F-5-21 (Public-Business General Investor) Korea Visa Guide | 2026

1. What F-5-21 Is

F-5-21 (공익사업 일반투자자) is for those who have invested continuously in a public-interest business for the qualifying period. Compare F-5-23, the retirement-immigration variant, which additionally requires domestic assets above a threshold.

2. Eligibility Checklist

• Meets current F-5-21 pathway conditions.
• Complete pathway and stay-history records.
• Support/income evidence satisfies standards.
• No unresolved compliance issues.
• Pathway-specific records are complete.

3. Criteria Summary

• Not points-based.
• Threshold/pathway review model.
• Historical consistency is central.
• Fragmented evidence increases risk.

4. Salary and Contract Rules

• Sustained support capacity is key.
• Income/tax records must align.
• Supporting employment/business records should be coherent.
• Inconsistencies trigger supplements/refusal risk.

5. Employer and Workplace Change Rules

• Not employer-sponsored.
• Past work/business compliance still reviewed.
• Legacy reporting issues can impact outcomes.
• Historical cleanup recommended before filing.

6. Required Documents

• Application form, passport, ARC, photo, and fee proof.
• F-5-21 pathway/stay-history evidence.
• Income/tax/support records.
• Pathway-specific required documents.
• Additional office-requested verification materials.

7. Fees and Processing

• Fees follow current F-5 schedules.
• Processing can be prolonged.
• Supplements common for weak continuity files.
• Use structured evidence indexing.

8. Common Rejection Reasons

• Pathway criteria unmet.
• Support evidence weak/inconsistent.
• Insufficient continuity records.
• Unresolved compliance issues.
• Unverifiable core pathway facts.

9. FAQ