What Is an F Visa in Korea? F-1 to F-6, Stay Periods and Who Qualifies

What the F category means

The F visa category in Korea groups long-term family, residence and permanent-stay purposes — the label on the visa tells you the purpose. Unlike short-term work (E) or study (D) visas, F visas are aimed at people who will stay and often live in Korea for years, and many of them come with work permission.

There are six main types, from the family-visitor F-1 through to the permanent-residence F-5 and the marriage-migrant F-6. Which one fits is decided by who you are to Korea (a family member, an overseas Korean, a resident over the longer term) and by published income and status criteria. The Ministry of Justice publishes a visa navigator table that sets out each F type, its stay period and whether work is allowed.

F-1: visiting or accompanying family

F-1 (visiting family / family cohabitant) is for people who need to stay with their family in Korea — for example visiting close relatives or joining a parent who lives here. Stay is granted for a limited period (the visa table lists around 2 years for family visitor stay) and it is not a work visa: F-1 holders generally cannot take employment.

F-1 is the visa to consider when the purpose is family care or accompaniment rather than residence in your own right.

F-2: residence, and the points-based F-2-7

F-2 (residence) is for people whose livelihood base is in Korea and who stay for the long term. It can be renewed up to 5 years, with partial work permission — the category allows long-term residents to work, subject to the conditions set by the office.

The best-known sub-type is F-2-7, the points-based residence visa: you accumulate points for age, education, income, Korean language and other factors, and if your score reaches the published threshold you can qualify. From F-2-7, after the required period (in practice around 3 years) you become eligible to apply for points-based permanent residence F-5-16. Because F-2 is decided on points and income, it is the flexible long-term option for professionals who do not have family ties or overseas-Korean status.

F-3 and F-4: dependents and overseas Koreans

F-3 (dependent family) is issued to the spouse and minor children of someone already holding a D-1 to E-7 visa. The stay follows the main visa holder and, like F-1, it generally does not allow employment.

F-4 (overseas Korean) is for people of Korean nationality abroad who hold foreign citizenship and fall under the Overseas Koreans Act. It comes with a 3-year stay and broader work permission, though unskilled labour is excluded. Among the F visas, F-4 is distinctive because it is granted on overseas-Korean status — not on income or points. F-4 holders who meet the long-term criteria can later apply for permanent residence under F-5.

F-5: permanent residence

F-5 (permanent residence) is the visa at the top of the F family: it has no time limit to stay, treats the holder much like a national in day-to-day life, and carries unrestricted work permission.

There are several routes into F-5. Generally you must first spend a qualifying period (commonly 5 years) on certain statuses, then meet good-conduct, livelihood and Korean-capability requirements. Points-based F-2-7 holders can apply after a shorter period on the points route. Because F-5’s criteria are the strictest in the family, F-2 status is the usual staging post for most applicants. The detailed F-5 requirements are covered separately in our F-5 visa guide.

F-6: marriage migrant

F-6 (marriage migrant) is issued to the foreign spouse of a Korean national, and also covers childcare and broken-marriage cases. Stay is around 3 years and work permission is unrestricted.

The Korean spouse must meet livelihood (income and housing) standards set by the authorities through a published annual notice, and for nationals of certain designated countries the couple may need to complete a marriage orientation programme before invitation. After two years on an F-6 you become eligible to pursue F-5 permanent residence on the spouse route. Marriage-migrant households should check the current income and housing notice, since the amounts are updated each year.

How to choose between them

A quick decision path:

• Family visitor or accompanying → F-1 or F-3 (no work)
• Overseas Korean → F-4 (3 years, most work allowed, no income points)
• Long-term skilled residence → F-2-7 points route, then F-5-16 later
• Married to a Korean national → F-6 (3 years, free work, F-5 after 2 years)
• Permanent-stay intent after qualifying status → F-5

Application goes through the local immigration office or Hi Korea, and you must hold the prerequisites (status, income proof, distinctive photos where required) before the status-change request. The criteria are fixed in law and reviewed by the office — no outcome is guaranteed ahead of the decision.