Every way into South Korea.

Consular short-stay visa for nationals not eligible for visa-free entry/K-ETA, covering tourism and visiting friends or relatives for up to 90 days. Typically issued single-entry with 3-month validity; the standard single-entry fee is USD 40 (fees vary by nationality under reciprocity, and the visa is not extendable for tourism). All foreign visitors must also submit an e-Arrival Card online before entry.

Government fee

≈ $40

Indicative — varies by nationality

Service fee

$160

Max stay

90 days

Validity

90 days

Online travel authorization for nationals of visa-waiver countries visiting Korea for tourism, family visits, events or non-remunerated business for up to 30-90 days depending on nationality. Fee is KRW 10,000, decisions are generally issued within 72 hours, and an approved K-ETA is valid for 3 years for multiple entries. Nationals of 67 countries/territories (incl. US, UK, EU states, Australia, NZ) are temporarily EXEMPT from the K-ETA requirement through 31 December 2026, though they may still apply voluntarily to skip the arrival card.

• Apply online
• Apply with ChatGPT

Government fee

≈ ₩10,000

Indicative — varies by nationality

Service fee

₩74,000

Processing time

3 days

Max stay

90 days

Validity

1,095 days

Passengers transiting Incheon Airport airside for under 24 hours (same calendar day at other airports) do not need a visa. Transfer passengers holding an onward ticket departing within 72 hours may additionally enter the Seoul metropolitan area visa-free under the guided Transit Tourism Program (free tours; KRW 10,000 entry-procedure fee). Nationals subject to K-ETA remain exempt while in airside transit.

Max stay

3 days

Short-term visa for business meetings, market research, contract negotiation, after-sales service and similar non-remunerated commercial activities up to 90 days. Requires an invitation from a Korean company; paid work in Korea is not allowed. Nationals of visa-waiver countries can conduct the same activities visa-free/with K-ETA.

Government fee

$40

Service fee

$160

Max stay

90 days

Validity

90 days

For degree-seeking students (associate to PhD, plus exchange and research) admitted to a Korean higher-education institution. Financial proof of roughly USD 20,000 / KRW 20 million in a certified bank balance is the standard benchmark for 2025-2026 intakes; part-time work is allowed with a permit. Stay is granted for the program duration in up to 2-year increments, and graduates can switch to the D-10 job-seeker visa (exempt from its points test on first application) or E-7 work status.

• Work: up to 20 h/week
• Study: Full-time degree enrollment

Service fee

₩300,000

For students enrolled in Korean language programs at university-affiliated language institutes. Financial proof of about KRW 10 million (metropolitan-area institutes) or KRW 8 million (provincial) / approx. USD 10,000 is required; part-time work is only permitted after 6 months with approval. Issued in 6-month increments up to a 2-year maximum, after which students typically progress to D-2 degree study.

• Study: Korean language training

Service fee

₩300,000

Launched January 2024 for remote employees and freelancers (18+, 1+ year in their field) working for foreign employers/clients while staying in Korea; local employment is prohibited. Requires annual income of at least twice Korea's previous-year GNI per capita (currently approx. KRW 88.1 million / USD 65,800 per year) plus private medical/repatriation insurance (KRW 100 million, consulates cite EUR 70,000 equivalent) covering the stay. Issued as a 1-year multiple-entry visa, extendable in Korea for one additional year (2 years max); spouse and minor children may accompany; fee varies by nationality (USD 45 at US missions).

• Work: Remote work for foreign employer
• Family: Accompanying family, no work

Service fee

₩300,000

Processing time

25 days

Max stay

365 days

Validity

365 days

Min. income / month

₩7,341,667

Startup residence status for founders of a newly incorporated technology/idea-based Korean company, scored under the OASIS startup immigration points system (80 points incl. a mandatory item such as a registered patent or OASIS program completion; bachelor's degree or Korean associate degree required). The usual 2026 path is OASIS training -> D-10-2 startup-preparation visa -> D-8-4 after incorporation; no fixed minimum capital applies, unlike the D-8-1 investor route. Renewable while the business operates and counts toward long-term residence.

