Questions by situation
Each answer starts with the conclusion, then who it applies to, the documents and the timing. Jump here from “Choose your situation” above.
I'm a great-grandchild of a Korean independence activist but didn't study in Korea — can I still get F-5-12?
Possibly, through Korean work experience. Lineal descendants of a person of national merit (up to great-grandchildren) qualify if they either earned a bachelor's or higher from a regular course at a Korean university or have 1 year or more of employment, posting, investment or trade experience in Korea. If you have neither, this route is closed and other permanent residence types or stay routes should be reviewed first. When applying on work experience, you add proof of that experience to the statement of reasons, the awardee's decoration certificate and family-relationship records.
My great-great-grandfather was a person of national merit — can a great-great-grandchild apply for F-5-12?
No. The descendant group stops at great-grandchildren, so a great-great-grandchild falls outside F-5-12. In that case other permanent residence types are reviewed on their own requirements, such as length of stay, degree or income. If you are within the great-grandchild line, the starting point is linking family-relationship records generation by generation from the awardee to you.
I'm a foreigner decorated by the Korean government — can my spouse and children get F-5-12 permanent residency with me?
Yes. Persons decorated for contributing to Korea's independence or national development, together with their spouses and children, form the first eligible group; the Korean-degree or 1-year-experience condition belongs only to the descendant group. The awardee submits the statement of reasons and decoration certificate, and the spouse and children add family-relationship proof.
My father was specially naturalized as a descendant of an independence activist — do my mother and I, still foreign nationals, qualify for F-5-12?
You fall within an eligible group. The spouse and children of a person specially naturalized as a lineal relative of a person of national merit are named F-5-12 targets. Prepare family-relationship records linking you to the naturalized family member, other supporting evidence and the statement of reasons. If you yourself also hold Korean nationality as a dual national, however, you cannot apply for permanent residence.
What should the F-5-12 statement of reasons (사유서) say?
The statement of reasons heads the F-5-12 document list and states which group you apply under (the decorated person, their spouse or child, a specially naturalized person's spouse or child, or a descendant up to great-grandchildren) and how you are related to the awardee. Descendants also state whether they rely on a Korean bachelor's or higher or on 1+ year of Korean experience. Each point is written so that the decoration certificate and family-relationship records back it up in the same order.
The decoration certificate is in my late great-grandfather's name — can I use it for F-5-12?
Yes. The certificate submitted for F-5-12 is the awardee's, so it need not be in your name, but family-relationship records connecting the awardee to you must accompany it. Where several generations are involved, the records are bundled so every link is visible, with other supporting documents arranged in the same order.
I hardly speak Korean — do I need KIIP or the permanent residence comprehensive test for F-5-12?
No. Special Merit (F-5-12) applicants are exempt from the basic-knowledge requirement, so no KIIP certificate or comprehensive test pass is submitted. The livelihood (annual income) review is also waived, so instead of income certificates your preparation focuses on merit and family-relationship proof plus the common documents.
For F-5-12, do I still need an apostilled criminal record certificate from my home country?
F-5-12 is a type for which the overseas criminal record check may be skipped, so unless the office asks for it separately you do not submit one. The good-conduct requirement is still reviewed, so any criminal or immigration law violation history in or outside Korea should be checked in advance. If the office does request it, you submit an original issued no more than 6 months earlier, apostilled or consular-legalized, with a notarized translation.
F-5-12 has no income requirement — do I still need an identity surety form (신원보증서)?
In principle, yes. The permanent residence types exempt from the identity surety form are listed separately — tourism/resort facility investors, public-interest project investors and their families, among others — and F-5-12 is not on that list. The F-5 applicant information form is also filled in by the applicant, and false entries discovered after approval can lead to cancellation of permanent residence.
As a descendant of an independence activist I hold both Korean and foreign nationality — can I apply for F-5-12?
No. Permanent residence applicants must not be dual nationals holding Korean nationality, so while you hold Korean nationality no F-5 type, including F-5-12, is available. If a spouse or child holds only foreign nationality, whether they fit an F-5-12 group is reviewed separately.
What is the difference between F-5-12 (Special Merit) and F-5-28 (Special Contributor)?
They are separate types with different targets and requirements. F-5-12 covers persons recognized as having special merit to Korea, such as decorated persons of national merit and their families and descendants, and waives the livelihood and basic-knowledge requirements. F-5-28 is for those who have stayed 2+ years continuously on Special Contributor residence (F-2-16) and requires income at or above the previous year's per-capita GNI or assets at or above the average household net assets, plus basic knowledge.
Once I get F-5-12, can I spend long periods back in my home country?
Long absences can cost you the status. If you do not return within the re-entry exemption period (up to 2 years from departure) or your re-entry permit period, permanent residence is lost. The permanent residence card is valid for 10 years from issue and must be reissued before expiry; missing the deadline incurs an administrative fine.
Key terms
- Special Merit (F-5-12, 특별 공로자)
- The permanent residence type for persons the Minister of Justice recognizes as having special merit to Korea; livelihood and basic-knowledge requirements are waived.
- Person of national merit (국가유공자)
- Under the F-5-12 standard, a person decorated for contributing to Korea's independence or national development.
- Descendant group (직계비속, up to great-grandchildren)
- The group of descendants up to great-grandchildren of a person of national merit who hold a Korean bachelor's or higher or have 1+ year of employment, posting, investment or trade in Korea.
- Spouse and children of a specially naturalized person (특별귀화자의 배우자·자녀)
- The spouse and children of someone specially naturalized as a lineal relative of a person of national merit — one of the F-5-12 groups.
- Statement of reasons (사유서)
- The F-5-12 document stating which group you apply under, why, and how you are related to the awardee.
- Identity surety form (신원보증서)
- A common F-5 document; F-5-12 is not among the exempt types, so it is submitted in principle.
- Overseas criminal record skip (해외범죄경력 확인 생략)
- The rule under which F-5-12 applicants, like high-value investors, PhD holders and specific-field talents, do not submit an overseas criminal record unless the office asks.
- Special Contributor (F-5-28, 특별기여자)
- A separate permanent residence type for those with 2+ years on Special Contributor residence (F-2-16); unlike F-5-12 it has livelihood and basic-knowledge requirements.
About our office
- Office
- Vision Administrative Office (비전행정사사무소 · VISAS KOREA)
- Principal
- Alex Lee (이원중), licensed administrative agent (행정사)
- Licence
- Administrative agent (행정사) — preparing immigration and residence filings and submitting them on the client’s behalf with written authorization (위임장)
- Scope
- Korean visas (visa issuance certificate, change of status, extension), permanent residency (F-5), foreign-invested company, branch and liaison office setup, immigration violation review and entry-ban response
- Languages
- Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese
- Address
- 3F Sungwoo Bldg, 324 Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul 04614, Korea
- Hours
- Weekdays 09:30–17:30 (KST)
Who hires us for this
- Foreign nationals decorated for contributing to Korea's independence or development, and their spouses and children
- Descendants up to great-grandchildren of persons of national merit who earned a bachelor's or higher in Korea
- Descendants of persons of national merit with 1+ year of employment, posting, investment or trade in Korea
- Foreign-national spouses and children of family members who were specially naturalized
- Descendant families who first need to confirm generation links or dual-nationality issues
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