Korea F-2 visa — residence status and the F-2-7 points system: complete 2026 guide
F-2-7 (professional points), F-2-99 (long-term), and other sub-types — requirements, the points table, benefits, and the path to F-5 permanent residence.
The F-2 visa (거주 — residence) is one of the residence statuses most prized by foreigners in Korea, for a simple reason: it ties you to no particular workplace, requires no permission when you change employers, lets you run your own business, and allows your spouse to work freely. It is a strategic stepping stone before formally becoming a permanent resident (F-5 영주권). Because it loosens the constraints that bind most employment visas, professionals treat it as the point at which their working life in Korea becomes genuinely flexible rather than tethered to a single sponsor.
This guide focuses on F-2-7 — the most common sub-type, granted through a points system designed for foreign professionals — while also reviewing the remaining F-2 sub-types so you can see the full picture. Read together, they show both the fastest route for a skilled worker and the alternative paths open to long-term residents, spouses, and qualifying investors.
1. What F-2 is and who it is for
The F-2 status is set out in Appendix 1-2 of the Enforcement Decree of Korea's Immigration Control Act (출입국관리법 시행령 별표 1의2). It is a residence category whose benefits come close to those of permanent residence, but it still requires periodic extension and continued compliance with the conditions for maintaining it. In practice that means the freedom it grants is real, yet it is a freedom that must be renewed rather than one given once and for all.
Who is F-2 suitable for?
- Foreign professionals currently on E-1 through E-7-1, or D-5 through D-9, who want to escape the constraints of an employment visa
- International students who have completed a master's degree or higher in Korea and hold a professional job
- Foreigners who have lived in Korea for ≥5 continuous years (the F-2-99 sub-type)
- People married to a Korean national or to an F-5 permanent resident (the F-2-6 / F-2-15 sub-types)
- Qualifying investors in real estate or public-interest funds (a special sub-type)
Preparing your paperwork to switch to F-2?
The Autofill service helps you complete the correct forms to the requirements of Korea's Immigration Service (출입국·외국인청) — fast, accurate, and with no item left out.
Fill F-2 forms →2. The main F-2 sub-types
- F-2-7 (points-based skilled talent / 점수제 우수인재): the most common — scored on education, age, income, and Korean language ability.
- F-2-7S (prospective science-and-engineering talent): for science and engineering master's or doctoral candidates close to graduation — exempt from the points test, but requiring a recommendation from the university president.
- F-2-71 (family of an F-2-7 holder): the spouse and minor children of an F-2-7 holder who meets the GNI income standard.
- F-2-99 (long-term resident / 장기체류자): ≥5 continuous years of lawful residence + proof of finances + Korean language ability.
- F-2-6 (marriage / divorce with minor children): for a person raising a minor child after divorce from a Korean national.
- F-2-15 (raising a child to adulthood): residence in order to raise a child who holds Korean nationality.
- Special (real-estate / public-interest investment): investment under the IISRE / IISPB programs; after maintaining it for 5 years → F-5.
⚠️ Note: F-2-6 (marriage to a Korean national) has been moved to the F-6 status under the current system. When consulting either older or newer materials, applicants should confirm the exact sub-type number directly with the Korea Immigration Service (출입국·외국인청).
3. The F-2-7 points system: 2026 score table
F-2-7 is granted when an applicant reaches at least 80 points out of a maximum of 170 points (including bonus points and deductions for violations). A higher score means a longer period of stay is granted, so the table below is worth studying carefully rather than aiming only at the 80-point pass mark.
① Age (up to 25 points):
- 18–24: 23 points
- 25–29: 25 points (highest)
- 30–34: 23 points
- 35–39: 20 points
- 40–44: 12 points
- 45–50: 8 points
- 51 and over: 3 points
② Education (up to 25 points, choose one):
- Doctorate — science/engineering or ≥2 fields: 25 points
- Doctorate — outside science/engineering: 20 points
- Master's — science/engineering or ≥2 fields: 20 points
- Master's — outside science/engineering: 17 points
- Bachelor's — science/engineering or ≥2 fields: 17 points
- Bachelor's — outside science/engineering: 15 points
- Vocational college: 10 points
③ Annual income (up to 60 points — the most important criterion):
- ≥100 million: 60 points
- 90–100 million: 58 points
- 80–90 million: 56 points
- 70–80 million: 53 points
- 60–70 million: 50 points
- 50–60 million: 45 points
- 40–50 million: 40 points
- 30–40 million: 30 points
- Minimum wage – under 30 million: 10 points
⚠️ Important: income is calculated from the 소득금액증명원 (the Certificate of Taxable Income issued by the National Tax Service) — not from your contract salary. Per-capita GNI for 2026 = ₩52,416,000. Because income carries the heaviest weight, the figure on this official certificate often decides whether an application clears the threshold.