• Work: Work tied to own startup
• Study: OASIS program study allowed
• Residency after 5 years
• Family: Spouse & children via F-3

Service fee

₩370,000

Points-based upgrade for long-term non-professional workers (E-9 manufacturing, E-10 vessel crew, H-2) with 4+ years of legal stay in the past 10 years, scored on income (recent average at least KRW 25M/year), Korean language, age and bonus points (200+ points typically needed). The 2026 quota is about 33,000-35,000 with year-round online application via HiKorea/K-Work since 30 Jan 2026. Allows family invitation and leads to F-5 permanent residence after continued residence.

• Work: Skilled work, points-based
• Study: Study allowed alongside work
• Residency after 5 years
• Family: Spouse & children via F-3

Service fee

₩300,000

Employer-sponsored work visa for designated occupations (67 professional, plus semi-professional and skilled categories). Requires a relevant master's degree, bachelor's plus 1 year of experience, or 5 years of experience, and a minimum salary - at least KRW 31,120,000/year for E-7-1 professionals under the 2026 standard (effective 1 Feb 2026); semi-skilled categories have lower thresholds. Granted in increments up to 3 years, renewable indefinitely, and counts toward F-2-7/F-5 residence; graduates can bridge to it via the D-10 job-seeker visa (points-based, 6-month increments up to 2 years).

• Work: Work in designated occupation
• Study: Study allowed alongside work
• Residency after 5 years
• Family: Spouse & children via F-3

Service fee

₩300,000

For employees with 1+ year of service at a foreign company who are dispatched to its Korean branch, subsidiary or affiliate in a managerial, executive or specialist role (D-7-1), or staff of overseas affiliates of Korean companies sent to headquarters (D-7-2). The 1-year service requirement can be waived for key-industry/national projects or where the foreign company invested over USD 500,000 in the Korean entity. Issuable for up to 3 years (commonly 1 year initially) and extendable for the assignment duration.

• Work: Work tied to transferring firm
• Study: Study allowed alongside role
• Residency after 5 years
• Family: Spouse & children via F-3

Service fee

₩370,000

Immigrant Investor Scheme for Public Business: investing at least KRW 1.5 billion (raised threefold from KRW 500M in 2023) in a designated KDB-managed public fund or development project grants F-2 residence with free economic activity for the investor, spouse and unmarried children. Maintaining the investment for 5 years allows change to F-5 permanent residence. A lower-threshold retiree variant (age 55+, combining investment with proven assets) has existed within this scheme - confirm current retiree conditions with immigration, as Korea has no general retirement visa.

• Work: Work allowed under F-2
• Study: Study allowed under F-2
• Residency after 5 years
• Family: Spouse & children included

Min. investment

₩1,500,000,000

Grants F-2 residence (free employment, business and study; spouse and unmarried children included) for investing at least KRW 1 billion in designated tourism/leisure real estate (condominiums, resorts) in MOJ-gazetted zones - Jeju, Incheon FEZ (Songdo/Yeongjong/Cheongna), Pyeongchang Alpensia, Yeosu Gyeongdo, Busan Haeundae/East Busan. Maintaining the investment for 5 years qualifies the holder for F-5 permanent residence. The threshold was doubled from KRW 500M to KRW 1B in May 2023; Jeju announced in February 2026 that its scheme is extended to 31 December 2026 (sunset dates for other zones were set at 30 April 2026 - verify zone-by-zone before relying on this route).

• Work: Work allowed under F-2
• Study: Study allowed under F-2
• Residency after 5 years
• Family: Spouse & children included

Min. investment

₩1,000,000,000

For essential executives/specialists of a foreign-invested company under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act: minimum FDI of KRW 100 million per individual investor with at least 10% voting equity, remitted from the investor's own overseas funds through a Korean foreign-exchange bank. Investments under KRW 300 million face site inspections and extensions require evidence of real business activity (revenue, tax filings). Stay granted in increments (up to 5 years possible, commonly 1-2 years), renewable, with a path to F-5 permanent residence.

