Overseas Korean(F-4)
| Detailed Procedures for Granting Overseas Korean (F-4) Status | ◈ The detailed procedures for visa issuance and stay management for entering Korea under Overseas Korean (F-4) status are as follows:
a. Basic Eligible Persons for F-4 Status ○ Persons who held Korean nationality by birth (including Koreans who emigrated abroad before the establishment of the Korean government) and subsequently acquired foreign nationality. ○ Direct descendants of the above persons who have acquired foreign nationality. ※ Under the revised *Overseas Koreans Act* effective May 1, 2018, males who first renounced or lost Korean nationality on or after May 1, 2018, are restricted from being granted F-4 status until December 31 of the year they turn 40, unless they have completed or been exempted from military service. b. Procedures for F-4 Visa Issuance and Related Processes □ Common Required Documents (for visa issuance or change of status) ① Proof of Korean language ability * Refer to the standards for submission of Korean language ability documents ② Certificate of Criminal Record from Abroad * Refer to the standards for submission of overseas criminal record certificates ③ Documents proving overseas Korean status for persons meeting the above criteria, such as family relationship certificates, family register extracts, household registration, resident ID, and birth certificates. □ Detailed Eligible Persons and Additional Documents for F-4 Visa Issuance |
| Countries Designated by the Minister of Justice for Required Documents for Visa Application (21 Countries) | China, Philippines, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Mongolia, Thailand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Iran, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Nigeria, Ghana, Egypt, Peru |
| Foreign Nationals of Korean Descent Not from Countries Designated for Required Visa Documents | Eligible Persons
① Persons who held Korean nationality by birth and subsequently acquired foreign nationality (F-4-11) ② Direct descendants of ① who have acquired foreign nationality (F-4-12) Required Documents ㄴ① * Documents proving that the applicant was a Korean national : * Family relationship certificate, family register extract, closed registration, or other documents proving Korean nationality * Documents proving the cause and date (year/month/day) of acquiring foreign nationality ㄴ② * Documents proving that the direct ascendant was a Korean national : * Family relationship certificate, family register extract, closed registration, or other documents proving the ascendant’s Korean nationality * Documents proving the cause and date (year/month/day) of acquiring foreign nationality for both the applicant and the direct ascendant (e.g., passports) * Documents proving the parent-child relationship (e.g., birth certificate) |
| Foreign Nationals of Korean Descent from Countries Designated in the “Notice on Required Documents for Visa Application, etc.” | Detailed Eligibility and Required Documents
① Persons who have stayed in Korea for more than six months under D-1 (Culture & Arts), D-5 (Reporting/Research), D-9 (Trade & Business), E-1 (Professor) to E-7 (Specific Activities) visas (F-4-13) * Eligibility is verified via the Immigration Information System ② Holders of domestic/foreign associate degrees (2-year or higher) or government-sponsored international students (F-4-14) * Foreign associate degree holders must have TOPIK Level 3 or higher or completion of Level 4 of the Social Integration Program * Required : Certificate of enrollment or graduation, proof of government sponsorship, and Korean language ability documentation for foreign degree holders ③ Permanent residents of OECD countries (F-4-15) * Required: Official document from the relevant authority confirming permanent residency ④ Corporate representatives, registered executives, and managerial staff (F-4-16) * No restrictions for corporate representatives and registered executives; managerial staff limited to 2 per company for F-4 eligibility * Must be employed in a company at least 1 year old (6 months for executives, 1 year for staff) * Required : Corporate registration documents, proof of employment, and Non-employment Pledge for restricted F-4 occupations ⑤ Individual business owners with annual revenue exceeding USD 100,000 (F-4-17) * Required : Proof of revenue, business registration certificate, or equivalent documents ⑥ Employees of multinational corporations, media executives and journalists, lawyers, accountants, doctors, certified government-level artists and technical researchers, mid-level agricultural technicians, advanced marine or aviation technicians (F-4-18) * Required : Employment certificate, business registration certificate of employer, relevant professional certifications ⑦ Representatives and vice-representatives of foreign-resident Korean associations or cultural/art associations (F-4-19) * Up to 10 staff/members per organization; volunteer limits apply * Required : Association registration certificate, employment certificate, recommendation letters, Non-employment Pledge for restricted F-4 occupations * Special rules apply for domestic support organizations and volunteers ⑧ Former/current lawmakers, civil servants with 5+ years of service, and state enterprise employees (F-4-20) * Required : Employment certificate ⑨ University professors (including associate professors and lecturers) and middle/secondary school teachers (F-4-21) * Required : Employment certificate, appointment or teaching qualification certificates ⑩ Individuals planning to run a business in Korea (F-4-22) * Minimum investment KRW 300 million or KRW 200 million if employing 1+ Korean nationals for 6+ months * Required : Investment proof documents, employment