F-5-18 (Permanent Residence Pathway) Korea Visa Guide | 2026

1. What F-5-18 Is

F-5-18 is an F-5 subtype reviewed on pathway-fit criteria, multi-year legal continuity, and support-capacity quality.

2. Eligibility Checklist

• Satisfies current F-5-18 pathway standards.
• Pathway and status-history records are complete.
• Support-capacity evidence meets thresholds.
• No unresolved compliance issues remain.
• All pathway-specific documentary obligations are met.

3. Criteria Summary

• Not points-based.
• Pathway and threshold evidence model applies.
• Historical consistency is heavily weighted.
• Weak chronology across records is a major risk.

4. Salary and Contract Rules

• Stable support over time is prioritized.
• Income/tax records should align across reviewed periods.
• Supporting employment/business records must be coherent.
• Contradictions may trigger supplements or refusal.

5. Employer and Workplace Change Rules

• Not employer-sponsored.
• Historical compliance in prior statuses matters.
• Legacy reporting omissions can increase scrutiny.
• Pre-file reconciliation is recommended.

6. Required Documents

• Application form, passport, ARC, photo, and fee proof.
• F-5-18 pathway and stay-history records.
• Income/tax/support-capacity evidence.
• Pathway-specific required records.
• Additional office-requested verification materials.

7. Fees and Processing

• Fees follow current F-5 schedules.
• Processing is commonly longer than temporary categories.
• Supplements frequent in continuity-sensitive files.
• Submit well-indexed, period-organized evidence.

8. Common Rejection Reasons

• Pathway criteria are not met.
• Support evidence weak or inconsistent.
• Status-history continuity inadequate.
• Compliance issues unresolved.
• Core pathway facts unverifiable.

9. FAQ