South Korea Lets Parents Get Kids' Entry/Exit Records Online

Parents raising children in South Korea have one less errand to run. As of August 7, most parents can apply online for a minor child's entry and exit certificate through the government's Government24 portal, ending a long-standing requirement to visit an immigration or local government office in person.

What changed

Government24 has issued entry and exit certificates online since 2014, but minors were excluded because the system could not confirm that the applicant actually had parental authority. That gap has now been closed. The Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety verify parental status in real time using family relationship records and other government-held data.

The certificate, formally the Certificate of Entry/Exit Facts ("출입국에 관한 사실증명"), documents a person's arrivals and departures from South Korea over a chosen period. It is commonly required for school registration, visa applications, and tax matters.

There is also a cost benefit: an in-person application runs 2,000 KRW, while online issuance through Government24 is free.

How it works

Both Korean nationals and registered foreign residents can use the service for minor children who have recorded travel to or from South Korea. Parents log in to the Government24 website or app using an approved Korean authentication method, then search for the Certificate of Entry/Exit Facts. The application may require a family relationship certificate issued in the child's name.

When the system confirms parental authority, it issues the certificate online immediately. If verification fails—for example, when government family data does not clearly establish the applicant's authority over the child, or when additional legal relationships need review—parents must still apply in person at an immigration or local government office.

What it means for nomads

For remote-working parents based in Korea, this removes a routine bureaucratic hurdle that could previously eat into a workday. Documents needed for enrolling a child in school, renewing residency, or handling tax filings can now be pulled up on demand rather than requiring a scheduled office trip.

The practical caveat is verification. Families whose records are straightforward should be able to complete the process entirely online, but anyone with more complex family circumstances—or whose government-held data does not neatly confirm parental authority—should still budget time for an in-person visit. If you have an upcoming school, visa, or tax deadline, it is worth testing the online route early rather than assuming it will work at the last minute.

The move fits a broader pattern of governments digitizing residency and immigration paperwork, a welcome trend for internationally mobile families who juggle documents across borders.

Originally reported by Stamped Nomad.