Overview: What Is the F-2 Visa?
The F-2 visa (거주 / Long-Term Resident) is Korea's premier long-term residency status for foreign nationals who have established substantial ties to Korea — whether through sustained professional presence, family connection, humanitarian circumstances, or the points-based skilled worker route.
F-2 is not a single visa but a family of related statuses grouped under the same code. What all F-2 subtypes share is a fundamental feature: near-unrestricted activity rights. An F-2 holder can work for any Korean employer in almost any industry, start a business, invest, study, and live in Korea without the activity-specific constraints imposed on most work and study visas.
This makes F-2 one of the most coveted statuses in the Korean immigration system — particularly F-2-7, the points-based route that allows skilled foreign professionals on work visas to transition to stable long-term residency without requiring a Korean spouse or parent.
F-2 (Long-Term Resident) is a temporary status renewed periodically — typically every 1–2 years — as long as qualifying conditions persist. F-5 (Permanent Resident) is indefinite. F-2-7 is a common stepping stone to F-5 permanent residency, requiring a combined 5 years of lawful residence including at least 1 year on F-2-7.
Key F-2 Subtypes
The F-2 category has numerous subtypes designated by number (F-2-1 through F-2-99). The most relevant for foreign nationals seeking long-term residency in Korea are described below.
F-2-1
Dependent spouse of a D, E, or F visa holder. Grants residency rights to accompanying spouses of professionals and long-term residents in Korea.
F-2-2
Minor child of an F-2 visa holder. Children of F-2 residents receive their own F-2 status allowing them to live and study in Korea.
F-2-7 ★ Points System
Points-based long-term resident (핵심인력) for skilled professionals. The primary route for work visa holders to obtain stable residency without marriage. Requires 80+ points out of 130.
F-2-99
Special humanitarian cases — including recognized refugees transitioning from G-1 status and other exceptional cases where standard subtype codes do not apply.
Other Notable F-2 Subtypes
- F-2-4: Foreign nationals who have invested in Korea above the threshold for investment-based residency
- F-2-5: Holders of specific professional qualifications recognized by Korea under bilateral agreements
- F-2-6: Graduates of Korean universities who wish to continue residing in Korea after graduation
- F-2-8 through F-2-16: Various specialized routes including talent-based residency, government-designated special categories, and others periodically added by Ministry of Justice regulation
F-2-7 Points System Explained
The F-2-7 points system (점수제 거주자격) is designed to attract and retain skilled foreign professionals who contribute to Korea's economy. It converts objective, measurable criteria into a score — applicants who meet the 80-point threshold qualify for the status regardless of their specific profession, as long as they have been lawfully present in Korea.
Scoring Categories
The maximum possible score is 130 points. The passing threshold is 80 points. Points are awarded in the following categories:
| Category | Max Points | How Points Are Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Age (나이) | 25 pts | 25 pts: age 25–29; 20 pts: 30–34; 15 pts: 35–39; 10 pts: 40–44; 5 pts: 45–49; 0 pts: 50+ |
| Education (학력) | 25 pts | 25 pts: doctorate; 20 pts: master's; 15 pts: bachelor's; 10 pts: associate degree; 5 pts: high school diploma or equivalent |
| Korean Language — TOPIK (한국어) | 20 pts | 20 pts: TOPIK Level 6; 16 pts: Level 5; 12 pts: Level 4; 8 pts: Level 3; 4 pts: Level 2; 0 pts: below Level 2 |
| Annual Income (소득) | 60 pts | Tiered scale based on multiples of Korea's GNI per capita: 60 pts for highest earners; minimum points for incomes above the baseline threshold (roughly KRW 30M–40M+/year at entry level) |
| Assets / Bonus Factors | Varies | Bonus points for: prior investment in Korea, donation to Korean institutions, employment at designated companies, working in priority industries, patent holders, award recipients, and other government-designated bonuses |
| Deduction Factors | Up to -70 | Points are deducted for: immigration violations, criminal records, tax delinquency, and health insurance premium non-payment. Major violations can result in automatic disqualification. |
| Total Maximum Score | 130 pts | Passing Threshold: 80 points |
Income (60 pts max) is the single largest factor — professionals with above-average income can qualify with modest scores in other categories.
Who Typically Applies for F-2-7?
The F-2-7 route is primarily used by:
- Foreign professionals on E-7 (special activities) visas who have been in Korea for several years and want to remove employer-dependence from their status
- E-2 English teachers and other E-series holders who have invested in TOPIK certification and wish to transition to more flexible residency
- D-7, D-8, D-9 business and investment visa holders converting to personal long-term residency
- Professionals at multinational companies in Korea who have built an employment and income record qualifying them under the scoring criteria
F-2-7 is not available to persons applying from abroad. The applicant must already be lawfully present in Korea on a qualifying status (typically a D or E series work/business visa) at the time of application. There is no minimum mandatory period of prior Korea residence specified in law, but the income and employment history required in practice means most successful applicants have at least 1–3 years of Korea work history.
