Visa
Visa categories, required documents and the application steps for each status.
35 articles
Korea C-3-4 Visa: Short-Term Business Visits Without Work, and How to Apply
The C-3-4 (general business) visa covers short-term, non-remunerative business in Korea — meetings, market research, consultations and contracts for up to 90 days. What it allows, what it does not, and the documents you need.
Korea C-4 Visa: Short-Term Work for Up to 90 Days, What Qualifies, How to Apply
The C-4 (short-term employment) visa lets you work in Korea for up to 90 days on a single entry. What activities qualify, how it differs from C-3 and long-term work visas, and the documents you need.
Working Holiday in Korea: What Jobs You Can Take and How to Find Them
What kind of work an H-1 working holiday visa permits in Korea, the minimum wage and labour rules that apply, where to look for jobs, and the restrictions to watch.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Alien Registration Number in Korea: What It Is and Where It Appears
The 13-digit foreigner registration number printed on your ARC functions as your identity number in Korea. What the digits mean, where you find it, and what opens only once you have it.
How Can I Get a Visa to South Korea? The First-Timer's Path, Step by Step
The practical path to a Korean visa for a first-time applicant: whether you need a visa at all, short-stay vs long-stay, sponsored vs direct, the documents to gather, and where to apply. A step-by-step decision route.
Is South Korea Visa-Free? Who Can Enter Without a Visa in 2026
Whether you can enter South Korea without a visa depends on your nationality and the K-ETA requirement. Here is who qualifies for visa-free entry in 2026, how long they can stay, and what the K-ETA exemption actually covers.
How Long Is a Korean Visa Valid? Visa Validity vs Stay Period
The two 'validity' concepts that confuse people — how long a Korean visa lets you enter, and how long you may actually stay. Single vs multiple entry, the 90-day limit, the ARC stay period and K-ETA.
How to Get a Korean Visa: Types, Sponsor Routes and the Steps
The practical path to a Korean visa — how the visa families are organised, who sponsors each type, what you apply with, and the step from visa to alien registration once you arrive.
How Korea's Points-Based Visa Works: The Scoring System Explained
Korea's points-based residence visa (F-2-7) is won on a points table, not an interview. Here is how the score is built, which categories carry the most weight, and what actually moves your total.
Can You Extend a Tourist Visa in Korea? The Short-Stay Rule Explained
Tourists in Korea on visa-free entry (B-2) or a short-term C-3 visa can apply to extend their stay — but only for narrow, unavoidable reasons. Here is the actual rule, the 30-day cap, how to apply and what overstaying costs.
How much is a student visa for Korea? Fees from visa to ARC
A breakdown of D-2 student visa fees in Korea: visa application ($40/$60 per visa.go.kr ranges), Alien Registration Card issuance (35,000 KRW), extension fees, and which costs vary by nationality.
What Is an F Visa in Korea? F-1 to F-6, Stay Periods and Who Qualifies
An overview of Korea's F visa family — F-1 family visitor, F-2 residence (points-based F-2-7), F-3 dependents, F-4 overseas Korean, F-5 permanent residence and F-6 marriage — with stay rules and work permission.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
D-10 Job Seeker Visa in Korea: Points, Documents and What It Allows
The D-10 lets you stay in Korea while looking for work or preparing a start-up. Here is the points assessment, the documents required, and the activity limits that catch people out.
D-2 Student Visa in Korea: Requirements, Part-Time Work and Attendance Rules
What the D-2 student visa requires — admission, financial evidence and documents — plus the part-time work permission process and the attendance rules that can cost you the status.
D-4 Visa Korea: Language Study Requirements and What It Does Not Allow
The D-4 general trainee visa covers Korean language study and similar training. Here are the published requirements, the financial proof expected, the part-time work rules and the attendance conditions that affect extension.
E-2 Visa Korea Requirements: Documents, Criminal Check and Employer Ties
The E-2 foreign language instructor visa has a fixed nationality list, an apostilled document set and a visa tied to one employer. Here is what is required and where applications commonly stall.
E-7 Visa Requirements in Korea: Occupation Codes, Employer Criteria and Documents
The E-7 is Korea's sponsored professional work visa. Here is how occupation codes work, what the employer has to prove, the education and experience matching rule, and the documents involved.
F-2-7 Points-Based Residence in Korea: Eligibility, Documents and What Changes
What the F-2-7 residence status actually gives you beyond a work visa, which base statuses can apply, the documents required, and how it differs from F-5 permanent residency.
F-4 Overseas Korean Visa: Who Qualifies and What It Permits
The F-4 is for overseas Koreans and gives broad activity rights, but it excludes certain kinds of work. Here is who qualifies, the documents that prove lineage, and the activity restrictions.
F-5 Permanent Residency in Korea: Routes, Conditions and What It Does Not Give You
The main routes to F-5, the residence period and income conditions, the Korean language and social integration requirement, and how permanent residency differs from citizenship.
F-6 Marriage Visa in Korea: Requirements, Income Threshold and the Interview
What the F-6 spouse visa requires — the Korean spouse's income and housing conditions, the language requirement, the interview, and what happens if the marriage ends.
H-1 Working Holiday Visa Korea: Quotas, Age Limits and What You Can Do
The H-1 working holiday visa depends on a bilateral arrangement between Korea and your country, each with its own quota, age range and conditions. Here is how it works and what work is off limits.
Changing Visa Status Inside Korea: What Is Possible and What Is Not
Which status changes can be made without leaving Korea, which require a new visa from abroad, the timing that catches people out, and the documents involved.
Extending Your Stay in Korea: When to Apply, Documents and Overstay Consequences
How to extend your period of stay in Korea — the application window, the documents each status needs, how to book on HiKorea, and what an overstay actually costs.
D-8 Visa Requirements in Korea: Investment Threshold, Documents and Process
What the D-8 corporate investment visa requires — the minimum foreign investment amount, foreign investment registration, company setup steps and the documents Korean immigration asks for.