by the receiving organization.
5. Certificate of Foreign Resident Registration vs Resident Registration Copy
This is one of the most confusing document pairs for foreign residents.
They are not the same document.
외국인등록 사실증명
This proves information in your foreign resident registration record.
It is commonly relevant when an institution needs official evidence of a foreign resident’s registration information.
주민등록표 등본
A Resident Registration Copy is based on Korea’s resident-registration household system.
Government24 states that foreign applicants may obtain a resident-registration copy only in certain cases, including when the foreign resident is recorded on the relevant household resident-registration record. Certain foreign spouses of Korean nationals can also obtain household records under specific rules, although some cases cannot be handled online. 정부24
There is also a separate in-person procedure for recording eligible foreign residents on a household resident-registration record. 정부24
So:
Foreign resident certificate ≠ resident registration copy
If someone simply tells you:
“Bring a deungbon.”
ask them:
외국인등록 사실증명으로 제출해도 되나요?
Can I submit a Certificate of Foreign Resident Registration instead?
Do not guess based on the English translation.
6. Another Useful Document: Certificate of Entry and Exit
The Korean name is:
출입국에 관한 사실증명
This document proves recorded entries into and departures from Korea.
Government24 currently allows internet and in-person applications. Online representative applications are not permitted, and online issuance is free; in-person issuance is ₩2,000 per copy. 정부24
This document may be requested for administrative procedures involving:
- Residence history
- Immigration-related evidence
- School or employment documentation
- Certain tax or financial procedures
Again, confirm the period that needs to appear.
The recipient may not need your complete travel history.
7. Income and Tax Documents
Government24 is not only for immigration-related certificates.
For example:
소득금액증명 — Income Amount Certificate
can be issued through Government24.
The current Government24 service allows internet, mobile, in-person and other application methods, and no issuance fee is charged. It shows taxable income reported through categories such as comprehensive income, year-end settlement income or daily-worker income. 정부24
This document is different from:
- A company salary certificate
- A bank statement
- A payslip
- A withholding document
So when a bank or housing program asks for an income document, confirm which one it means.
For more specialized tax work, HomeTax may still be the more appropriate portal.
8. Building Records Are Also on Government24
If you are dealing with housing, you may encounter:
건축물대장 — Building Register
Government24 currently allows anyone to request or view standard building-register records online, and online issuance or viewing is free. 정부24
The register can contain information such as:
- Building type
- Structure
- Floor area
- Registered use
- Individual unit information for multi-unit buildings
This is another reason Government24 should not be thought of only as a “certificate website for personal records.”
It also provides public administrative records.
9. Government24, HiKorea, e-Family, and HomeTax Are Different
One of the easiest mistakes in Korea is using the wrong official portal.
Use this as a simple navigator.
| What you want to do | First place to check |
|---|---|
| Issue general public certificates | Government24 |
| Extend stay / make immigration appointment | HiKorea |
| Family or marriage certificates | Supreme Court e-Family |
| Detailed tax filing and tax records | HomeTax |
| In-person local administrative help | Community Service Center |
For example, family-relation and marriage certificates are not primarily Government24 documents.
The Supreme Court’s Electronic Family Relations Registration System issues family, marriage and English family-relation certificates online. Online issuance is free. eFamily
This is where internal linking becomes useful on the site:
Korean Residence Card Guide
→ How to Use HiKorea
→ Government24 Guide
→ Korean Community Service Center Guide
Each article should solve a different part of the administrative system rather than repeating the others.
10. Six Korean Terms Worth Knowing
You do not need to memorize the entire Government24 interface.
These terms cover most of the important service pages.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 신청 | Apply |
| 발급 | Issue a document |
| 신청자격 | Applicant eligibility |
| 구비서류 | Required documents |
| 수수료 | Fee |
| 수령방법 | How the document is received |
You may also see:
민원
On Korean government websites, 민원 usually means an administrative request or civil service, not simply a “complaint.”
11. Four Problems Foreign Residents Commonly Run Into
Problem 1: The Search Finds Nothing
Try the exact Korean document name.