④ Korean language ability (up to 20 points, by TOPIK or KIIP/사회통합프로그램):
- TOPIK level 5–6 / KIIP level 5: 20 points
- TOPIK level 4 / KIIP level 4: 15 points
- TOPIK level 3 / KIIP level 3: 10 points
- TOPIK level 2 / KIIP level 2: 5 points
- TOPIK level 1 / KIIP level 1: 3 points
- None: 0 points
⑤ Bonus points (up to 40 points in total, added to the score):
- A degree from a globally reputable university (Times/QS Top 500): +15 to +30 points depending on level
- A degree from a domestic Korean university: +5 to +10 points depending on level (only the highest level counts; they are not cumulative)
- Completion of KIIP level 5: +10 points
- Domestic community volunteering (verified through 1365 or VMS): 1–2 years: +1 point / 2–3 years: +5 points / ≥3 years: +7 points
- A letter of recommendation from a central government body: +20 points
- Outstanding talent from a country that took part in the Korean War: +20 points
⑥ Deductions for violations (down to a maximum of −70 points):
- Violation of the Immigration Control Act (a fine): −10 to −30 points
- A criminal fine: −20 to −40 points
- A fine of ≥3 million KRW within three years, or a history of serious crime: may result in complete disqualification
4. Period of stay by score
The score directly determines the visa period granted (applying to both new grants and extensions):
- ≥130 points (or ≥50 income points): 5 years
- 120–129 points (or ≥45 income points): 3 years
- 110–119 points (or ≥40 income points): 2 years
- 80–109 points (or ≤30 income points): 1 year
(Whichever score is more favorable to the applicant is applied — the combined total or the income points alone.)
5. Switching to F-2-7 from a work visa
People currently on E-1 through E-7-1, or D-5 through D-9 (excluding E-6-2, E-7-2, E-7-3, and E-7-4) must satisfy one of two routes:
Route 1 — standard: at least 3 continuous years of lawful residence under a qualifying status + a score of ≥80 points.
Route 2 — exemption from the 3-year requirement, if one of the following is met:
- Taxable income in the previous year ≥ ₩40,000,000 (per the 소득금액증명원)
- A recommendation from a central government body under a program to attract science-and-engineering talent
The international-student talent route (D-2/D-10 → F-2-7): graduation with a master's degree or higher in Korea + confirmed professional employment within 5 years of the graduation date + a score of ≥80 points.
⚠️ The "continuity" of the period of stay is examined closely: changing workplaces requires going through the proper change-of-workplace procedure, and leaving Korea for more than 30 days in a single trip can break the continuity.
6. Benefits of F-2-7
This is why F-2-7 is regarded among foreign professionals as Korea's "professional green card":
- Freedom to work: you may work at any lawful company or in any lawful occupation without seeking separate permission — completely different from an E-7 visa, which is tied to a specific employer and job title.
- Self-employment: you are permitted to establish and run your own business.
- Freedom to change jobs: no notification or approval is required when you move companies.
- Family can work: your spouse and minor children may be granted F-2-71 (if the head of household's income is ≥ the average GNI) and can likewise work freely.
- Stable residence: you do not lose the visa the instant you become unemployed — there is a one-year grace mechanism if your income temporarily falls below the level or you are job-hunting, provided you have income ≥ the minimum wage at the time of review.
7. Path from F-2-7 to F-5 (permanent residence)
An F-2-7 holder may apply for F-5-16 permanent residence after satisfying all of the following conditions at once:
- Time: residence in Korea under F-2-7 status for ≥3 continuous years.
- Income/assets (choose one of two): income in the previous year ≥ twice the per-capita GNI (i.e. roughly ≥104.8 million KRW based on the 2026 GNI); or average net assets in the previous year ≥ 1.5 times the GNI.
- Korean language / social knowledge (choose one): completion of KIIP level 5; or a score of ≥60 on the comprehensive permanent-residence assessment (영주용 종합평가).
- Good conduct: no criminal record that violates the conditions for permanent residence.
⚠️ The income requirement for F-5-16 is very high (≥2× GNI). Those who do not qualify for F-5-16 may consider other F-5 routes depending on their degree: F-5-9 (foreign doctorate), F-5-10 (bachelor's/master's), F-5-15 (domestic doctorate). Applicants should confirm the F-5 sub-type that suits their degree and personal circumstances with the Korea Immigration Service (출입국·외국인청).