Living in Korea, explained properly.
Visas, banking, phone plans, taxes and housing — written for people who actually have to do it, and sourced from the published criteria.
F-5-2 Permanent Residence (Spouse of a Korean National): Requirements and the F-6 Route
Korea's F-5-2 permanent residence for spouses of Korean nationals: the F-6 to F-5-2 route, the 2-year stay, income and Korean language (KIIP) requirements, and how to apply.
f5 2 visa korea requirements — Read guideWhat's in this guide
- F-5-2 is permanent residence for a foreign spouse of a Korean national, typically reached from F-6 marriage migrant status held for 2 years or more.
- The main checks are income at about 1x Korea's per-capita GNI (spouse income can combine), Korean language through KIIP level 5, and a clean conduct record.
- Apply before your current status expires, through HiKorea or the immigration office with jurisdiction over you.
Recently updated
- Banking
Mobile Banking in Korea in English: Setting Up and Using a Korean Banking App
How to set up and use Korean mobile banking in English as a foreign resident — which apps offer English, what you need to register, and the limits and fees to expect.
- Visa
F-2 Visa Korea: The Resident Status Family, Requirements and How It Differs From Work Visas
What Korea's F-2 resident visa is, the general requirements to hold it, the points-based F-2-7 as the main professional route, and how F-2 differs from employer-tied visas.
- Visa
Can Foreigners Get South Korean Citizenship? Naturalization, Requirements and the Realistic Route
Yes — through naturalization (gwi-hwa). Here is how general naturalization works under the Nationality Act: the five-year residence test, the permanent residency requirement, self-support, conduct and the Korean language and culture assessment.
- Tax
Korea Business Registration for Foreigners: Visa Rules, Documents and the 20-Day Deadline
How to register a business in Korea as a foreigner: which visa statuses permit it, the 20-day registration deadline, the Hometax or tax-office process, required documents, and what changes on your tax bill.
- Tax
Korea Freelance Tax: The 3.3% Withholding, the May Filing, and Getting Your Refund
How freelance income is taxed in Korea: the 3.3% withholding on business income, why it is only an advance payment, and how the May comprehensive income tax return settles the real amount.
- Visa
Korea Residence Permit: The Residence Card, F-Series Statuses and What 'Residence' Means
How Korea's residence permit system works: the Residence Card as your document of stay, the F-series residence statuses, and the obligations that continue while you live in Korea.
- Tax
Korea Local Income Tax: The 10% Surtax, Who Pays It, and How to File
What Korea's local income tax (jibang sodeukse) is, how the 10% surtax on your national income tax is calculated, who withholds it, and how to file it through Wetax.
- Visa
Korea Work Visa: How the System Works — E-Series, Sponsorship and the Employer-Driven Process
A map of Korea's work visa system: which visa fits which job, how employer sponsorship works through the Certificate of Confirmation of Visa Issuance, and what you must do after arrival.