SORA RENTAL NOTE · 30
The lease is not in my name. How do I prove where I live?
Prepare immigration housing evidence for a friend’s apartment, dormitory or temporary accommodation without changing the facts.
Content checked · 3 October 2026
The key points
- A lease in another person’s name does not mean there is no way to document your actual accommodation.
- The evidence depends on who provides the accommodation and what type of place it is.
- Housing evidence supports an immigration application; it does not itself make you the tenant or guarantee approval.
01 — 04
Start with the comic
Documents and screens are simplified illustrations. Check the sources below for actual forms and steps.
I live here, but the lease is in my friend’s name.
Let’s connect your actual home, the lease and the accommodation provider.
We can complete a truthful accommodation confirmation together.
Check the required documents before you submit the folder.
Start with your real living arrangement
- Actual home
- Contractual roles
- Residence evidence
Immigration needs evidence of where you actually live. Before collecting papers, identify the person or organization providing the accommodation and whether the contract is in your name. Do not replace your friend’s name on an existing lease or create a second version just for the application.
Korea University’s undergraduate extension guidance gives a useful example: where the lease is not in the student’s name, it lists a Confirmation of Residence/Accommodation (거주/숙소제공 확인서), the provider’s lease and a copy of both sides of the provider’s ID. Ask your own university or immigration office whether this combination fits your case.
Match the documents to the accommodation
- Actual home
- Contract terms
- Certificate and contents
The same KU guidance lists a dormitory office’s signed confirmation and a dormitory payment receipt for campus housing. For a gosiwon, hotel or guesthouse, it lists an accommodation confirmation, the accommodation business’s registration certificate and a monthly rent receipt issued within the last month. A booking screenshot alone may leave important information missing.
For Airbnb, KU lists an accommodation confirmation, the provider’s lease and ID copies, plus booking confirmation. This is a document example, not a promise that every listing can supply the papers or will be accepted. Ask the operator about documents before paying for a stay that must support your application.
Prepare the folder without changing legal roles
- Document folder
- Contractual roles
- Original contract
Compare the student’s name, actual address, accommodation period and provider’s details across the documents. Ask the provider to complete and sign the relevant parts themselves. Obtain any necessary identity copy directly and share it only through the intended submission process.
Keep a copy of what you submit and ask about missing items before your appointment. A residence confirmation records an accommodation arrangement; it does not by itself transfer a lease, authorize a sublease or give you a deposit claim against the owner. Those are separate contractual questions.
What to check
- Identify whose name is on the contract and who actually provides the accommodation.
- Ask your own university or immigration office for the current document list for this housing type.
- Request the confirmation, relevant contract and any required ID or business documents early.
- Check the names, address and accommodation dates before submitting.
Common questions
Can I submit only my friend’s lease?
Do not assume it is enough. The KU example requires additional evidence linking you to the provider; confirm the requirements for your own application.
Does this confirmation make me a tenant under my friend’s lease?
No. Immigration housing evidence and your contractual rights are separate. Check any occupancy, subletting and deposit arrangements independently.
Official sources
Korean laws and guidance from public agencies, universities and service providers. Most originals are in Korean or English. School and product examples apply only within their stated scope.