F-5-23 (PR — Public-Business Retirement Investor) Korea Visa Guide | 2026

1. What F-5-23 Is

F-5-23 differs from the general public-business investor code F-5-21 in two ways: the applicant is a retirement immigrant, and there is an additional requirement to hold domestic assets above a prescribed amount. Proof of assets held in Korea is required for F-5-23 and for no other F-5 code, which is the clearest marker of the category. The investment period and the asset threshold are set in the current guidance.

2. Eligibility Checklist

• Applicant meets current F-5-23 pathway requirements.
• Pathway/status records are complete and verifiable.
• Support-capacity evidence satisfies current thresholds.
• No unresolved compliance issues remain.
• Any pathway-specific conditions are documented.

3. Criteria Summary

• F-5-23 is not points-based.
• Review focuses on pathway and threshold integrity.
• Long-term evidence continuity is critical.
• Contradictions across historical records are high-risk.

4. Salary and Contract Rules

• Review emphasizes sustained support capacity.
• Income/tax consistency across years is essential.
• Employment/business support evidence should align by timeline/value.
• Unexplained differences commonly trigger supplements.

5. Employer and Workplace Change Rules

• F-5-23 is not employer-sponsored.
• Historical compliance in work/business records still matters.
• Unreported legacy changes can affect outcome.
• Normalize old records before filing.

6. Required Documents

• Application form, passport, ARC, photo, and fee proof.
• F-5-23 pathway and stay-history evidence.
• Income/tax/support documentation.
• Pathway-specific required records.
• Additional office-requested verification materials.

7. Fees and Processing

• Fees follow current F-5 schedule.
• Processing can be prolonged due to deep eligibility review.
• Supplements are common in incomplete historical files.
• Submit complete indexed documentation.

8. Common Rejection Reasons

• Pathway criteria are not met for F-5-23.
• Support/income evidence is weak or inconsistent.
• Historical continuity evidence is insufficient.
• Compliance issues remain unresolved.
• Core pathway facts cannot be verified.

9. FAQ