F-2-99 Long-Term Residency in Korea — Who Qualifies and How to Apply

F-2-99 (기타 장기체류 — 'other long-term residence') is a sub-category of the F-2 (Resident) visa intended for long-term foreign residents who do not qualify for F-2-7 (the points-based system requiring active professional employment) but have deep ties to Korea through extended lawful residence.

Unlike F-2-7, which requires an active employer sponsorship or a profession listed on the E-1 to E-7-1 qualifying visa list, F-2-99 is accessible to a broader range of long-term residents — including those who have been on D-1, D-5–D-9, E-1–E-5, E-6-1, E-6-3 or E-7 status for 5+ continuous years. E-9, D-2, D-4 and F-6 are not on the list of statuses that can change to F-2-99.

Key advantages of F-2-99:

• Keep working in the field of your previous status without an employer-sponsored work visa; work in a different field needs a separate permission (체류자격외 활동허가)
• Stay granted for up to 5 years at a time, renewable (no points score)
• Renewal requires that you are still doing the work or business of your previous status
• Time on F-2-99 counts toward the 5 years needed for F-5-1 general permanent residency
• The spouse of an F-2-99 holder (F-3-18) can change to F-2-99 on meeting the requirements personally

To qualify for F-2-99, you must meet ALL of the following:

1. Minimum 5 years continuous legal stay in eligible status: Eligible visa types: D-1, D-5, D-6, D-7, D-8 (with a current investment of KRW 100 million or more), D-9, E-1 through E-5, E-6-1, E-6-3 and E-7; plus F-3-18 for the spouse of an F-2-99 holder, and F-1 only for Korea-born Taiwanese residents who are not on a home-country family register. D-2, D-4, F-6, E-9, G-1, H-1 and short-term statuses are not eligible. Gaps in legal status (overstays, status violations) break the 5-year count and can disqualify your application. Short trips abroad (with re-entry permit) generally do not break continuity if your overall residence in Korea is maintained.

2. Stable housing: You must have a fixed Korean address (demonstrated through 외국인등록증 or 국내거소신고증 address, rental agreement, or property ownership). Temporary addresses or goshiwon (고시원) accommodation may be accepted but are scrutinized more closely.

3. Income requirement: Annual income of ₩40M or more in the year before you apply, counting only your own income (the amount for the following year is set each December). This is verified through: 근로소득원천징수영수증 (withholding tax receipt), 소득금액증명원 (income certificate from NTS), or bank statements for self-employed applicants. The income requirement and the asset requirement must both be met — assets cannot make up for income below the threshold.

4. Asset requirement: Assets of ₩20M or more in your own name. Counted assets include: Korean bank deposits, Korean real property equity, and domestic investment accounts. Overseas assets may not be directly accepted — consult immigration on what is counted.

5. Korean language / culture aptitude: One of the following: KIIP (Korea Immigration Integration Programme) Stage 4 completion or higher, a KIIP pre-assessment (사전평가) score of 81 points or more, graduation from a Korean elementary, middle, or high school, graduation from a Korean university or graduate school, or passing the Korean middle- or high-school equivalency exam (검정고시).

Before September 2025, spouses and minor children accompanying an F-2-99 holder typically received F-3 (dependent companion) status — which does not grant work rights or an independent path to F-5.

Under the current guideline, the spouse of an F-2-99 holder (dependent code F-3-18) can change to their own F-2-99 status, provided the spouse personally meets the change-of-status requirements. This is a significant change because:

• Spouses holding F-3-18 (the dependent code for the spouse of an F-2-99 holder) can change to F-2-99 once they personally meet the requirements, including 5+ continuous years on statuses that are eligible for F-2-99 (F-3-18 is on that list; F-6 and D-2 are not). The income and asset test is assessed on the primary F-2-99 holder, not the spouse
• Minor children are not covered: the manual limits this route to the spouse of an F-2-99 holder, and children hold F-3-18 as dependents
• Both can independently accumulate F-2-99 holding time toward eventual F-5 permanent residency

This change matters most for families where one partner has held a work visa while the other was on a dependent F-3 — if the F-3 holder has been in Korea 5+ years and meets the aptitude tests, they can now independently qualify for F-2-99.

F-2-99 is a status change (체류자격변경허가) applied for at your local immigration office in Korea. It cannot be applied for from abroad.

Documents typically required:

• Application form (체류자격변경허가 신청서)
• Passport and current ARC (Alien Registration Card)
• Passport photo
• Entry/exit history printout (from HiKorea portal or immigration office counter)
• Proof of continuous residence: ARC history, utility bills, lease agreements
• Income certificate: 근로소득원천징수영수증 or 소득금액증명원 (issued by National Tax Service)
• Bank statements (most recent 6 months)
• Asset documentation (bank deposits, property registration extracts if applicable)
• Proof of basic aptitude: KIIP Stage 4+ completion certificate, KIIP pre-assessment result (81+ points), or a Korean school or university graduation certificate
• Housing proof: lease contract, property registration, utility bills

Fee: ₩100,000 (status change)

Processing time: 4–8 weeks. Complex cases (income borderline, gaps in residence) may take longer.

Tip: Apply before your current visa expires. If you are unsure whether you meet the 5-year continuous stay requirement, visit the immigration office counter or check HiKorea's residence history tool before submitting a formal application.

A total of 5 continuous years on D-7 through E-7 or F-2 status (consecutive periods are added together, so years before F-2-99 count) makes you eligible for F-5-1 (일반 영주자, the general permanent residency route) — one of the most accessible F-5 pathways for long-term residents who do not qualify through the faster investment, marriage, or professional-points routes. (F-5-11 is a distinct, unrelated code for internationally-recognized exceptional talent — scientists, athletes, artists — assessed case by case, not the code F-2-99 holders reach.)

F-5-1 requirements beyond the F-2-99 holding period:

• Maintained lawful residence throughout
• Income of at least twice the previous year's per-capita GNI, or net assets of at least 1.5 times the average household net assets
• Basic knowledge: KIIP Stage 5 completion, or 60+ points (out of 100) on the permanent-residence or naturalisation comprehensive evaluation (TOPIK is no longer accepted)
• No serious criminal record

Timeline: F-5-1 needs 5 continuous years in total on D-7 through E-7 or F-2 status. Because consecutive periods are added together, the years that qualified you for F-2-99 also count; there is no separate requirement to hold F-2-99 for 5 more years.