Blog, Korea Visa

Are you considering staying long-term in South Korea? Looking to thrive in the Land of the Morning Calm? While there are numerous visa options available, the F5 Permanent Residency (영주) Visa may be the best fit for you.

The F5 visa is well-known among foreign nationals for granting not only the privilege of permanent residency in their second home, but offering a wide range of other benefits. Whether you’re an immigrant looking to tighten your long-term connection to Korea, or a professional looking to make a new start overseas, the F5 visa may just be what you need to realize your aspirations. The following information includes an overview of the visa perks, the application process, and the subcategories of the F5 visa.

Let’s delve into the F5 visa and discover how it can shape your future in Korea.

What is an F5 visa for Korea?

The F5 visa is designed for foreigners hoping to stay and work in South Korea either long-term or indefinitely. Whether you wish to remain in Korea for your career or personal relationships, the F5 visa simply makes this dream a reality.

In addition, the F5 visa offers a level of security and comfort that many of the other visas do not. To better understand what makes this visa ideal for many, let us break down some of its benefits.

1. Freedom and Flexibility. F5 visa holders are not only free from previous visa types, but do not have the burden of shortened visa lengths. Many other work visas require renewal each year, making this burdensome for an individual.
2. Better Employment Opportunities. Those in possession of an F5 visa are eligible to apply for a wider range of jobs and also experience various fields and industries. Many other visas limit what work the holder can do, but the F5 visa is non-restrictive. In addition, as the visa does not require sponsorship from a company, many smaller Korean companies are able to hire foreigners on an F5 visa more easily.
3. Social Benefits. With the F5 visa, holders are exposed to more social benefits in line with themes such as healthcare, loans, education, the housing market, and social security.
4. Korean Citizenship. After holding the F5 visa for five years, holders are often eligible to apply for Korean citizenship alongside passing the citizenship test.

The F5 visa offers a wealth of benefits through stability, security, and social belonging. What’s more, it’s one of the swiftest and easiest pathways to Korean citizenship. No matter what your goal is, the F5 visa is a ticket to unlock a brighter future.

F5 Visa Common Requirements

Like all visas, the F5 is not simply easy to obtain. Not anyone can walk into an Immigration Center and apply for one. There are various requirements that individuals will need to prepare before applying for the visa. This includes but is not limited to the following information.

1. Length of Stay: Those applying for an F5 visa need to have stayed in South Korea for five consecutive years or more on a specific visa type (D-7, D-8, D-9, E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, E-5, E-6, E-7, F-2).

• If you are a spouse of Korean(F-5-2), underage child of Korean(F-5-3), a spouse or underage child of the holder of permanent residence(F-5-4), or an Overseas Korean(F-5-6), only 2 years of residency is required.
• If you are a person who is working in manufacturing industries(F-5-14), only 4 years of residency is required.

2. Finances: Those applying for an F5 visa must demonstrate their financial capability to support themselves without relying on public welfare.

• You should be able to prove that the combined income of you and your family meets the annual income requirement for your type of visa.
• Your “family” includes your spouse, underage children, and your parents, you have been living with you for the past one year. Your spouse’s parents are not included.
• You are exempted from this requirement if you are a high-value investor(F-5-5), competent person in a specific field(F-5-11), special contributor(F-5-12), real estate investor(F-5-17), spouse or unmarried child of a real estate investor(F-5-19), Korean-born child of a permanent resident(F-5-20), general investor in public service(F-5-21), retired investor in public service(F-5-23), spouse or unmarried child of a general investor in public service or a retired investor in public service(F-5-22), technology start-up investor(F-5-24), conditional large-scale investor(F-5-25).
• This requirement is mitigated if you have an F6 visa and you are pregnant with a child of Korean, or raising a child of Korean, or have been living with your Korean spouse’s parents for at least 1 year, or over 60 years old.

3. Criminal Record: Those applying for an F5 visa should have a clean criminal record both in Korea and their home country. This includes warnings conducted at the immigration center such as failure to report an address. This document needs to be officially translated into English and Korean, and needs an apostille. 

4. Korean Language: Those applying for an F5 visa should be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of Korean and pass a proficiency test or enroll in the government-run KIIP (Korean Immigration and Integration Program) program.

• You are exempted from this requirement if you are a high-value investor(F-5-5), Overseas Chinese who was born in Korea(F-5-8), high-tech doctor(F-5-9), competent person in a specific field(F-5-11), special contributor(F-5-12), pension beneficiary(F-5-13), general doctor(F-5-15), real estate investor(F-5-17), spouse or unmarried child of a real estate investor(F-5-19), Korean-born child of a permanent resident(F-5-20), general investor in public service(F-5-21), retired investor in public service(F-5-23), spouse or unmarried child of a general investor in public service or a retired investor in public service(F-5-22), technology start-up investor(F-5-24), conditional large-scale investor(F-5-25), R&D personnel of foreign-invested company(F-5-26), a child under 15 years old, or if you earned a Ph.D. in a graduate school in Korea.
• This requirement is mitigated if you have an intellectual disability, mental disorder, autism, or other serious diseases such as cancer.
• This requirement is mitigated if you have an F6 visa and raising your child alone due to the death or disappearance of your Korean spouse, or raising more than 3 children of your Korean spouse, or raising a child with a disability, or have been living in Korea for more than 10 years.

Now that we have shared what is required, it is also important to look more closely at the actual application process. There are several steps the applicant will need to follow.

