South Korea · Spouse visas
South Korea Spouse of a permanent resident
First stay: 5 yrs
Resident (F-2) — Spouse of Permanent Resident
First checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
Spouse of a permanent resident is a spouse visas route for South Korea. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $60
- First stay
- 5 yrs
Cost, time and long term
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.
Permanent residenceTime here counts
Spouses and underage children of permanent residents are a listed F-5 category; the guide does not give a required number of years.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Work rights are limited
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- Applicant is the spouse of a holder of Permanent Resident (F-5) status in Korea.
- Invitation requirements for the F-2 status must be met by the permanent resident spouse.
What you must show1
- The visa application fee is USD 60 for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer.
Documents4
- An invitation letter from the permanent resident, stating the reason for the invitation, is submitted.
- Proof of the marriage relationship is submitted.
- Proof of the inviting permanent resident's income and employment is submitted.
- A criminal record certificate is submitted.
Steps1
- The visa for a stay of 90 days or more is applied for at a Korean embassy or consulate abroad.
After you arrive1
- Foreigners staying 90 days or more must apply for foreign resident registration within 90 days of entry.
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
- 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
Resident status for the spouse and underage children of a Korean permanent resident (F-5), valid up to 5 years. 1 2
What you must show and pay
- 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. 2
Requirements
- Applicant is the spouse of a holder of Permanent Resident (F-5) status in Korea. 1
- Invitation requirements for the F-2 status must be met by the permanent resident spouse. 1
- The visa application fee is USD 60 for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer. 2
- An invitation letter from the permanent resident, stating the reason for the invitation, is submitted. 3
- Proof of the marriage relationship is submitted. 3
- Proof of the inviting permanent resident's income and employment is submitted. 3
- A criminal record certificate is submitted. 3
- The visa for a stay of 90 days or more is applied for at a Korean embassy or consulate abroad. 3
- Foreigners staying 90 days or more must apply for foreign resident registration within 90 days of entry. 1
Stay
- Resident (F-2) status allows a stay up to 5 years per grant.
- First stay: up to 60 months, decided case by case.
Work
Employment is partly restricted under F-2; permitted scope is set by the status.
Family
Underage children of a permanent resident can also be invited as F-2.
Official sources
- 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
- Resident (F-2-3) visa documents for the spouse and children of a permanent resident (F-5) holder · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Nepal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-08-05
Spouse of a permanent resident and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a permanent resident | – | 5 yr | Limited |
| Spouse of a citizen | Needs income from ₩25.2M a year ≈ $19k | 3 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a permanent resident Thailand | – | 3 mo, renewable | – |
| Spouse of a citizen Japan | – | 5 yr, renewable | Yes |
| Spouse of a stay permit holder Indonesia | – | – | No |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Spouse of a permanent resident?
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 Spouse of a permanent resident?
Resident (F-2) status allows a stay up to 5 years per grant.
Can I work on the Spouse of a permanent resident?
Limited. Employment is partly restricted under F-2; permitted scope is set by the status.
Can I bring my family on the Spouse of a permanent resident?
Underage children of a permanent resident can also be invited as F-2.
Does the Spouse of a permanent resident lead to permanent residence in South Korea?
Time on the Spouse of a permanent resident counts toward permanent residence in South Korea.
Is there a tax break for Spouse of a permanent resident 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
Spouse and partner visas elsewhere
≈ 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 2026-10-10 against 3 official sources. Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm.
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.
- 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
- Resident (F-2-3) visa documents for the spouse and children of a permanent resident (F-5) holder · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Nepal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
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.