South KoreaAsylum / refugee statusLimited

Refugee status in Korea in South Korea

Refugee status in South Korea protects foreign nationals officially recognised as refugees under the Refugee Act, as well as those whose application for recognition as a refugee is still being considered. The programme determines the right to stay, to work and to be reunited with family during the procedure and after the status is recognised.

Processing time

A decision often takes many months; G-1 for 6 months to 1 year

Residence

Lawful stay with renewal of the status

Source: hikorea.go.kr — stay and work of refugees: recognised refugees, humanitarian status, applicants

Who receives which status

The Refugee Act distinguishes three categories of people, and each has its own status of stay.

Recognised refugees

The Ministry of Justice has officially recognised the person as a refugee under the Refugee Act
Such a person changes status to residence (F-2) or receives it for the first time — at the immigration office for their place of residence
The status is renewed for as long as the reason for which the person was recognised as a refugee persists

Applicants for refugee status

The application for recognition as a refugee is filed in person; for minors (under 19) it may be filed by a legal representative or an appointed guardian
While the case is being considered, "miscellaneous" status (G-1) is arranged at the immigration office for the place of residence
G-1 status is renewed by separate permissions of up to six months each — until a decision is taken or while an appeal is under way

Persons with humanitarian status of stay

They receive the status where they do not fall within the definition of a refugee, but there are reasonable grounds to believe that they face a substantial violation of the right to life or freedom from torture and other inhuman treatment
The status of stay is "miscellaneous" (G-1); the decision is taken by the Minister of Justice or the head of the local immigration office
The status is renewed each time for up to one year, for as long as the reason for the humanitarian stay persists

What it costs

Change of status to residence (F-2) for a recognised refugee who already holds another status in Korea	100 000 KRW
First grant of residence status (F-2) where no status was previously held	80 000 KRW
Extension of the period of stay on F-2 status	+30 000 KRW
Extension of the period of stay on G-1 status (applicant for recognition as a refugee or humanitarian status)	+60 000 KRW
Issue or reissue of the alien registration card	+35 000 KRW

Documents to gather

The set of documents differs by stage: an applicant for refugee status (G-1) or an already recognised refugee moving to residence status (F-2).

Application on form No. 34 (별지 제34호 서식)
Refugee recognition certificate — for the move to F-2 status, or the receipt for the application for recognition as a refugee — for G-1 status
Passport, or, where there is none, a written explanation of the reason
One photograph
Documents confirming the place of residence in Korea
A certificate of a tuberculosis test — for nationals of 35 higher-risk countries, only when G-1 status is arranged for the first time
Payment of the prescribed fee

How the process runs

The route from filing the application to residence status (F-2) runs through the interim G-1 status.

1
File the application for recognition as a refugee
The application is filed in person — for minors (under 19) it may be filed by a legal representative or an appointed guardian. The application may be filed on entry at an airport or port, or from inside the country.
2
Decision on referral to full consideration (only where the application is filed at a port of entry)
up to 7 days
The immigration office serving the port of entry decides whether to refer the application to the full refugee recognition procedure. If no decision is taken within 7 days of the application being filed, the applicant must be admitted to the country.
3
Arrange G-1 status while the case is considered
The applicant changes status or obtains the "miscellaneous" status of stay (G-1) at the immigration office for their place of residence.
4
Renew G-1 status until a decision is taken
up to 6 months at a time
Until a decision on the application is taken, or while the applicant is preparing an appeal or an administrative claim, or while court proceedings are under way, G-1 status is renewed by separate permissions.
5
Obtain residence status (F-2)
After recognition as a refugee the status of stay is changed to residence (F-2) or granted — at the immigration office for the place of residence, submitting the refugee recognition certificate, the passport, a photograph, proof of the place of residence and payment of the fee.

Timelines and rights

Work

Applicants — on a limited basis after a waiting period; recognised refugees — as citizens; G-1-6 — on a limited basis

Who you can bring with you

The law allows family reunion for the spouse and minor children of a recognised refugee.

Spouse of a recognised refugee

May obtain a short-term visit visa (C-3) for 90 days at a Korean diplomatic mission, enter the country and remain there, and may also obtain refugee status under the family reunion rule.

Minor children of a recognised refugee

As with the spouse, they receive a C-3 visa for 90 days to enter and may obtain refugee status under the family reunion rule.

Renewal and the grace period

For as long as the reason for which the person was recognised as a refugee persists, residence status (F-2) is renewed — the renewal application is filed at the immigration office for the place of residence.

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.

	Refugee status in Korea	visa for remote workers	Work visa for specialists
Visa term	G-1-5: 6 months to 1 year pending a decision; G-1-6: 1 year, renewable on humanitarian grounds	Around 1 year (one renewal possible); the rules are still taking shape	1-2 years initially, renewable
Grounds	Persecution (social group)	Remote income	Shortage occupations
Money	No minimum income; applicants mostly support themselves, and help from NGOs/UNHCR is limited	Proof of stable income above the threshold and of savings	No personal funds required; the employer pays the minimum salary under the standard
Residence	Lawful stay with renewal of the 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

Recognised refugees receive F-2, after which permanent residence is possible; there is no direct route for applicants or G-1-6 holders

Route to citizenship

Recognised refugees — naturalisation under the general rules; there is no direct route for applicants

Frequently asked questions about Refugee status in Korea

Who counts in law as a recognised refugee, and who as an applicant for refugee status?

Under the Refugee Act a recognised refugee is a foreign national officially recognised as a refugee. An applicant for refugee status is someone whose application is still being considered, or who has been refused and whose time limit for lodging an objection, an administrative complaint or a claim has not yet expired, or whose complaint against the refusal has been rejected and whose time limit for bringing a claim has not yet expired.

How much does it cost to change status to residence (F-2) after recognition as a refugee?

Changing status to F-2 costs 100,000 won if the person already held another status in Korea. Where status is granted for the first time, the fee is 80,000 won. Extending F-2 status once obtained costs 30,000 won at a time.

What happens to the family if one of the spouses is recognised as a refugee in Korea?

The spouse and minor children of a recognised refugee may obtain a short-term C-3 visa for 90 days at a Korean consulate, enter the country and subsequently obtain refugee status under the family reunion rule.

Can you work while the application for refugee status is still being considered?

Yes, but not straight away. An applicant for whom 6 months have passed since the application was filed (or who supports a dependant unable to work because of disability) may obtain permission to work outside their status of stay in non-professional occupations — apart from a list of prohibited fields. The permission is issued for up to 6 months.

How long does the decision on referral to full consideration take where the application is filed at the border?

The immigration office serving the port of entry must decide within 7 days of the application being filed whether to refer the case to the full refugee recognition procedure. If no decision is taken within that period, the applicant must be admitted to Korea.

How does humanitarian status of stay differ from refugee status?

Humanitarian status is given to someone who does not fall within the definition of a refugee, but who, on reasonable grounds, faces a substantial violation of the right to life or bodily freedom because of torture, other inhuman treatment or punishment, or other circumstances. The decision to grant such status is taken by the Minister of Justice or the head of the local immigration office — unlike refugee status, which is granted under the Refugee Act after the person has been officially recognised as a refugee.

Can you obtain permanent residence after being recognised as a refugee?

Yes. After 2 or more years of continuous stay on residence status (F-2) you may apply for permanent residence (F-5) — provided you are of full age (19 or above), have obeyed the law, are able to support yourself from income or property (your own or that of the family you share a household with) at a level not below the national average, and have a command of the Korean language and knowledge of Korean society and culture.

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.