Work Rights on F-2
The F-2 visa grants one of the broadest sets of activity rights available in the Korean immigration system. This is the key reason professionals seek F-2 as a long-term goal.
What F-2 Holders Can Do
- Work for any employer: Change jobs freely without updating immigration status or requiring a new employer sponsor
- Work in any sector: No industry or job category restrictions (with the narrow exception below)
- Start or invest in a business: Establish a Korean company or invest in any legal business activity
- Operate as self-employed: Work as a freelancer, consultant, or sole proprietor without additional permit
- Study: Enroll in any educational institution without a student visa
- Access healthcare and social insurance: Full enrollment in Korea's national health insurance and pension system as an employer-enrolled worker
Exceptions
The one category of employment not available to F-2 holders is security-sensitive government positions that by law require Korean citizenship (Korean nationality 대한민국 국적). This includes military service, certain national intelligence positions, and roles in the core civil service that are citizenship-restricted. These exceptions are narrow and do not affect the vast majority of career paths in Korea.
One of the most valuable aspects of F-2 for professionals is the ability to switch employers freely. Unlike E-7 or E-2 holders who must report employer changes to immigration and risk having their status tied to a single company, F-2 holders can move jobs, go freelance, or take a career break without any immigration implications — as long as they renew their F-2 before expiry.
Required Documents for F-2-7 Application
The following documents are required when applying for F-2-7 at a domestic Korean immigration office (출입국·외국인청). All foreign documents must be notarized and apostilled. Korean translations are required for non-English, non-Korean documents.
| Document | Details |
|---|---|
| Valid passport | Original plus copy; valid for at least 6 months beyond intended stay |
| Alien Registration Card (ARC) | Current valid ARC showing existing lawful status in Korea |
| Educational qualification certificate | Degree certificate + transcript from the highest institution attended; if foreign, must be apostilled |
| TOPIK certificate | Official TOPIK score certificate for the applicable level (Level 2–6); must be current (within 2 years in most cases — verify current validity period) |
| Income certificate | Recent income certificate from the National Tax Service (근로소득 원천징수영수증 or 소득금액증명) covering the most recent full tax year |
| Employment certificate | 재직증명서 from current employer; if self-employed: 사업자등록증 plus income tax records |
| F-2-7 point calculation table | Official Ministry of Justice point calculation worksheet (점수표) completed by the applicant with supporting documents attached for each claimed point category |
| Standard visa application form | 통합신청서 (Form 34) with recent passport-size photo |
| Application fee | KRW 130,000 |
| Criminal background check | Clean record certificate from home country (apostilled) and Korean criminal background check; required if there are any prior immigration violations or legal issues |
| Health insurance payment records | Confirmation of no outstanding health insurance premium arrears (건강보험료 완납 확인서) |
| Tax compliance certificate | 납세사실증명 confirming no outstanding tax delinquency |
The income certificate, tax records, and TOPIK certificate together take the most lead time to obtain. Plan to gather documents at least 6–8 weeks before your target application date. The TOPIK exam itself is offered only a few times per year — check the official TOPIK schedule and register well in advance if you need to upgrade your level.
F-2 to F-5 Permanent Residency: The Pathway
For most foreign professionals in Korea, F-2-7 is not the final destination — it is the gateway to F-5 permanent residency. Korea's F-5 grants indefinite leave to remain with the same near-unrestricted activity rights as F-2, but without the need for periodic renewal.
F-5-16: The F-2-7 Permanent Residency Route
The specific F-5 subtype for F-2-7 holders is F-5-16 (점수제 거주자격 영주). The requirements are:
- A combined total of 5 years of lawful residence in Korea — counting both prior D/E visa time and time on F-2-7
- At minimum, 1 year on F-2-7 status at the time of the F-5 application
- Continued qualification under the F-2-7 points system (still scoring 80+ points) at the time of the F-5 application
- No immigration violations, criminal record, or significant tax/insurance delinquency during the qualifying period
- Basic Korean language ability (TOPIK Level 2 or above — the same requirement as F-2-7 entry)
- Proof of stable livelihood (income or assets sufficient for self-support)
A professional who enters Korea at age 28 on an E-7 visa, works for 4 years, earns a strong income, obtains TOPIK Level 4, and holds a master's degree could accumulate 80+ F-2-7 points and then apply for F-5 after just 1 additional year on F-2-7. The minimum combined timeline from first Korea entry to F-5 eligibility is 5 years for F-2-7 applicants.
Frequently Asked Questions
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