South Korea · long-stay visa routes and official sources
7 routes tracked · last reviewed · every route links to its official government source
Long-term visa difficulty for South Korea: Medium (54/100, lower is easier). Most practical route: Study / workation-style remote visa / E-7.
Common questions
What is the most practical long-term visa route to South Korea?
Based on our July 2026 review, the most practical route is usually: Study / workation-style remote visa / E-7. Overall difficulty is rated "Medium" (54/100, lower is easier).
Can I move to South Korea without a local job offer?
Yes — 4 of the 7 tracked routes do not require a local employer: D-2 / D-4 study; F-1-D workation; Digital Nomad / Workcation visa; D-2 Student Visa / D-4 Language Trainee Visa. Each has its own income, funds, or admission requirements.
Good for Korean language, university, or graduate study, close to China.
Typical timeline / duration: 2-5 months
Visa application/e-form; passport valid over 6 months; photo; Certificate of Admission; school business registration certificate; proof of final academic credentials.
Financial statement/proof of funds or scholarship is required; exact amount varies by route/institution/consulate.
A study-based route requiring admission to an eligible education provider.
Typical timeline / duration: Tied to course/status; ARC/residence steps after arrival where applicable.
Visa application/e-form; passport valid over 6 months; photo; Certificate of Admission; school business registration certificate; proof of final academic credentials.
Financial statement/proof of funds or scholarship is required; exact amount varies by route/institution/consulate.
Needs eligible occupation, qualifications/experience, and employer fit.
Typical timeline / duration: 3-8 months
E-7 covers foreign professionals/specialised workers in occupations designated by the Ministry of Justice and requires Korean employer sponsorship, employment contract, qualifications/experience and occupation-code eligibility.
Other work visas exist for teaching, research, intra-company transfer, etc.
Salary requirements vary by E-7 subcategory and year.
Seoul Global Center published 2025 thresholds for E-7 categories; use official immigration/Hikorea manual for final values.
An employer-led or qualification-based work route.
Typical timeline / duration: Tied to employer/occupation; duration and renewals depend on visa category and immigration decision.
E-7 covers foreign professionals/specialised workers in occupations designated by the Ministry of Justice and requires Korean employer sponsorship, employment contract, qualifications/experience and occupation-code eligibility.
Other work visas exist for teaching, research, intra-company transfer, etc.
Salary requirements vary by E-7 subcategory and year.
Seoul Global Center published 2025 thresholds for E-7 categories; use official immigration/Hikorea manual for final values.
For higher-income foreign remote workers wanting a short-to-medium Korea stay.
Typical timeline / duration: 1-3 months
Overseas business owners or foreigners affiliated with international companies who can work remotely; have worked in same industry at least one year; 18+ except dependent children; medical insurance and criminal record certificate required.
More than twice the previous year's GNI per capita as announced by Bank of Korea.
Official PDF example: KRW 84.96m based on 2022 GNI; update the exact current figure annually.
Overseas business owners or foreigners affiliated with international companies who can work remotely; have worked in same industry at least one year; 18+ except dependent children; medical insurance and criminal record certificate required.
Typical timeline / duration: One year from date of entry when registering as foreigner; extendable for one additional year; maximum two years.
Overseas business owners or foreigners affiliated with international companies who can work remotely; have worked in same industry at least one year; 18+ except dependent children; medical insurance and criminal record certificate required.
More than twice the previous year's GNI per capita as announced by Bank of Korea.
Official PDF example: KRW 84.96m based on 2022 GNI; update the exact current figure annually.
No general passive-income visa is confirmed. The relevant adjacent F-2 routes are status-specific, such as points-based residence after qualifying Korean residence or investment residence.
Typical timeline / duration: F-2 duration depends on the approved subtype. Under the official investor scheme, F-5 permanent residence may be possible after maintaining the qualifying investment for at least five years.
For points-based F-2-7, expect a qualifying prior status and residence history, income and points evidence, and any required Korean-language or social-integration evidence. The official Visa Navigator notes that D-2/D-10 residence is not counted toward the standard three-year professional route in the cited case.
For the official public-business investor route, invest at least KRW 500 million, or KRW 300 million if the investor is over 55 and qualifies as a retiree investor, with the additional asset requirement stated by the Ministry of Justice.
Provide passport, residence card or entry documents, criminal-record and tax-compliance evidence where required, proof of income/assets or investment, and complete the status-change or investor application through the competent immigration channel.
Visa rules change frequently. Figures and requirements above were reviewed on the dates shown; always confirm against the linked official source before applying.