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 Visa Korea (Permanent Residence): Requirements, Income and Language
Korea's F-5 permanent residence visa: who qualifies, the points and general routes, the income requirement around 2x per-capita GNI, language (KIIP) and criminal-record criteria, and where to apply.
f-5 visa korea requirements — Read guideWhat's in this guide
- F-5 is Korea's permanent residence status — no time limit on stay and free access to work in Korea.
- The general route (F-5-1) needs 5+ years on eligible statuses such as D-7 to D-10 or E-1 to E-7, plus an income around 2x per-capita GNI and a language requirement.
- Applications are filed at an immigration office, usually via HiKorea, before your current status expires.
Recently updated
- Tax
South Korea Foreign Income Tax: What Residents Pay and How Credit Works
How Korea taxes the foreign-source income of residents: worldwide taxation, the 5-year remittance basis for non-permanent residents, the foreign tax credit, and the May global income tax return.
- Tax
Does South Korea Tax Foreigners? Income Tax Rules for Expats
Yes — South Korea taxes foreigners on Korean-source income, and tax residents also pay on worldwide income. Resident rule (183 days), 2025 progressive rates, local income tax and withholding explained.
- Visa
Korea F Visa Requirements: F-2, F-4, F-5 and F-6 Explained
Requirements for Korea's family and residence visas: F-2 points-based residence (80 points), F-4 overseas Korean, F-5 permanent residence, and F-6 marriage visa, based on official immigration.go.kr and Hikorea criteria.
- Visa
Documents Required for a Korean Visa: The Checklist by Status
The documents a Korean visa application generally asks for — passport, photo, proof of purpose, financial evidence and the certificates that need apostille or translation — arranged as a checklist you can prepare before applying.
- Banking
Korea International Transfer: How to Send Money Abroad as a Foreign Resident
The practical mechanics of an international transfer from Korea — the annual limits that apply to foreign residents, the documents banks require, how a bank wire compares with transfer apps, and the mistakes that get transfers returned.
- Phone
Getting a Phone Plan in Korea Without an ARC: What Works and What Waits
What phone service you can buy in Korea before you have an alien registration card (ARC) — why prepaid is the passport-only route, why postpaid and app verification wait, and how to switch after registration.
- Visa
How to Renew Your Korean Visa: Windows, Fees and Step-by-Step Steps
How visa renewal (extension of stay) works in Korea — when the application window opens, how to file on HiKorea or at the immigration office, the fee by status, and what happens after you apply.
- Visa
Alien Registration Card in Korea: Deadline, Documents and Why You Need It First
The ARC deadline, what to bring to immigration, how to book a slot on HiKorea, and the everyday services that stay locked until the card arrives.