Korea F-1 VisaVisit / Cohabitation Visa

Overview

Who is the F-1 visa for?

Eligibility requirements

• 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

• {"items":["Foreign national children under 18 residing abroad whose domestic (Korean) adoption process is in progress or has been completed","\"Child\" is defined per Article 3(1) of the Child Welfare Act (under 18 years old)","Adoption-in-progress: 2-year single-entry F-1-51 visa issued","Completed adoption: eligible to apply for Residence (F-2-3) or Permanent Residency (F-5-3) status"],"title":"F-1-51 — Internationally Adopted Children (new 2026)"}

Required documents

• 1.

  Valid passport + visa application form + passport photo

• 2.

  Proof of family relationship — marriage certificate or birth certificate (apostilled or authenticated with certified Korean translation)

• 3.

  Primary holder's ARC or visa documentation (proving the qualifying status)

• 4.

  Financial ability documents (bank statements, income certificate) — especially required for nationals of high-overstay countries

• 5.

  For domestic helper sub-types: employer's identity documents, employment contract, and employer's qualifying visa

• 6.

  사증발급인정서 (for cases that do not qualify for direct consulate issuance)

How to apply — step by step

1. 1

   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.

2. 2

   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.

3. 3

   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.

4. 4

   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.

Key Immigration Terms

Unfamiliar with a term?

F-1 visa — frequently asked questions