Firstly, individuals should carefully check the list of required documents (passport, visa records, proof of income, proof of address, criminal records, etc.). Once the application is submitted to the Korean Immigration Office or consulate in the individual’s home country, a waiting period will follow. All official documents from your home country need to be officially translated into English and Korean, and need to have an apostille. 

When it comes to the F5 visa, there is a chance that an interview is also required. The interview is conducted in order to more accurately assess the individual’s motives and sustainability. If all is approved, the applicant should receive their visa a few weeks following the approval (up to 6 months). There will be a date on the visa as to when they can officially enter the country if they are not in Korea already.

Types of F5 Visas for Korea

What some applicants for the F5 visa may not realize is that there are two main branches of the visa that they can apply for.

• F5-1 (General Visa, 일반 영주자). This branch of the F5 visa is designed for single foreign nationals who have resided in Korea for five consecutive years on specific visas. When obtaining this visa, the foreigner has the same rights and privileges as Korean citizens with the exception of voting rights and applying to certain government positions.
• F5-2  (Spousal Visa, 국민의 배우자). The Spouse Visa was designed for foreign nationals who are already married to Korean citizens. This visa type allows the foreign spouse to obtain permanent residency in Korea without having to rely on their marriage certificate. The couple will need to be married for more than 2 years before the foreign spouse can apply for the F5 visa. Proof of a genuine marriage, and in some cases an ongoing marital relationship, is required.

Both types of F-5 visas offer long-term residency in Korea and provide individuals with the stability, freedom, and benefits associated with permanent residency. The specific requirements and application process may vary slightly between the two visas.

There are, however, various other types of F5 visas for more specific situations. Please read the following information carefully to see if any relates to your unique situation.

• F-5-3 (Minor children of Korean, 국민의 미성년 자녀)
• F-5-4 (Spouse or minor child of holder of permanent residence, 일반 영주자의 배우자 또는 미성년 자녀) 
• F-5-5 (Investors who have invested more than USD 500,000 and employed at least five Korean citizens, 고액 투자자)
• F-5-6 (Person who stayed more than two years as an overseas Korean, 재외동포)
• F-5-7 (Foreign nationals who meet the requirements for acquiring nationality, 외국국적동포)
• F-5-8 (Overseas Chinese or Taiwanese born in Korea, 재한 화교)
• F-5-9 (Person who has a Ph.D. in a high-tech industry and is employed by a Korean company, 첨단분야 박사)
• F-5-10 (Bachelor in high-tech industry, Master’s in general field, and is employed by a Korean company 학사∙석사 및 자격증 소지자)
• F-5-11 (Specific field ability owners, 특정분야 능력 소유자)
• F-5-12 (Special merit, 특별 공로자)
• F-5-13 (Pension beneficiaries, 연금 수혜자) 
• F-5-14 (Person who has been on H2 visa for four years or more, 방문취업)
• F-5-15 (General Doctor, 일반분야 박사)
• F-5-16 (Score Permanent Resident, 점수제 영주자)
• F-5-17 (Person who has continuously invested in real estate for five years or more, 부동산 투자자)
• F-5-18 (Spouse or minor child of Score Permanent Resident, 점수제 영주자의 배우자 또는 미성년 자녀)
• F-5-19 (Spouse or minor child of Real Estate Owner, 부동산 투자자의 배우자 또는 미혼 자녀)
• F-5-20 (National birth children of Permanent Residents, 영주권자의 국내 출생 자녀)
• F-5-21 (Person who has continuously invested in a public utility business for five years or more, 공익사업 일반 투자자)
• F-5-22 (Spouse or minor child of Public Utility Investor, 공익사업 투자자의 배우자 또는 미혼 자녀)
• F-5-23 (Public interest retired immigrant investor, 공익사업 은퇴이민 투자자)
• F-5-24 (Technology Startup Investor, 기술창업 투자자)
• F-5-25 (Conditional Large-scale Investor, 조건부 고액투자자)
• F-5-26 (Research and Development personnel of foreign-invested enterprises, 외국인투자기업의 연구개발 인력) 
• F-5-27 (Person who has refugee status in Korea for two years or more, 난민)

Each of the above visas has specific details and application requirements. Please address the official immigration website for more information. If you are still confused, you may want to consider consulting a lawyer to help make your application process run smoothly.

Visa Lawyer in Korea

The F5 visa is undoubtedly an attractive option for foreigners looking to live in Korea for longer periods of time. With benefits ranging from stable employment to more social standing, this visa is an opportunity that should not be missed. Thus, great care should be taken in order to comfortably and confidently obtain the F5 visa. To check if you fulfill the eligibility requirements, hiring a good lawyer will guarantee limited stress and ultimate success.

The Seoul Law Group is dedicated to helping foreigners in their native language, no matter where they reside. Our team has in-depth and first-hand experience required to navigate complicated application processes. We want nothing more than the best possible outcome for our clients, as we deeply understand the impact a rejected application can have.

You may still be wondering about the benefits of hiring a lawyer in Korea, particularly if you’re living overseas. Lawyers based in Korea have regular, first-hand experience dealing with the Korean Immigration Center. There have been many cases over the years of foreigners being unfairly rejected during a visa application, but these cases seldom happen when individuals are accompanied and supported by a visa lawyer.

Don’t let language, fear, anxiety, or poor preparation get in the way of a future in Korea. Instead, let The Seoul Law Group support you every step of the way.