- F-6 has three sub-categories: F-6-1 (spouse of a Korean national), F-6-2 (parent raising a minor child born of a marriage with a Korean national) and F-6-3 (marriage ended by the spouse's death, disappearance or another reason not attributable to the foreigner).
- F-6-1 is applied for at a Korean embassy or consulate on the Korean spouse's invitation. The visa is single-entry for up to 90 days, so the foreign spouse must register and extend the stay within 90 days of entry.
- The embassy reviews the genuineness of the marriage: courtship history, the Korean spouse's income (2026 standard: KRW 25,195,752 a year for a 2-person household), Korean-language ability, housing, health and criminal record information.
- Someone already lawfully in Korea can apply to change status, but holders of short-term visas cannot in principle. F-6-3 is handled only inside Korea.
- F-6 holders may work without restriction. One grant of stay lasts up to 3 years, and the extension fee is KRW 30,000.
Reference date: 28 September 2026. Sources: Ministry of Justice Visa Issuance Guidance Manual and Stay Guidance Manual (edition of 1 September 2026); Immigration Act Enforcement Decree and Enforcement Rules (both in force from 15 September 2026), checked on law.go.kr on 28 September 2026. Embassies and immigration offices may add or drop documents in an individual case, so use this page as an overview, not a substitute for their own lists.
1. F-6 Visa in Korea: What It Covers
The F-6 marriage immigrant visa is the residence status for foreign nationals whose stay in Korea rests on a marriage to a Korean citizen, or on a child born of such a marriage. It is set out in item 27 of Annex 1-2 to the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, and the Ministry of Justice manuals divide it into three sub-categories.
| Code | Who it is for | How it is usually obtained |
|---|---|---|
| F-6-1 | A foreigner whose marriage to a Korean national is validly established and who wants to stay in Korea to continue married life with them. | A visa from a Korean embassy or consulate on the Korean spouse's invitation, or a change of status for someone already lawfully in Korea. |
| F-6-2 | A father or mother who is raising, or is about to raise, in Korea a minor child born of a marriage (including a de facto marriage) with a Korean national, after the marriage has ended. | A visa from an embassy (single-entry, up to 90 days), or a change of status inside Korea. |
| F-6-3 | A person who was staying in Korea while married to a Korean national and can no longer keep a normal marriage because of the spouse's death or disappearance or another reason not attributable to them. | Handled inside Korea only: an extension for someone already in F-6-1, or a change of status. The visa manual has no separate F-6-3 visa. |
One grant of F-6 stay can run up to 3 years (Stay Manual p. 478). The manuals count a de facto marriage only where both spouses genuinely intend to be married and live a real married life together. Simple cohabitation without that intention, or a bigamous relationship that the law cannot protect, does not qualify.
This page is the overview of requirements and procedure. For the full document checklist and income proof, see the F-6 marriage visa documents checklist. For a comparison of the sub-categories, see F-6-1, F-6-2 and F-6-3 explained; for a marriage that has ended, see the page on F-6 after divorce.
2. F-6 Visa Requirements: What the Embassy Checks
There is no single checklist in the law. Instead, Enforcement Rules Article 9-5(1) lets the head of the mission examine whether the marriage is genuine and whether a normal married life is possible. The points it names are:
- the history of courtship and the couple's intention to marry;
- whether the marriage is validly established under the laws of the countries concerned;
- whether the inviting spouse invited another spouse within the last 5 years;
- whether the inviting spouse meets the annual income requirement that the Minister of Justice announces each year, with reference to the standard median income under the National Basic Living Security Act;
- whether health and criminal record information has been exchanged between the couple;
- whether the foreign spouse can speak Korean at a basic level or better;
- whether the couple has a normal home where they can live together continuously (rooms in gosiwon-type lodging, motels and vinyl greenhouses are not treated as one);
- whether 3 years have passed since the inviting spouse acquired nationality under Article 6(2)(1) or (2) of the Nationality Act, or permanent residence under item 2 of Annex 1-3 to the Enforcement Decree;
- for a Korean spouse with a record of domestic violence crimes or of sex crimes against children and youth, whether the waiting periods set in the Rules have passed (for court sentences, 10 years from the dates the Rules specify).
