F-1-D supports qualifying foreign remote work. Revised 2026 guidance uses age, region and accompanying family to set income; confirm the handling China mission's documents before applying.
Route overview
F-1-D Digital Nomad (Workation) visa - foreign remote income
Typical timeline / duration: Permanent visa category since 30 June 2026. Normally one year from the date of entry when you register as a foreigner, renewable year by year, up to a maximum of three years (raised from two under the pilot).
Important notes
Foreign remote workers employed by, or owning, a business outside Korea, with at least one year of work in the same industry; applicants must be 18 or over, except accompanying dependent children.
The 2026 filing reference is Korea's 2025 GNI per capita: KRW 52,416,000, not a forecast of 2026 GNI. Income bands depend on calendar-year age, intended location and accompanying family.
Aged 18-34, staying in the Seoul metropolitan area (Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi): 1.5x GNI - KRW 78,624,000 a year, about KRW 6,552,000 a month.
Aged 18-34, staying outside the Seoul metropolitan area or in a population-declining or at-risk region: 1x GNI - KRW 52,416,000 a year, about KRW 4,368,000 a month.
Aged 35 or over, staying in the Seoul metropolitan area: 2x GNI - KRW 104,832,000 a year, about KRW 8,736,000 a month.
Aged 35 or over, staying outside the Seoul metropolitan area or in a population-declining or at-risk region: 1.5x GNI - KRW 78,624,000 a year.
Family exception: if your spouse or minor children come with you, age no longer matters. The threshold is 2x GNI in the Seoul metropolitan area and 1.5x GNI outside it.
Private medical insurance covering at least KRW 100m for treatment in Korea and repatriation, plus a criminal record certificate (apostilled or consular-legalised).
The Justice Ministry's 2026 policy record (26-052) confirms formal operation from 30 June 2026 with relaxed income requirements and a longer stay. The earlier claimed May pilot end is not retained.
KTO and the Singapore consular guidance describe an initial one year and annual extensions up to three years; this is not a three-year first grant or guaranteed renewal.
The Singapore mission's checklist is for eligible residents there, including its Singapore-company evidence; short-term visitors cannot use it as an offshore application shortcut. It is not the document list for applicants resident in China.
The Korean Consulate General in Shanghai has an official China-specific F-1-D notice dated 16 January 2024, linking to a submission-document page. That notice is the old one-year pilot wording and does not establish the current 2026 income tiers or a live China checklist; use it as evidence that a China post has handled the category, not as proof of current acceptance.
Age/region and accompanying-family tiers are shown by the revised consular guidance. Older consular pages still reproduce the flat two-times-GNI and one-plus-one-year model; confirm your current tier and residence evidence with the handling mission.
Private insurance and any later National Health Insurance enrolment are separate requirements. Immigration permission does not itself settle personal tax obligations.
Preparation checklist
Request the current F-1-D document list from the Korean mission responsible for your residence in China.
Identify your calendar-year age, intended region and accompanying family before calculating the income band.
Collect overseas employment or company evidence and documents supporting the required work history.
Provide income records and any accommodation evidence needed for a non-metropolitan income tier.
Arrange the required private medical/repatriation cover and authenticated criminal-record evidence.
Confirm post-entry registration, insurance enrolment and extension deadlines for the permission actually granted.