Immigration
Entry by state invitation; exit by citizens is criminalised
There is no ordinary immigration route. Foreign nationals enter by state invitation and controlled tour arrangement, and unauthorised departure by a citizen is prosecuted as a criminal offence.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Internal movement between provinces also requires a travel permit, so residence is administratively fixed.
Governing law
- Immigration Law of the DPRK
- Criminal Law of the DPRKillegal border crossing
In practice
Foreign residence is limited to accredited diplomats, aid workers and a small number of business representatives, in each case under close supervision. For citizens, leaving without authorisation is punished as illegal border crossing and, where the destination is South Korea or contact with missionaries is alleged, has been reported as treated far more severely. Refoulement of those returned from third countries is documented by UN human rights bodies. Any advice for an individual case must come from a lawyer and the relevant foreign ministry, not from this atlas.