Several of these checks can be waived by Ministry notice, for example where the couple has a child. That is why the manual contains shorter document lists for certain couples (see the checklist page above).
Three procedural conditions
- Invitation. A marriage-cohabitation visa requires the spouse's invitation, and the inviting spouse becomes the foreign spouse's identity guarantor under Article 90(1) of the Immigration Act (Enforcement Rules Article 9-4(1)).
- International marriage guidance program. Where the foreign spouse meets the conditions the Minister of Justice announces, the Korean spouse must attach the program completion certificate or write the completion number on the invitation letter (Rules Article 9-4(2)). The manual keeps a separate document list for nationals of seven program countries: China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Uzbekistan and Mongolia. Exemptions apply, for instance for pregnancy or other humanitarian reasons.
- Facts checked with the immigration office. The mission may ask the immigration office for the inviting spouse's address to confirm facts (Rules Article 9-5(2)).
| Requirement group | In short | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Basic documents | Application form, passport, invitation letter, identity guarantor's letter, marriage background statement and the Korean spouse's detailed certificates. | Section 5 and the checklist page |
| Income | Korean spouse's pre-tax income of the past year at or above the household-size standard. | Section 3 |
| Korean language | One document showing basic communication ability, unless exempt. | Section 4 |
| Housing | A normal home in the name of the Korean spouse or close family, at the address on the resident registration abstract. | Section 4 |
| Courtship evidence | Photographs and records showing how the couple met and that the marriage is genuine, at most five A4 pages. | Section 4 |
| Health and criminal record | Health certificates and the foreign spouse's criminal record certificate, with exemptions. | Checklist page |
3. Income Requirement (2026 Standard)
The income requirement is a test of the Korean spouse, the inviting person. The manual states the 2026 standard as the inviting person's pre-tax income over the past 1 year, which must be at or above the amount for the household size (Stay Manual p. 482; the Visa Manual repeats the 2026 heading at p. 331).
| Household size | Minimum annual income (pre-tax) |
|---|---|
| 2 persons | KRW 25,195,752 |
| 3 persons | KRW 32,154,216 |
| 4 persons | KRW 38,968,428 |
| 5 persons | KRW 45,340,314 |
| 6 persons | KRW 51,335,712 |
| 7 persons | KRW 57,090,900 |
| 8 persons or more | Add KRW 5,755,188 for each additional member |
- Who can top up a shortfall: only direct family (parents, grandparents, children) on the same resident registration household as the Korean spouse, or the invited immigrant. Income or assets must be in Korea and from the past 1 year. Siblings cannot, and direct family who are not on the same household register cannot either.
- Assets: deposits, insurance, securities and bonds count only if they are KRW 1 million or more and have been held for at least 6 months.
- Business income: judged in principle by the amount on the tax office's certificate of income amount. Where the latest year on the certificate meets the standard and the Korean spouse continues the same business, the manual accepts it, and a field investigation may follow.
- Exempt from the income requirement: couples with a child born to them; couples who lived together abroad for at least 1 year before the visa application with no Korean income in the last year; and a foreign spouse who previously held F-6 status (unless the spouse changed, or the marriage was ever interrupted).
4. Korean Language, Housing and Courtship Evidence
Korean-language ability
The foreign spouse submits one of the documents below (Visa Manual p. 331). A spouse who is not exempt and cannot submit any of them is assessed by the embassy instead.
- A Korean Education Center course level 2 certificate, or a Sejong Institute beginner 1A plus 1B certificate (at least 120 hours).
- A TOPIK score report showing level 1 or above (TOPIK IBT included).
