South KoreaPermanent residence

South Korean permanent residence in South Korea

The status of permanent resident of South Korea. It gives a foreign national the right to live and work in the country without a time limit and without having to extend a permit to stay. It can be obtained through the status for overseas Koreans, through large investments, through special professional achievements or on particular family grounds.

Visa term

Permanent residence with no expiry; the card is reissued (every 10 years)

Threshold

Minimum income/asset thresholds above subsistence level

Processing time

Several months (3-6+)

Work

Free to work, be self-employed or run a business

Source: visa.go.kr — catalogue of Korean visas, F-5 permanent residence categories

Who can obtain permanent residence

The official pages do not describe all 27 sub-categories of the status, but they do confirm two specific routes.

Through the status for overseas Koreans (F-4)

Continuous residence in Korea on the status for ethnic Koreans for at least two years
Income of at least twice Korea's gross national income (GNI) per capita for the previous year according to the Bank of Korea
Or, for those aged 60 and above — a foreign pension of at least Korea's GNI per capita for the previous year
Or property tax of at least 500,000 won paid for the previous year, or equivalent property

Direct issue of the visa from abroad

The "Special talent" category (F-5-11) — for people with special professional abilities
The "Big Investor" category (F-5-5) — for major investors

Documents to gather

The requirements differ by route; below is what official sources confirm.

A letter of guarantee (certificate of guarantee) from a resident of Korea — required when obtaining, extending or changing F-5 status, apart from certain exempt categories
For the route through F-4 status: an income certificate from the tax office, or proof of a foreign pension for those aged 60 and above, or a certificate of property tax paid of at least 500,000 won

How the process runs

The procedure is described for the route through the status for overseas Koreans (F-4).

1
Status for overseas Koreans
from 2 years
Live continuously in Korea on the status for ethnic Koreans (F-4) for at least two years.
2
Financial criterion
Prove one of three conditions: income of at least twice Korea's GNI per capita for the previous year, a foreign pension for those aged 60 and above of at least GNI per capita, or property tax of at least 500,000 won paid for the previous year or equivalent property.
3
Letter of guarantee
Attach a letter of guarantee from a resident of Korea, unless the applicant's category is on the list of exemptions.
4
Filing the documents and the immigration service's decision
File the documents at the immigration office for your place of residence. Once approved, permanent residence is granted with no time limit — the permit to stay no longer has to be extended.

Who you can bring with you

The official source describes what happens to the status of close relatives when the status of stay is arranged.

Children of an F-5 holder under 20

They receive F-5 status when the status of stay is arranged

Spouse of an F-5 holder who has renounced Korean citizenship

They receive F-2 residence status, not F-5

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Korea as the main place of residence; long absences lead to loss of status

F-5 status has no time limit. Its holder may leave Korea and return without re-entry permission within two years of the date of departure — most other registered foreign nationals (statuses from D-1 to F-3, F-6, H-2) are allowed only one year for this.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	South Korean permanent residence	visa for remote workers	Work visa for specialists
Visa term	Permanent residence with no expiry; the card is reissued (every 10 years)	Around 1 year (one renewal possible); the rules are still taking shape	1-2 years initially, renewable
Grounds	Long-term residence	Remote income	Shortage occupations
Money	Minimum income/asset thresholds above subsistence level	Proof of stable income above the threshold and of savings	No personal funds required; the employer pays the minimum salary under the standard
Work	Free to work, be self-employed or run a business	Remote work only for a foreign employer; local work is prohibited	Work for the sponsor; a change requires approval
Residence	Korea as the main place of residence; long absences lead to loss of status	Stay within the permitted period; it does not count towards permanent residence	Mainly residence; absences are restricted for permanent residence

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Already permanent residence

Route to citizenship

After permanent residence and the required period plus language — naturalisation

Frequently asked questions about South Korean permanent residence

How do you obtain permanent residence through the status for overseas Koreans?

Under the Ministry of Justice notice, a holder of the status for ethnic Koreans (F-4) may obtain permanent residence if they have lived continuously in Korea for at least two years and meet one of three conditions: income of at least twice Korea's gross national income per capita for the previous year, a foreign pension (for those aged 60 and above) of at least GNI per capita, or property tax of at least 500,000 won paid for the previous year or equivalent property.

Does permanent residence have to be renewed every year?

No. Once the status is obtained, the foreign national no longer applies to extend the permit to stay and may freely carry on economic activity in Korea for as long as they wish.

What happens if a permanent resident leaves Korea for a long time?

An F-5 holder may return to Korea without re-entry permission within two years of the date of departure. Most other registered foreign nationals (statuses from D-1 to F-3, F-6, H-2) are allowed only one year for this.

What status do the children of a permanent resident receive?

If the child of an F-5 holder is under 20, they are granted F-5 status when the status of stay is arranged.

Is a letter of guarantee needed to obtain permanent residence?

As a rule, yes: F-5 is on the list of statuses for which a letter of guarantee from a resident of Korea is required when obtaining, extending or changing status. An exception is made for two categories of F-5 holders: ethnic Chinese of Korean origin who entered Korea before 15 August 1948, and Japanese spouses of Korean nationals together with their direct descendants holding F-2 status.

How does permanent residence differ from Korean citizenship?

Permanent residence does not confer Korean citizenship — it is a status of stay with no time limit. General naturalisation, by contrast, requires you already to hold permanent residence, to have lived continuously in Korea for at least five years, and to prove an independent source of income and basic knowledge of the Korean language and culture; the naturalisation application fee is 300,000 won.

Other ways to move to South Korea

Every route in one list — migration programmes: South Korea.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 8 August 2026.