• Work: Work tied to invested business
• Study: Study allowed alongside business
• Residency after 5 years
• Family: Spouse & children via F-3

Min. investment

₩100,000,000

One-year holiday-plus-work visa under bilateral MOUs with roughly 25-29 partners including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, UK, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Chile and Argentina (the US runs a separate WEST/student-linked variant). Applicants are generally aged 18-30 (up to 35 for some partners), must apply in their home country, show return funds, and may work part-time (capped around 25 hours/week); quotas and conditions vary by nationality. Single participation per lifetime; not extendable beyond the program terms.

• Work: up to 25 h/week
• Study: Language courses only, not degree

Service fee

₩300,000

Max stay

365 days

Validity

365 days

F-3 covers the spouse and unmarried minor children of holders of work/study statuses (D-1 to E-7, excluding some categories); validity tracks the principal's permit and employment is not allowed without a separate permit. Since April 2025, in-country F-3 filings are no longer accepted - families apply via a visa issuance confirmation number alongside the principal's application or at a consulate after the principal's residence card is issued. Parents, adult children and other relatives (e.g. parents accompanying minor international students, with proof of ~KRW 20M+/year in funds) use the F-1 visiting-family status instead.

Service fee

₩370,000

For foreign spouses of Korean nationals with a marriage registered in both countries. The Korean inviter must meet an annual income threshold (KRW 25.19 million for a 2-person household under the 2026 standard, effective 2 Jan 2026; assets convertible at 5%, and exemptions apply if the couple has a child or lived abroad together 1+ year), plus the couple must share a communication language (TOPIK level 1 or evidence/interview). Initially granted about 1 year, renewable, with eligibility for F-5 permanent residence after 2 years of marriage-based residence and a naturalization path.

Service fee

₩370,000

Quasi-free residence status for ethnic Koreans with foreign nationality: former Korean nationals and lineal descendants of someone who held Korean nationality at birth (the third-generation cap was removed in 2019, so 4th generation and beyond qualify with documentation). Permits stays of up to 3 years per period with near-unrestricted economic activity - manual-labor restrictions were significantly relaxed from 2026, with 10 of 39 restricted sectors fully opened in February 2026 - and is renewable indefinitely with a straightforward F-5 path. Applicants need lineage proof via Korean family registers and a clean background check.

Max stay

1,095 days

Korea's academic-talent statuses: E-1 covers professors and lecturers at universities and affiliated research institutes; E-3 covers researchers in science, engineering, humanities and advanced technology at government-funded, defense or corporate research institutes. Typical qualification is a doctorate, or a master's plus 3 years of research experience (waived for graduates of Korean universities or authors of SCIE/SSCI-indexed theses). Granted for up to 5 years per issuance, extendable, usually via a Confirmation of Visa Issuance obtained by the inviting institution; both count toward F-2-7 and F-5.

• Work: Work as professor/researcher
• Study: Study allowed alongside role
• Residency after 5 years
• Family: Spouse & children via F-3

Service fee

₩370,000

Long-term residence status for skilled foreign residents (typically holders of E-1 to E-7 or D-series visas with 1+ year in Korea) who score at least 80 points on a scale rating age, education, Korean ability (TOPIK/KIIP), income and bonus items. Permits granted for 1-5 years depending on score/income, allow nearly unrestricted employment, and lead to F-5 permanent residence after 3 years on F-2-7. Spouses and children can obtain dependent statuses (F-2-71/F-1-12).

Korea's permanent residence status with 27 sub-tracks: the general track requires 5+ years of continuous legal residence, income around 1-2x GNI per capita (2026 benchmark approx. KRW 52.4M, applied per the latest published GNI), KIIP completion/Korean proficiency and a clean record; faster tracks exist for F-2-7 holders (3 years), spouses of Koreans (2 years), investors and E-7-4 skilled workers (5-year pathway). F-5 is open-ended (residence card renewed every 10 years) and permits unrestricted work.