F-1-12 (Family of an F-2-7 Points-Based Talent) Korea Visa Guide | 2026

1. What F-1-12 Is

F-1-12 is for the spouse and minor children of a points-based excellent talent — an F-2-7 holder. THE RULE THAT MATTERS: employment and profit-making activity are prohibited in principle. The exception is narrow — where the head of the immigration office judges it necessary AND the person meets the requirements of a professional or semi-professional occupation, they may work after obtaining activity-outside-status permission IN ADVANCE. Hotel and entertainment-venue work and skilled-technical roles are excluded from that exception. Whether the family reaches F-1-12 at all rather than residence (F-2) turns on whether the F-2-7 holder meets the annual income requirement.

2. Eligibility Checklist

• Applicant fits current F-1-12 relationship/pathway criteria.
• Relationship and cohabitation/support records are verifiable.
• Principal-status linkage (where applicable) is clearly documented.
• Stay purpose and duration are coherent with evidence.
• No unresolved compliance issues in prior status history.

3. Criteria Summary

• F-1-12 is not points-based.
• Review is relationship evidence and stay-purpose consistency driven.
• Principal-status linkage quality is critical in dependent scenarios.
• Timeline contradictions across family records are high-risk factors.

4. Salary and Contract Rules

• F-1-12 is not salary-floor screened.
• Support/livelihood capacity is reviewed via documentary evidence.
• If sponsor support is claimed, records should be consistent and verifiable.
• Conflicting support claims commonly trigger supplements.

5. Employer and Workplace Change Rules

• F-1-12 is not an employer-sponsored status.
• Permitted activity scope is limited by current F-1 rules.
• Unauthorized work can impact current and future status reviews.
• Keep relationship/support records updated for extension filings.

6. Required Documents

• Application form, passport, ARC (if applicable), photo, and fee proof.
• Relationship/cohabitation evidence for pathway eligibility.
• Principal-status linkage records where required.
• Support/livelihood and residence records.
• Additional office-requested documents.

7. Fees and Processing

• Fees follow current issuance/change/extension schedules.
• Processing varies by relationship verification complexity.
• Supplements are common when linkage records are incomplete.
• Prepare updated relationship/support evidence before renewal.

8. Common Rejection Reasons

• Pathway does not satisfy F-1-12 criteria.
• Relationship/linkage records are insufficient or inconsistent.
• Support/livelihood evidence is weak.
• Compliance issues remain unresolved.
• Core family/stay-purpose facts cannot be verified.

9. FAQ