pledge, and business registration; for extensions, confirm ongoing operation ⑪ Long-term workers in caregiving, agriculture, fisheries, manufacturing, or seasonal employment (F-4-24) * Required : Proof of continuous employment for 2+ years (or 4+ years regardless of region/industry), income tax withholding receipts, business registration, training certificates for caregivers ⑫ Foreign nationals of Korean descent aged 60+ (F-4-25) * Verified via documentation proving Korean descent ⑬ Individuals who entered Korea before Korea-China diplomatic relations and hold special stay visas under visiting employment (F-4-26) * New visa issuance or status changes are suspended * Eligibility verified via Immigration Information System ⑭ Holders of domestic national technical certifications (F-4-27) * Certain certifications only recognized if obtained before 2013 or January 3, 2022 for seasonal workers * Required : Certification copy (original presented) ⑮ Completion of Level 4 or higher in the Social Integration Program (F-4-28) * Includes those assigned Level 5 via preliminary or naturalization assessment * Verified via Social Integration Information Network (Soci-Net) ⑯ Domestic high school graduates (F-4-29) * Graduates of recognized high schools, technical high schools, special schools equivalent to high schools, alternative or foreign schools, or approved lifelong education programs * Required : Graduation certificate or high school equivalency certificate; proof of coursework or Korean language proficiency for foreign school graduates ⑰ Children of foreign-resident Koreans attending domestic elementary, middle, or high schools (F-4-30) * Eligibility : Children of parents registered as foreign residents, aged 6–18, attending school or unable to attend due to illness/disability * Required : School enrollment certificate, medical certificate if applicable, simplified Korean descent verification documents depending on parent status ⑱ Holders of nationally recognized professional certifications (e.g., elderly care workers) (F-4-31) * Required : Certification copy (original presented) ⑲ Former F-4 visa holders not covered by the above categories (F-4-99) * Excludes those who lost F-4 status due to legal violations (e.g., deportation) * Required : Documentation proving Korean descent and, if necessary, past F-4 status documentation |
| Procedures for Changing Status to Overseas Korean (F-4) | # Status change within Korea is only possible if the required documents for the detailed eligibility categories above can be issued domestically or verified through the Immigration Information System. This applies to :
* Domestic university graduates * Holders of national technical certifications * Registered foreign residents (those eligible for F-4 status as detailed category ①, including past registrations) * Individuals planning to operate a private business in Korea * Employees of domestic Korean Residency Support Centers and volunteers at such centers * Domestic high school graduates * Students enrolled in domestic elementary, middle, or high schools * Holders of caregiver (elderly care) certifications |
| Overseas Korean (F-4) Status Stay Management Procedure | ◈ Koreans entering Korea with an Overseas Korean (F-4) visa must report their place of residence to the Immigration Office (branch office or sub-office) with jurisdiction over their residence.
◈ The stay management procedure for Koreans entering with an Overseas Korean (F-4) visa is as follows: □ Domestic Residence Registration Procedure ○ If intending to stay for more than 90 days, residence must be registered within 90 days of entry. ○ Required documents: 1 photo (passport-sized), fee ○ Proof of residence □ Overseas Koreans (F-4) wishing to continue staying in Korea must obtain permission to extend their stay. ○ The stay period granted at one time is generally up to 3 years. ※ However, for “Overseas Korean children enrolled in domestic elementary, middle, or high schools” (F-4-30), the initial stay is granted for up to 2 years, ending either March or September, and each extension grants 2 years. ○ Persons who have violated the law may face restrictions on stay extension approval. ○ Documents required for stay extension application: application form, fee, proof of residence (e.g., lease contract) □ Scope of Employment Activities for Overseas Koreans (F-4) ○ F-4 holders are prohibited from employment in the following cases (see Appendix 9): * Performing simple labor work * Engaging in gambling or other acts against public morals and social order * Any other employment deemed necessary to restrict in order to protect public interest or maintain domestic employment order ○ Except in the above cases, F-4 holders are not restricted in employment activities. ※ Even for permitted employment, if domestic laws require certain qualifications, those qualifications must be met. □ Restrictions on Granting Overseas Korean (F-4) Status ○ Cases corresponding to Article 5(2)(1) of the Overseas Koreans Act ○ Cases corresponding to Article 5(2)(2) of the Overseas Koreans Act ○ Persons currently staying in Korea who have violated the law: * Sentenced for any of the specific violent crimes defined in Article 2 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Specific Violent Crimes * Sentenced to imprisonment or higher for serious social crimes (drugs, voice phishing, habitual \[3 or more times] drunk driving) * Sentenced to imprisonment or higher for other crimes within the last 5 years * Fined 7 million KRW or more for violations of law within the last 3 years * Penalized with fines of 7 million KRW or more for violations of the Immigration Control Act within the last 3 years ○ Cases with overseas criminal records: * See submission standards for overseas criminal records |