For example:
Search 외국인등록 사실증명
rather than several English variations of “residence certificate.”
Problem 2: Identity Verification Fails
Check whether your name and registration information match your official Korean records.
Differences in spacing, spelling or mobile-phone registration information can interfere with verification.
If a specific authentication method does not work, check which alternatives the service page currently accepts.
Problem 3: The Website Says You Cannot Apply Online
Do not assume the document itself is impossible to obtain.
The service may allow:
- In-person application
- A representative
- A community service center
- An immigration office
For example, many Government24 service descriptions explicitly distinguish online applications from representative or in-person applications. 정부24
Check the service page before giving up.
Problem 4: The Organization Rejects the Certificate
Before reissuing it, ask why.
Common causes include:
- Wrong certificate
- Wrong person
- Wrong period
- Missing address history
- Missing registration information
- Document issued too long ago
- Wrong receipt format
The solution is not always “get a newer certificate.”
Sometimes you need a different certificate.
Engineer Dad’s 5-Point Document Check
Before issuing any Korean administrative document, I would check five things.
1. Document
What is the exact Korean document name?
2. Person
Whose record must the certificate show?
3. Details
Which information needs to appear?
4. Date
How recent must the certificate be?
5. Delivery
Do they want paper, an electronic certificate, or another format?
The main idea is simple:
A genuine certificate can still be the wrong certificate.
Checking those five points before issuance is usually faster than issuing several similar documents and hoping one is accepted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can foreigners use Government24?
Yes, many services are available to foreign residents.
However, eligibility is determined separately for each service. Some allow online applications, while others require a visit or have additional conditions.
Check the 신청자격 section on the individual service page.
What is 외국인등록 사실증명?
It is an official certificate proving information in Korea’s foreign resident registration records.
Government24 currently offers online issuance free of charge, while in-person issuance is ₩2,000 per copy. 정부24
Is 외국인등록 사실증명 the same as 주민등록등본?
No.
The first is based on foreign resident registration.
The second is based on the Korean resident-registration household system.
Foreign residents can receive resident-registration records only under specific legal conditions. 정부24
Do I need a Government24 account?
Not always.
Some services allow both member and non-member applications.
But a non-member application may still require separate identity verification, such as simple authentication or an accepted electronic certificate. 정부24
What should I do if online issuance does not work?
Check the service page for alternative application methods.
Depending on the document, you may be able to use:
- A community service center
- An immigration office
- Another government agency
- An authorized representative
Do not assume every online failure means the document is unavailable.
Final Checklist Before You Issue a Certificate
□ I know the exact Korean document name.
□ I confirmed who the document must be issued for.
□ I checked the applicant eligibility.
□ I know which details must appear.
□ I checked whether online issuance is allowed.
□ I know whether there is a fee.
□ I confirmed the required issue date or validity period.
□ I know whether the recipient wants paper or electronic delivery.
If you can answer those questions, Government24 becomes much easier to use.
Official Sources Checked
The Certificate of Foreign Resident Registration information in this guide was checked against the current Government24 service page. Government24 currently lists internet and in-person applications, allows the person concerned or a representative to apply, prohibits online representative applications, and lists online issuance as free. 정부24
The Certificate of Entry and Exit information was checked against Government24’s current service guidance, which also lists online issuance as free and limits online applications to the person concerned rather than a representative. 정부24
The explanation of Resident Registration Copies for foreign residents was checked against the current Government24 resident-registration service and the separate procedure for recording eligible foreign residents on household resident-registration records. 정부24
The family-relation certificate section was checked against the Supreme Court’s Electronic Family Relations Registration System, which provides online issuance of family, marriage and English family-relation certificates. eFamily
Government24+’s 2026 service expansion was checked against the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s March 2026 announcement. 정부24
Last verified: September 2026
Disclaimer
Government24 service availability, authentication methods, fees, eligibility requirements and online issuance options can change.
The exact requirements also depend on the certificate and the organization requesting it.
Always check the current Government24 service page and confirm the exact document name with the receiving organization before issuing or submitting a certificate.