South Korea · Investing
South Korea F-2 investor · ₩1.5bn
Investment needed: ₩1.5B+ ≈ $1.1M
Public-Interest Project Investment Immigration (F-2)
First checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
F-2 investor · ₩1.5bn is an investing route for South Korea. Applicants need an investment of ₩1.5B+ ≈ $1.1M. You can stay 5 yrs, renewable. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- ₩1.5B+ ≈ $1.1M
- Government fees
- $60
- First stay
- 5 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee $60; investment ₩1.5B+ ≈ $1.1M. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
Government fees$60
- $60Visa application fee for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer; the amount differs for some passport countries and multiple-entry visas cost more.
Invested and held₩1.5B+ ≈ $1.1M
- KRW 1,500,000,000 (≈ $1,120,000)Scheme standard amount: principal-protected non-interest deposit in the Ministry of Justice public-interest fund run by Korea Development Bank, repaid after 5 years, or a profit-and-loss investment in a designated tourism-centred enterprise-city project.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
F-5 is granted after the investment is maintained for 5 years, and it stays valid after the deposit is returned.
Ministry of JusticeKorea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice
CitizenshipGeneral rule: 5 years of residence
General naturalization needs 5 consecutive years of domicile in Korea and qualification for permanent residence, plus good conduct, self-support and basic knowledge of Korea.
What you'll need
What you must show3
- The investor places at least KRW 1.5 billion (≈ $1,120,000) in the scheme.
- The principal-protected, non-interest type deposits money with the Korea Development Bank fund and is repaid after 5 years.
- The profit-and-loss type invests in a project designated by the Minister of Justice with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
After you arrive3
- The investor, spouse and unmarried children receive F-2 resident status.
- Holding the investment for 5 years or more allows a change to permanent residence (F-5).
- F-5 status stays after the investment is returned.
What happens at day 183
How South Korea decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 5 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a continuous residence in KoreaA person with no domicile who has a residence in Korea for 183 days or more is a resident
- Foreign-source income
Remittance basis (5 years)
A foreign resident whose total period of domicile or residence in Korea is five years or less in the ten years before the end of the tax period is taxed on foreign-source income only to the extent it is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea.
- Special regime
Remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence · Tax relief
All tax rules for South Korea Tax records checked
Full official text
Investors who place at least KRW 1.5 billion (≈ $1,120,000) in a public-interest project receive F-2 resident status with free economic activity, and F-5 after holding the investment for 5 years. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- An investment of at least KRW 1,500,000,000 (≈ $1,120,000) · Scheme standard amount: principal-protected non-interest deposit in the Ministry of Justice public-interest fund run by Korea Development Bank, repaid after 5 years, or a profit-and-loss investment in a designated tourism-centred enterprise-city project. 1
- A fee of $60 · Visa application fee for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer; the amount differs for some passport countries and multiple-entry visas cost more. 3
Requirements
- The investor places at least KRW 1.5 billion (≈ $1,120,000) in the scheme. 1
- The principal-protected, non-interest type deposits money with the Korea Development Bank fund and is repaid after 5 years. 1
- The profit-and-loss type invests in a project designated by the Minister of Justice with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. 1
- The investor, spouse and unmarried children receive F-2 resident status. 1
- Holding the investment for 5 years or more allows a change to permanent residence (F-5). 1
- F-5 status stays after the investment is returned. 1
Stay
- F-2 resident status up to 5 years per grant; F-5 after 5 years of holding the investment.
- First stay: up to 60 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
F-2 resident status allows free economic activity.
Family
Spouse and unmarried children receive F-2 status within the investor's period of stay. Your spouse or partner may work in South Korea without a separate permit.
