Visit or live with family in Korea — for relatives of long-term residents, students, and diplomatic staff.
Written by James Chae — Co-Founder, Expert Sapiens
Platform expertise: Immigration consulting & visa services · Reviewed July 2026
Reviewed against
James Chae, 행정사 (Korean Licensed Administrative Attorney). License No. 220-06-06463 · 대한행정사회 (Korean Administrative Agents Association). Reviewed against the HiKorea 사증·체류업무 자격별 안내 매뉴얼 and cross-checked with Ministry of Justice issuances.
Last reviewed
July 14, 2026
Source references
Filing caution
Requirements can change by nationality, local immigration office, and filing channel. Confirm exact requirements with HiKorea, the responsible Korean consulate, or a licensed immigration specialist before filing.
Stay Duration
Typically 1 year (single entry); renewable; some sub-types allow multiple-entry
Processing
2–4 weeks at consulate; some sub-types require 사증발급인정서
Visa Fee
$44.78 (extension)
Fees and processing times sourced from HiKorea & Ministry of Justice. Figures are updated periodically but may change — verify before submitting.
Readiness check
Use this quick self-check before you spend time on forms or book a consultation for Visit / Cohabitation Visa.
Next focus
Eligibility fit
I meet the core F-1 requirements and understand any sponsor, degree, income, family, or experience conditions that apply.
The F-1 visa (방문동거 — visit and cohabitation) covers a broad range of family-related long-stay situations that do not fit the narrower F-3 (dependent companion) or F-6 (marriage migrant) categories. It is issued to relatives visiting or cohabiting with Korean residents: parents accompanying children in Korean schools, parents of outstanding talent or investors, domestic helpers of foreign diplomatic staff or high-value investors, and others with compelling personal circumstances requiring an extended stay without independent employment. F-1-D (the digital nomad visa) is a separate sub-type under the F-1 code but has its own dedicated page. F-1 holders may not engage in independent paid employment.
Notable sub-type added March 2025 — F-1-52: issued to children born from a marriage migrant's prior relationship (결혼이민자의 전혼관계 출생자녀). This allows a foreign national currently residing in Korea as an F-6 marriage migrant to invite their child from a previous relationship (a child not born to the current Korean spouse) to live in Korea. The F-1-52 sub-type was added to the official immigration guidelines effective 17 March 2025.
Parents accompanying foreign children enrolled in Korean schools (elementary through high school); parents of foreigners classified as outstanding talent or investors; domestic helpers of foreign diplomatic personnel or qualifying investors; and other family members in compelling cohabitation situations approved by immigration.
Qualifying family relationship or cohabitation circumstance as described in the relevant F-1 sub-type
F-1-13 (school-age child's parent): the child must be admitted to or attending a Korean school from elementary through high school; financial requirements apply (bank balance above a threshold for nationals of high-overstay countries)
F-1-15 (outstanding talent/investor parent): the primary holder must be classified as outstanding talent or a qualifying investor by immigration
F-1-52 (marriage migrant's prior-relationship child, added March 2025): the inviting parent must hold F-6 (marriage migrant) status in Korea; the child must be born from a prior relationship (not the current Korean spouse); birth certificate proving the F-6 holder is a parent is required
Domestic helper sub-types: the employer (diplomat, investor, or specialist) must hold the qualifying Korean visa/status
No independent employment in Korea
Delay and refusal risks
Family-route delays usually come from civil-record inconsistencies, sponsor evidence, relationship proof, or criminal-record handling.
Names, dates, family relationships, translations, and authentication need to match across Korean and foreign documents.
Manual basis: Family-status manuals rely on family relationship documents, civil records, and authenticated foreign documents.
Immigration may need evidence that the family relationship and support plan are real and current.
Manual basis: Family-status manuals include inviter, sponsor, relationship, and household evidence.
Prior overstays, fines, unauthorized work, tax delinquency, or criminal history can trigger closer review even when the basic visa category looks correct.
Manual basis: The stay manuals repeatedly reference status restrictions, law-violation review, criminal-record checks, tax/payment issues, and status-change limits.
Source note
These are practical risk factors for Visit / Cohabitation Visa, not a complete list of legal refusal grounds. Final review can vary by nationality, filing channel, consulate, immigration office, and case facts.
Valid passport + visa application form + passport photo
Proof of family relationship — marriage certificate or birth certificate (apostilled or authenticated with certified Korean translation)
Primary holder's ARC or visa documentation (proving the qualifying status)
Financial ability documents (bank statements, income certificate) — especially required for nationals of high-overstay countries
For domestic helper sub-types: employer's identity documents, employment contract, and employer's qualifying visa
사증발급인정서 (for cases that do not qualify for direct consulate issuance)
Confirm the qualifying F-1 sub-type
Identify which F-1 sub-type applies to your situation (e.g., F-1-13 for school-age child's parent, F-1-15 for talent/investor parent). Each sub-type has different document requirements.
Gather relationship and financial documents
Obtain apostilled birth or marriage certificates proving your relationship to the primary holder. Prepare bank statements if the financial requirement applies to your nationality.
Apply at the Korean consulate or immigration office
Apply at the Korean embassy or consulate in your home country (for new entry) or at the local immigration office if already in Korea (for status change). Most F-1 sub-types can be issued directly by the consulate.
Register and renew annually
After arriving in Korea, register at the immigration office and obtain your ARC. Renew F-1 annually, and coordinate renewals with the primary holder's status renewal.
Browse verified rentals and housing guides for moving to Korea.
Need help with your F-1 visa?
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Unfamiliar with a term? Browse the full Korea Visa Glossary
Visa Process
Alien Registration Card (ARC)
The Alien Registration Card (ARC) is the official ID card issued to foreigners staying in South Korea for 91 days or longer. It is required to open a bank account, sign a phone contract, and access most public services.
Visa Process
HiKorea
How to use HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr) — Korea's official immigration portal for visa extensions, status changes, and ARC renewal. Processing time: 3-10 business days.
Visa Process
Visa Extension (Stay Period Extension)
A visa extension — officially called a 'stay period extension' (체류기간 연장) in Korean immigration law — allows a foreigner to legally remain in Korea beyond the expiry date on their current visa or ARC without leaving the country.
Visa Process
Status of Sojourn Change (체류자격 변경)
A status of sojourn change allows a foreigner already in South Korea to switch from one visa category to another without leaving the country — for example, from a D-2 student visa to an E-7 skilled worker visa upon graduation and employment.
Get instant answers to these visa questions with our Korea-focused AI assistant.
Specific tracks under the F-1 category. Pick the one that matches your situation for track-level documents, criteria, and filing notes.
Still have questions about the F-1 visa?
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