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Free Economic and Trade Zone Residence Certificate

North KoreaLong-term residence

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in North Korea Read the five questions ↓

What exact status does accumulated residence lead to?

The route is the Zone residence-certificate status for a foreigner who is going to stay more than one year. The regulation says that a foreigner intending to stay more than one year may take up residence.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The source does not define a current permanent-status category or a complete status taxonomy.

What qualifying residence period is required and when does the period begin?

The stated threshold is an intention to stay more than one year, not a requirement to accumulate a number of prior residence years. The certificate procedure is to be undertaken within 7 days after registration of the stay.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • No multi-year accumulation rule is stated.
  • NATLEX PRK85431 — Article 9
    A foreigner who intends to stay for a long period shall undertake procedures to get a staying or resident certificate within 7 days from the day he has registered for stay.

Which types of residence count fully, partially or not at all where the official rules specify this?

The regulation applies to foreigners who stay or reside in the Zone; it does not set out a complete list of residence types that count fully or partially toward this status.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Qualifying purposes and any partial-credit rules are not demonstrated.

What absence/continuity rules affect accumulation of the qualifying residence period?

No general absence or continuous-residence accumulation rule is stated. A returning foreigner who travelled to another country without passing through other DPRK territory must carry a valid staying or resident certificate to re-enter the Zone.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The source does not specify an absence allowance or continuity calculation.
  • NATLEX PRK85431 — Article 18
    When a foreigner returns back to the Zone after travelling to other country without passing through other parts of the D.P.R.K, he shall have to take with him the valid staying or resident certificate to enter the Zone.

What other major conditions apply, how is the status obtained, and what renewal, document-validity, retention or loss rules matter?

Under Article 79 of the Rason Economic and Trade Zone Law (consolidated text with amendments through 3 December 2011), foreigners may enter, leave, stay or reside in the Zone, and may enter or leave via the designated route, without a visa, on presentation of a passport or other equivalent pass. The official source does not state the renewal, retention or loss rules for the certificate.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Sanctions caveat (applies to this Zone-based route): UN Security Council Resolution 2375 (2017), paragraph 18, requires states to prohibit their nationals from opening, maintaining or operating joint ventures or cooperative entities with DPRK entities or individuals, new or existing, unless approved case-by-case by the Security Council's 1718 Committee. A DPRK domestic legal permission to enter, stay or reside in the Zone does not by itself indicate that international investment, business or joint-venture activity there is normally available to a given applicant -- that depends on the applicant's own country's sanctions compliance and any required Committee approval, which this route does not establish.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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