The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) recently announced amendments to Article 3 of the Regulations Governing the Recognition and Reduction Standards of Special Reasons in Article 74-1 of the Immigration Act. A new foreign population policy is implemented starting October 1, 2025. Foreign nationals or nationals without household registration who have overstayed the permitted duration of stay or residence will have their fine reduced by half if they voluntarily self-report before being apprehended. The aim is to encourage overstayers to self-report to the Authorities to secure an opportunity for prompt repatriation.
The MOI states that, to keep up with the pace of globalization, the safety management for foreign population should ensure both national security and human rights. This latest amendments have taken into consideration the changes in human flow of foreign population following the previous amendments to the Immigration Act. Therefore the amended regulations list voluntary departure and remittance of fines as grounds for mitigation of penalties. This offers an incentive for foreign nationals and nationals without household registration who have overstayed to come forward voluntarily. Meantime, the Authorities will intensify law enforcement efforts as a carrot-and-stick approach to improve the execution of immigration management.
The MOI emphasizes that the revision of penalty standards establishes a clear bar for overstayers to follow. The MOI urges all foreigners or nationals without household registration who have overstayed cease hiding and resolve the illegal status by completing the self-reporting procedures, remitting the reduced fine and departing within the prescribed time limit. Finally, the MOI encourges the public to remain aware of those overstayers in the vicinity and to persuade those affected individuals to seize this opportunity to surrender voluntarily as soon as possible!