Overseas Korean permanent residence visa at a glance
| Official name | Overseas Korean permanent residence (F-5-6) |
|---|---|
| Legal route | People who have stayed continuously for 2 years or more as an overseas Korean (F-4) and whose need to keep living in Korea is recognised |
| Key factors | Record of continuous stay and the need to keep living in Korea |
| Common review areas | Good conduct, ability to earn a living, and basic knowledge such as Korean language ability and understanding of Korean society and culture |
| Relation to nationality | Permanent residence and acquiring Korean nationality are separate |
| How K-Biz Visa covers it | Explained as part of our F-5 permanent residence consultations |
Common points of confusion
- F-4 and permanent residence
- Holding F-4 does not by itself decide permanent residence. We look at your record of continuous stay, your need to keep living in Korea and the common review areas together.
- Continuous stay
- The legal route assumes continuous stay. If you have left and re-entered Korea, we look at your entry and exit history as well.
- Permanent residence and nationality
- Permanent residence (F-5) is a visa status. Acquiring Korean nationality is a separate system.
Before the consultation
In your first enquiry, tell us when you obtained overseas Korean status and your stay history in Korea. We first decide which route to look at.
What to tell us first
- When you obtained overseas Korean (F-4) status
- Your stay history in Korea and entry and exit records
- Your base of life in Korea and your family situation
- Your job and income
Documents we ask for later
- Records proving your stay history
- Documents on your residence in Korea
- Income and employment documents
- Copies of your passport and ID
We ask only for the sensitive documents the review needs, and keep and delete them under our privacy policy.
Frequently asked questions
A history of stay on F-4 is the starting condition for this route. We look at continuous stay, your need to keep living in Korea and the common review areas together.
The legal route covers people who have stayed continuously for 2 years or more as an overseas Korean (F-4). Whether your stay was continuous is checked against your entry and exit history.
No. Permanent residence (F-5) is a visa status, and acquiring Korean nationality is a separate system.
Related agencies and laws
The procedures and criteria on this page follow the guidance of the agencies and the laws below. How they apply is checked case by case.
Agencies
- Ministry of Justice immigration offices
- Korea Visa Portal
Laws
- Immigration Act
- Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act
Send an enquiryTell us when you obtained overseas Korean status and your stay history in Korea, and we will reply setting out which permanent residence route to look at.