Official sources
- Public-interest project investment immigration scheme (F-2 to F-5) · Ministry of Justice (Korea) · checked 2026-10-10
- Visa Navigator: Customized Stay Guide for Foreign Residents · Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-12
- Visa application fees for each visa type · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · checked 2026-10-11
- Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Article 23: employment by status of stay (in force 1 June 2025) · Ministry of Government Legislation (National Law Information Center) · checked 2026-10-12
- Nationality Act (Articles 5 and 6, English translation) · Korea Legislation Research Institute (Ministry of Government Legislation) · checked 2026-10-11
F-2 investor · ₩1.5bn and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-2 investor · ₩1.5bn | Needs an investment of ₩1.5B+ ≈ $1.1M | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| F-5 investor · ₩3bn | Needs an investment of ₩3B+ ≈ $2.3M | – | Yes |
| Jeju property investor | Needs an investment of ₩1B+ ≈ $750k | 5 yr, renewable | – |
| D-8-1 Business Investment | Needs an investment of ₩100M+ ≈ $75k | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
| LTR · Wealthy Global Citizen Thailand | Needs an investment of $500k+ | 5 yr, renewable | Yes |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the F-2 investor · ₩1.5bn?
An investment of at least KRW 1,500,000,000 (≈ $1,120,000). Scheme standard amount: principal-protected non-interest deposit in the Ministry of Justice public-interest fund run by Korea Development Bank, repaid after 5 years, or a profit-and-loss investment in a designated tourism-centred enterprise-city project. A fee of $60. Visa application fee for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer; the amount differs for some passport countries and multiple-entry visas cost more.
How long can I stay on the F-2 investor · ₩1.5bn?
F-2 resident status up to 5 years per grant; F-5 after 5 years of holding the investment.
Can I work on the F-2 investor · ₩1.5bn?
F-2 resident status allows free economic activity.
Can I bring my family on the F-2 investor · ₩1.5bn?
Spouse and unmarried children receive F-2 status within the investor's period of stay.
Does the F-2 investor · ₩1.5bn lead to permanent residence in South Korea?
Time on the F-2 investor · ₩1.5bn (≈ $1,120,000) counts toward permanent residence in South Korea, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. The general rule for citizenship is 5 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for F-2 investor · ₩1.5bn holders in South Korea?
Korea: remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence: A foreign resident whose total period of domicile or residence in Korea is five years or less in the ten years before the end of the tax period is taxed on foreign-source income only to the extent it is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Korea: remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence
Tax relief
Details
- On: Foreign-source income that is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea
- Who: Foreign national (not a Korean citizen) who is a Korean tax resident
A foreign resident whose total period of domicile or residence in Korea is five years or less in the ten years before the end of the tax period is taxed on foreign-source income only to the extent it is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea.
Taxed on
Foreign-source income that is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea; Korean-source income and all other income is taxed in full under the progressive income tax.
Who it applies to
- Foreign national (not a Korean citizen) who is a Korean tax resident.
- Sum of periods with a domicile or residence in Korea over the 10 years before the end of the taxable period is 5 years or less.
- Resident means having a domicile in Korea or a residence of 183 days or more.
Exclusions
- After more than five years of domicile or residence within the ten-year look-back, foreign-source income is taxed on a worldwide basis as for Korean residents.
- Income not paid or remitted into Korea stays outside the Korean base for qualifying foreigners.
Days in the country
- At least 183 days in continuous residence in Korea · A person with no domicile who has a residence in Korea for 183 days or more is a resident
Tax residence
The five-year test is counted over the ten years before the end of the relevant taxable period; non-residents are taxed only on Korean-source income (article 3(2)).
Visas
Applies by tax residence status and nationality, not by visa category.
Other taxes
Local income tax, VAT and social insurance apply separately; see “Optional flat tax rate for foreign employees” and “Korea progressive comprehensive income tax rates” for employment tax rates.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in South Korea
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≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-11 against 5 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Public-interest project investment immigration scheme (F-2 to F-5) · Ministry of Justice (Korea) · checked 2026-10-10
- Visa Navigator: Customized Stay Guide for Foreign Residents · Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-12
- Visa application fees for each visa type · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · checked 2026-10-11
- Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Article 23: employment by status of stay (in force 1 June 2025) · Ministry of Government Legislation (National Law Information Center) · checked 2026-10-12
- Nationality Act (Articles 5 and 6, English translation) · Korea Legislation Research Institute (Ministry of Government Legislation) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.