- A completion certificate from a designated Korean-language institution, where one is designated for the country.
- A degree in a Korean-related subject, or proof of being an overseas Korean national.
- Proof that the foreign spouse stayed continuously in Korea for at least 1 year (entry and exit record or a handwritten statement).
- Proof of at least 1 year of continuous stay by the Korean spouse in a country where the foreign spouse's language is official (or naturalisation from such a country), or by both spouses in a country where their shared language is official.
- Other proof of communication, such as a language test score or a pass in an embassy interview in that language.
Exempt: couples with a child born to them, and a foreign spouse who previously held F-6 status with the same spouse without the marriage being interrupted.
Housing
- An owned home needs the property register; a rented home needs the property register and a copy of the lease contract.
- The address must match the resident registration abstract submitted with the application.
- The home must be owned or leased in the name of the Korean spouse, or of the spouse's direct family, brother or sister. A home held by a third party normally does not qualify, but the manual accepts reasonable arrangements such as company-provided housing.
Courtship and genuineness of the marriage
One item is mandatory for everyone: documents showing how the couple met and that the marriage is genuine, such as photographs and message records edited onto A4 pages, five pages or fewer. Couples introduced through a marriage broker add the broker's registration certificate, bond insurance policy and contract. Couples introduced by an acquaintance add a copy of the introducer's identity document. Where these are hard to obtain, a written statement of the reason may be filed. The introduction documents are not required where the couple has a child, or where the foreign spouse previously held F-6 status with the same spouse without interruption.
5. How to Get an F-6 Visa in Korea, Step by Step
This is the route for the most common case, F-6-1 applied for from abroad. Source: Visa Manual pp. 328 to 339, Enforcement Rules Articles 9-4 and 9-5.
- Confirm the marriage is validly established under the laws of both countries and that the couple can show a genuine married life (section 2).
- Complete the international marriage guidance program if the foreign spouse's nationality and situation require it, and keep the completion certificate or number.
- Prepare the documents. The Korean spouse prepares the invitation letter, the identity guarantor's letter, the detailed certificates and the income, housing and courtship evidence. The foreign spouse prepares the visa application form, passport, marriage background statement, health certificate, criminal record certificate and the language document. The full list is on the documents checklist.
- File the application at the Korean embassy or consulate that covers the foreign spouse's country and pay the visa fee. The manual's fee examples differ by country, so ask the embassy for the current amount. The embassy may ask for extra documents or interview the couple.
- Receive the visa. Mission heads are delegated to issue a single-entry visa for a stay of up to 90 days (a multiple-entry visa for US nationals). A longer stay is obtained only after entry.
- Enter Korea, then register and extend within 90 days. The foreign spouse applies at the immigration office for the home address for an extension of stay and alien registration. The stay granted is 1 year from the entry date. For nationals of the seven program countries who completed the early adaptation program, the period is 2 years at registration; without it, the stay is granted in 6-month units for up to 2 years (Stay Manual p. 494).
- Receive the alien registration card. Keep the extension dates in mind: later extensions run up to 1 year each (section 8). See also the alien registration card guide.
F-6 visa application form and where to get it
| Form | Used for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visa application form (Enforcement Rules Annex Form No. 17) | The foreign spouse's visa application at the embassy | One passport-size photo attached. Available from the embassy and the HiKorea website (hikorea.go.kr). |
| Invitation letter and identity guarantor's letter | The Korean spouse invites and vouches for the foreign spouse | Written in Korean by the Korean spouse on the prescribed form. |
| Marriage background statement | The foreign spouse describes how the couple met and married | Written in English by the foreign spouse. |
| Integrated application form (Annex Form No. 34) | Extension of stay, registration and change of status inside Korea | Downloadable from HiKorea and used at the immigration office. |
The manual calls the invitation letter, identity guarantor's letter and marriage background statement the most important documents and asks applicants to fill them out completely on the prescribed form.
Is a visa issuance certificate needed?
