Join your spouse or parent in Korea as a dependent (spouse or unmarried minor child) of a qualifying visa holder — covers the D-1 through E-7 range (except D-3), plus F-2, F-4, and H-2.
Written by James Chae — Co-Founder, Expert Sapiens
Platform expertise: Immigration consulting & visa services · Reviewed September 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
September 4, 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
Matches the primary visa holder's authorised stay period; renewed together with the primary holder's visa
Processing
2–4 weeks
Visa Fee
≈ $45 (extension at immigration office); consulate fee varies by country
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 Dependent Companion Visa.
Next focus
Eligibility fit
I meet the core F-3 requirements and understand any sponsor, degree, income, family, or experience conditions that apply.
The F-3 visa (동반, dongban — 'accompaniment') allows the spouse and unmarried minor children of certain visa holders to reside in Korea for the same duration as the primary visa holder. Per the current issuance manual, the eligible primary-holder range is broader than F-4/H-2 alone: it spans statuses from D-1 (Culture & Arts) through E-7 (Specific Activities), except D-3 (Industrial Training) — covering most work and long-term study visas — plus F-2 (Resident), F-4 (Overseas Korean), and H-2 (Working Visit). F-4 and H-2 dependents are the most common case in practice (and have their own dedicated F-3-19/F-3-20 companion sub-types, below), but they are not the whole category. The F-3 does not permit independent employment — the holder may reside in Korea and engage in daily life, but work or business activities require a separate visa status.
The spouse and unmarried minor children (under 19) of a primary visa holder in the D-1 through E-7 range (except D-3 Industrial Training), or holding F-2 (Resident), F-4 (Overseas Korean), or H-2 (Working Visit) status, who is residing in Korea. Note that parents of F-4 holders do not qualify for F-3 — they receive an F-1 (Visit/Cohabitation) visa instead.
Spouse or unmarried minor child (under 19) of a primary holder in D-1 through E-7 status (except D-3 Industrial Training), or F-2, F-4, or H-2 status, currently residing in Korea
Proof of family relationship (marriage certificate or birth certificate), officially translated and apostilled or authenticated
Primary holder must have a valid status in Korea (ARC or 거소신고증) in one of the eligible categories above
Minor children born in Korea: application must be filed within 90 days of birth
Minor children (unaccompanied, i.e., parent abroad): may extend until age 25 if the F-4/H-2 parent has continuously stayed in Korea for 3+ years
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 Dependent Companion 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
Primary holder's Alien Registration Card (ARC) or Certificate of Overseas Korean Residence (거소신고증)
Marriage certificate (for spouse applicants) — apostilled or consular-authenticated, with certified Korean translation
Birth certificate (for child applicants) — apostilled or consular-authenticated, with certified Korean translation
Primary holder's proof of continued stay in Korea (if extending)
F-3-19 applicants (F-4 family): additional proof may be required per consulate
Confirm the primary holder's status
The primary visa holder (D-1 through E-7 except D-3, or F-2/F-4/H-2) must already have a valid status in Korea. Obtain a copy of their ARC or 거소신고증 before starting your application.
Prepare family relationship documents
Obtain official marriage or birth certificates from your home country, have them apostilled (if your country is party to the Hague Convention) or notarised and authenticated at the Korean consulate.
Apply at the Korean consulate (new entry) or immigration office (extension)
If you are outside Korea, apply for the F-3 visa at the Korean embassy or consulate. If you are already in Korea on another status, apply for a status change at your local immigration office.
Register on arrival
After entering Korea on an F-3 visa, register as a foreign resident at your local immigration office within 90 days and obtain your ARC.
Renew with the primary holder
When the primary visa holder renews their status, renew your F-3 at the same time. Your stay period is always tied to the primary holder's authorised stay.
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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.
No. The F-3 visa is a dependent residence visa — it does not authorise independent employment. To work in Korea, you would need to obtain your own work visa status (e.g., E-7, E-9, H-2 if eligible) or qualify for a status that permits work.
Yes, if your own status falls in the D-1 through E-7 range (which includes D-2 student, E-2 language instructor, E-7 specialist, and most other work/long-term-study statuses, but not D-3 Industrial Training), or you hold F-2 (Resident), F-4 (Overseas Korean), or H-2 (Working Visit) status. F-3-19 and F-3-20 below are the companion sub-types for F-4 and H-2 dependents. Other numbered F-3 codes exist for specific programmes — for example F-3-18 for families of points-based F-2 residents, F-3-17 and F-3-10 for Top-Tier families (E-7-T and D-10-T), and F-3-1R/2R/3R for regional-visa families.
F-3-19 is a 1-year valid multiple-entry companion visa introduced in January 2025 for the spouse and unmarried minor children of F-4 (Overseas Korean) holders. It allows family members to travel in and out of Korea freely during the 1-year validity period.
F-3-20 is the companion sub-type for the spouse and unmarried minor children of H-2 (Working Visit) holders. Like F-3-19, it is issued as a 1-year valid multiple-entry visa.
No. Parents of F-4 holders do not qualify for F-3. They must apply for an F-1 (방문동거 — Visit/Cohabitation) visa instead, which is a separate category for visiting family members.
Yes. If your child was born in Korea, you must apply for their F-3 status within 90 days of birth. Missing this window can result in the child becoming undocumented, so act quickly after the birth is registered.
Not directly. F-3 is a dependent status tied to the primary holder. If you accumulate long-term residence in Korea and eventually qualify for F-5 (Permanent Residency) in your own right — typically through continuous residence, income, and other criteria — you can apply independently. Your F-3 residence time may count toward the qualifying period.
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Specific tracks under the F-3 category. Pick the one that matches your situation for track-level documents, criteria, and filing notes.
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