Ministry of Justice · Korea Immigration baseline

Visa Guide

13 core visas for entry & residence in Korea, grouped into 4 categories. Eligibility, procedure, documents, duration, and extension at a glance.

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Visa × activity matrix

See at a glance which activities each visa makes possible.

AvailableNot available
VisaWork in KoreaHire Foreign WorkersStudy in KoreaFarm Helping HandsGlobal Korean Hiring
E-9Non-Professional Employment
E-8Seasonal Worker
E-7Designated Activities
D-10Job Seeking
D-2Student
D-4General Trainee
F-4Overseas Korean
H-2Working Visit
F-2Resident
F-5Permanent Resident
F-6Marriage Migrant
B-2Tourist / Transit
G-1-10Medical Treatment

※ Scroll horizontally on mobile. Final eligibility is at the discretion of Korean immigration authorities.

Common transition paths

Visa Transition Paths — 4 Common Routes

Study, professional, heritage and marriage routes. For individual eligibility, please consult an immigration advisor.

  1. Study route

    Language → Degree → Job seeking after graduation → Professional → Residence / Permanent

    1. D-4General Trainee
    2. D-2Student
    3. D-10Job Seeking
    4. E-7Designated Activities
    5. F-2Resident
    6. F-5Permanent Resident

    The most common route. We recommend consulting an immigration advisor at each step.

  2. Professional route

    Professional → Residence → Permanent

    1. E-7Designated Activities
    2. F-2Resident
    3. F-5Permanent Resident

  3. Heritage route

    Working visit / Overseas Korean → Residence → Permanent

    1. H-2Working Visit
    2. F-4Overseas Korean
    3. F-2Resident
    4. F-5Permanent Resident

  4. Marriage route

    Marriage migrant → Permanent

    1. F-6Marriage Migrant
    2. F-5Permanent Resident

EPS · Non-Professional Work

Employment Permit System (17 sending countries · manufacturing, construction, agriculture, fisheries, services)

Professional · Job Seeking

Bachelor's+ professional roles and post-graduation job search

Study · Training

University degrees (BA · MA · PhD) and Korean language training

Residence · Heritage · Marriage

Korean diaspora · long-term residence · permanent residence · marriage immigration

Short Stay & Medical

Tourism · transit · medical treatment — informational only (not eligible for job matching)

Short-Term · Caution

Tourism · business · family visit — ⚠️ All paid work prohibited, punishable under Immigration Act

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