The F-6-1 section of the Visa Manual describes an application filed directly at the embassy on the Korean spouse's invitation, and no visa issuance certificate appears among its documents. For F-6-2 the manual states expressly that the category is not covered by the visa issuance certificate (Visa Manual p. 339). Ask the embassy if you have been told otherwise for your country.
If the visa is refused
Under Enforcement Rules Article 9-5(3), an applicant who was refused may reapply after 6 months have passed from the refusal, having reconsidered the genuineness of the marriage. Where there is an urgent reason to enter Korea, such as childbirth, the application can be made earlier.
6. Applying From Inside Korea (Change of Status)
Someone who is lawfully in Korea can apply to the immigration office to change to F-6-1, with the same documents as the visa application and the integrated application form, Annex Form No. 34 (Stay Manual pp. 479 to 480). The permitted period is up to 1 year. In principle the following people cannot change and must leave Korea, then obtain a visa at an overseas mission:
- holders of short-term visas: visa-exempt (B-1), tourist (B-2) and C-1 to C-4 entrants;
- people staying illegally, including those who entered secretly or used forged passports;
- people who received an extension of stay for the purpose of departure;
- people with a general criminal record (fines alone are excluded);
- people who obtained G-1 status while in one of the statuses above.
A change may still be granted after review where it is unavoidable, for instance because of pregnancy, childbirth or raising a child born to the couple. Holders of working-holiday (H-1) status cannot change to F-6, and the manual makes a special case for German nationals who entered visa-free. People who lose Korean nationality while in Korea, and US Forces Korea personnel discharged locally, can be granted F-6 status according to their purpose of stay (Stay Manual p. 479). For the general procedure, see the residence status change guide.
7. F-6-2 and F-6-3: Child-Rearing and Marriage Breakdown
F-6-2: raising a child
F-6-2 is for the parent who raises a minor child born of a marriage (including a de facto marriage) with a Korean national after the marriage has ended. From abroad, the visa is a single-entry visa of up to 90 days. The documents are the visa application form, passport, photo and fee; proof of the parent-child relationship (for example the child's basic certificate, a birth certificate or a genetic test); proof of child-rearing (for example a court ruling that covers custody, or a confirmation by a Korean relative); and a criminal record certificate and a health certificate (Visa Manual pp. 338 to 339). After entry, the parent registers within 90 days and receives a stay of 1 year from the entry date; registering later than 90 days after entry is handled as an offence (Stay Manual p. 500).
Inside Korea, a foreigner holding a status other than F-6 who is raising such a child can apply to change to F-6-2 for 1 year. The stay manual lists the child's certificates, proof of the parent-child relationship, proof of child-rearing (including a Korean relative within five degrees of kinship or a neighbourhood head's confirmation), proof of why the marriage ended where relevant, and the criminal record and health certificates (Stay Manual p. 492). Later extensions can run up to 3 years.
F-6-3: marriage ended through no fault of the foreigner
F-6-3 is for a person who was staying in Korea married to a Korean national and cannot keep a normal marriage because of the spouse's death, disappearance or another reason not attributable to them. A person already holding F-6-1 applies for an extension, not a change of status, when the marriage ends (Stay Manual p. 493). Someone holding another status applies for a change of status, unless they belong to the restricted groups (short-term visa holders, people with a criminal record other than a fine, and people who received a departure-purpose extension).
| Cause of breakdown | Key evidence (Stay Manual pp. 493, 497 to 498) |
|---|---|
| Spouse's death | Death certificate, or the basic certificate stating the death; family relation proof such as the detailed marriage relation certificate. |
| Divorce | Marriage relation certificate stating the divorce, court papers such as the divorce judgment, and objective proof that the Korean spouse was mainly at fault (for example a missing-person report, a hospital certificate for injuries, a prosecutor's non-prosecution decision or a statement from a recognised women's organisation). |
| Disappearance | The family court's declaration of disappearance, plus family relation proof. |
The permitted stay for F-6-3 is 1 year at a time. A person whose marriage ended but who does not qualify for F-6-3, and who must stay for property division or settling household affairs, may be considered for F-1-6 (Stay Manual p. 493). The divorce cases are covered in more detail on the F-6 after divorce page.
