The F-1 visa is Korea's family visit and family companion status — covering not just tourists visiting relatives, but also certain dependent family members of long-term residents, specific quasi-dependent statuses, and family members of Koreans who want to stay in Korea on a medium-term basis. F-1-D is a particularly important subtype for certain family dependency situations.
F-1-1: Family of a Korean citizen (non-spouse)
Parents, grandparents, adult children, or siblings of a Korean citizen wishing to live in Korea for an extended period.
F-1-2: Parents accompanying long-term resident foreigners
Parents of foreigners holding E-1 through E-7 work visas or D-series study visas who wish to accompany their child.
F-1-3: Elderly parents of overseas Koreans
Parents (typically 60+) of F-4 (overseas Korean) visa holders joining their overseas Korean child in Korea.
F-1-4: Dependent family of specific status holders
Family members of certain visa categories not covered by standard F-3 companion status.
F-1-D: Digital nomad companion status (May 2025)
F-1-D now has two distinct uses:
F-1-28: New subtype
A specific subtype added under the revised F-1 guidelines — covers additional family dependency situations not previously enumerated. Eligibility is defined by the Ministry of Justice guidelines.
F-1-52: Children from prior marriage of a marriage immigrant (March 2025)
Added March 2025. Covers the biological or adopted children that a marriage immigrant (F-6 holder) had from a previous marriage or relationship, who are not children of the current Korean sponsor. This addresses a gap where stepchildren joining their F-6 parent in Korea had no clear F-1 subtype. Requirements: the F-6 holder must be actively residing in Korea, and the child must be under 19 (or under 25 in school).
Korean citizen sponsor (F-1-1, F-1-3):
• Korean citizen must be registered in Korea (주민등록 active)
• Provide 가족관계증명서 showing the family relationship
• Proof of income or financial capacity to support the F-1 holder
Foreign resident sponsor (F-1-2, F-1-4):
• Sponsoring foreigner must hold a qualifying long-term visa (E-series, D-series, F-series)
• Provide ARC, visa status confirmation, and income documentation
• Relationship proven by apostilled official family documents
For most F-1 categories, the sponsoring party must demonstrate household income meeting the 기준 중위소득 threshold for the combined household size.
Duration: F-1 is typically issued for 1 year, renewable annually.
Work restrictions: Standard F-1 holders cannot work without separate work authorization. There is no inherent work right on F-1 — unlike F-2, F-4, F-5, or F-6. If you need to work in Korea, you need to qualify for a separate work visa.
F-1 vs F-3: F-3 is for immediate family (spouse and children) accompanying a specific visa holder, issued alongside the main visa. F-1 is for extended family members, adult children of residents, elderly parents, and situations where F-3 does not apply.
F-1 is non-employment status — if you need to work in Korea, F-1 alone won't cover it. Plan your visa strategy around whether work is intended from the start.
F-1-D holders: your status is tightly linked to your sponsor's status. Keep your sponsor's ARC and visa status documents updated — renewal requires current proof of the sponsor's continuing status.
Need help with this?
Our specialists handle f-1 visa korea — family visit status, subtypes & who can sponsor you cases regularly and know exactly what Korean immigration officers look for.
Find a SpecialistWhat is the difference between F-1 (family visit) and F-3 (dependent companion)?
F-3 is for the immediate family (spouse and children) accompanying a specific visa holder — directly issued alongside the main visa. F-1 is a broader family visit category for extended family members, adult children, elderly parents, and situations where F-3 does not apply.
I am the parent of a Korean university student (D-2). Can I visit on F-1?
F-1-2 can cover parents accompanying a D-2 student child for medium-to-long-term stays. For a brief parental visit, C-3-1 or tourist visa is more appropriate. F-1-2 is for stays of 1+ years alongside the student.