8. Extending the F-6 Visa: Documents and Periods
An F-6-1 holder applies for an extension at the immigration office with jurisdiction over the home address. Source: Stay Manual pp. 494 to 495.
| Item | F-6-1 extension |
|---|---|
| Period | Up to 1 year per permit. Up to 3 years if the foreign spouse is raising a child born to the Korean spouse. |
| Application | Integrated application form (Annex Form No. 34), passport and fee. |
| Marriage proof | Korean spouse's detailed marriage relation certificate and resident registration abstract; the child's family relation certificate if the couple has a child. |
| Other documents | Alien job report; proof of the residence address (lease contract, accommodation confirmation, utility bill or a similar document); anything else the office requests. |
- If the couple has separated, a divorce suit is pending or the spouse has disappeared (before a declaration of disappearance), the manual provides a separate extension route for F-6-1 holders. Separation means the formal marriage continues but the couple has not lived together for a long time; commuting weekend couples are not separated. Proof such as a missing-person report, an injury certificate, a shelter admission confirmation, a court judgment or a statement from a recognised women's organisation is asked for.
- F-6-2 holders can extend for up to 3 years with the child's certificates and proof that they continue to raise the child, such as school or hospital receipts (Stay Manual p. 496).
- F-6-3 holders extend with the application form, passport, alien registration card, fee, the child's certificate if any, the alien job report and proof of residence (Stay Manual p. 499).
9. What F-6 Status Allows and Where It Leads
- Employment: holders of F-6 are not subject to the employment restrictions of other statuses (Enforcement Decree Article 23(2)(3); Stay Manual p. 478).
- Travel: a registered F-6 holder who leaves Korea and returns within 1 year (and within the remaining stay period) does not need a re-entry permit. A multiple re-entry permit of up to 2 years is available for a return between 1 and 2 years after departure (Stay Manual p. 500).
- Fees: the F-6 extension fee and the fee for granting F-6 status are set lower than the general rates (section 10).
- Permanent residence: a foreign spouse who has kept a normal legal marriage and stayed in Korea continuously in F-6 status for at least 2 years may apply for F-5-2, which also tests conduct, livelihood ability and basic knowledge of Korean society; the Ministry can ease or waive some of these by notice (Stay Manual pp. 449 to 450). The parent raising a child (F-6-2) and the person whose marriage ended through no fault of their own (F-6-3) have their own F-5 routes (Stay Manual pp. 450 to 452).
10. Government Fees
Legal fees for immigration applications are set by Article 72 of the Enforcement Rules (in force from 15 September 2026, checked 28 September 2026):
| Application | Fee (Rules Art. 72) |
|---|---|
| Extension of stay, F-6 holder (item 6) | KRW 30,000 |
| Granting F-6 status under Act Art. 23 (item 4) | KRW 40,000 |
| Change of status (item 5) | KRW 100,000 |
| Alien registration card issuance or reissuance (item 10) | KRW 35,000 |
| Single re-entry permit (item 7) / multiple re-entry permit (item 8) | KRW 30,000 / KRW 50,000 |
These are the legal fees for the immigration application only. The embassy's visa fee differs by country, and documents, translations and certificates carry separate costs.
FAQ
Q. What are the F-6 visa requirements in Korea?
A. For F-6-1, the marriage must be validly established and genuine, and the Korean spouse invites the foreign spouse. The embassy may review the courtship history, whether the marriage is valid under the laws of the countries concerned, whether the inviting spouse invited another spouse in the last 5 years, the Korean spouse's income, exchange of health and criminal record information, the foreign spouse's basic Korean, and whether the couple has a normal home. The details are in sections 2 to 4 (Enforcement Rules Article 9-5(1)). F-6-2 and F-6-3 follow different tests, described in section 7.
Q. How do I get an F-6 visa in Korea?
A. The Korean spouse invites the foreign spouse, both prepare the documents, and the foreign spouse applies at the Korean embassy or consulate that covers their country. The visa is a single-entry visa valid for a stay of up to 90 days (multiple-entry for US nationals). After entry, the foreign spouse applies at the immigration office for the home address within 90 days to extend the stay and register, and the alien registration card is then issued. Section 5 walks through each step.
Q. How much income does the Korean spouse need for an F-6 visa in 2026?
A. The Justice Ministry manual states the 2026 standard as the inviting person's pre-tax income over the past year: KRW 25,195,752 for a 2-person household, 32,154,216 for 3, 38,968,428 for 4, 45,340,314 for 5, 51,335,712 for 6 and 57,090,900 for 7, plus KRW 5,755,188 for each additional member from the 8th (stay manual p. 482). Couples with a child born to them, couples who lived together abroad for a year or more with no Korean income in the last year, and a foreign spouse who earlier held F-6 status with the same spouse are exempt.
Q. Which F-6 visa application form do I need?
A. The foreign spouse files the visa application form (Enforcement Rules Annex Form No. 17) with a passport photo. The Korean spouse writes the invitation letter and the identity guarantor's letter in Korean, and the foreign spouse writes a marriage background statement in English. The manual says the embassies and the HiKorea website (hikorea.go.kr) provide these forms. Once in Korea, the extension and registration use the integrated application form (Annex Form No. 34).
Q. Which documents are needed to renew (extend) an F-6 visa?
A. For an F-6-1 extension the manual lists the integrated application form (Form No. 34), passport, fee, the Korean spouse's detailed marriage relation certificate and resident registration abstract, the child's family relation certificate if the couple has a child, the alien job report, proof of the residence address, and anything else the office requests. Each extension is granted for up to 1 year, or up to 3 years if the foreign spouse is raising a child born to the Korean spouse. See section 8.
Q. Can I switch to F-6 while I am in Korea on a tourist stay?
A. In principle no. The stay manual says holders of short-term visas, including visa-exempt (B-1) and tourist (B-2) entrants, cannot change status in Korea and must leave and obtain a visa from an overseas mission. A change can be considered after review where it is unavoidable, for example because of pregnancy, childbirth or raising a child born to the couple. The manual also makes a special case for German nationals who entered visa-free.
Q. Do I need a Korean language test for the F-6 visa?
A. Not necessarily. The foreign spouse submits one document showing basic communication ability. Accepted options include a TOPIK level 1 or higher score report, a Korean Education Center level 2 or Sejong Institute beginner 1A plus 1B certificate (at least 120 hours), or proof of at least 1 year of continuous stay in Korea. Couples with a child born to them and a foreign spouse who earlier held F-6 status with the same spouse are exempt (visa manual p. 331).
Q. Can I work in Korea on an F-6 visa?
A. Yes. Enforcement Decree Article 23(2)(3) provides that holders of the F-6 status are not subject to the employment restrictions attached to other statuses, and the stay manual repeats that F-6 holders are not restricted in employment activity.
Q. What if the F-6 visa application is refused?
A. Under Enforcement Rules Article 9-5(3), the applicant may apply again once 6 months have passed from the day the visa was refused, after reconsidering the genuineness of the marriage. The waiting period does not apply where there is an urgent reason to enter Korea, such as a birth.
VISAS KOREA (Vision Administrative Office) is an administrative agent office, not a law firm. We check document lists and help prepare immigration applications; the embassy or the immigration office makes the decision. Consultations are available in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese.
Request a free consultation →Our Specialists
Vision Administrative Office · VISAS KOREA — Your administrative agent handles the case from start to finish. A case manager is assigned after your consultation.
