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33-1 · Permanent residence, overseas Koreans & family stay

Change of Status of Stay to Permanent Residence (F-5-10)

Permanent residence (F-5-10) is the type under item 8 of the F-5 column in Annex 1-3 of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act: a foreign national who holds a bachelor's degree or higher in a field designated by the Minister of Justice, or a designated technical qualification, has stayed in Korea for 3 years or more, and at the time of application is employed by a Korean company earning at least the set wage applies to the immigration office with jurisdiction over the place of stay for a change of status of stay. Recognized degrees include a bachelor's degree or higher in a high-tech field, a bachelor's degree or higher in science or engineering from a Korean university, and a master's degree or higher from a Korean graduate school, and the wage test is whether the applicant's own wage is at least the previous year's per capita gross national income (GNI). The applicant must also meet the conduct, livelihood and basic knowledge requirements of Article 10-3 of the Immigration Act, and basic knowledge is shown by completing the Korea Immigration and Integration Program or scoring 60 or more on the comprehensive evaluation. If 3 years have not passed since paying a fine, or 5 years since a suspended sentence of imprisonment without labor or heavier became final, the conduct requirement is not met.

HWANG YUNSANG ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICESONGDO · 37.3892° N / 126.6439° E
#Change of Status of Stay to Permanent Residence (F-5-10)#Official check#33-1
🌐 F-5-10 Permanent Residence Requirements
01

Procedure

Procedure

Procedure type
  • Permit Difficulty High

    A procedure that allows a business, activity or stay that the law generally restricts, after review; licenses fall into this type. The authority reviews facility standards, location and consultation with other agencies, and a permit can be refused if the standards are not met.

  1. 01

    Confirm the degree or qualification type: Check with the degree and transcript whether the applicant falls under a high-tech bachelor's degree or higher, a Korean science or engineering bachelor's degree or higher, a Korean master's degree or higher, or a professional engineer qualification. If the degree is outside the recognized scope, such as a general business bachelor's degree from abroad, compare other permanent residence types to choose the application route.

  2. 02

    Calculate the period of stay and work history: Use the certificate of entry and exit to count 3 years or more of stay in Korea as of the application date day by day, and mark gaps between changes of workplace and long absences abroad separately. Check with the certificate of employment and social insurance history whether the work is in a field related to the degree or qualification.

  3. 03

    Check the employment and wage requirements: The applicant must be employed full-time on a regular basis by a Korean company at the time of application, and freelance or part-time work is hard to have recognized. Confirm with the withholding tax receipt and income certificate that the applicant's own earned income is at least the previous year's per capita GNI; a spouse's income is not added.

  4. 04

    Check the conduct and basic knowledge requirements: Under Article 18-4 of the Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, check whether 3 years have passed since paying a fine, 5 years since a suspended sentence became final, 5 years since a departure order, and whether the applicant violated the Immigration Act 3 or more times in the last 5 years (excluding fines for negligence). If there is no KIIP completion certificate or comprehensive evaluation score of 60 or more, schedule that first.

  5. 05

    Obtain the home-country criminal record certificate and degree documents: Applicants under item 8 must additionally submit a criminal record certificate issued by the competent authority of their country of nationality under Annex 5-2 of the Enforcement Rule. Plan the time for issuance in the home country, the authentication process and the attached translation, and prepare foreign degree certificates that have gone through authentication.

  6. 06

    Apply for the change and respond to requests for supplements: Before the current period of stay ends, book a visit through HiKorea and apply for a change of status of stay with the integrated application form at the immigration office with jurisdiction over the place of stay. If a supplement is requested during review, submit the materials within the set deadline, and if little time remains on the current stay, obtain an extension of the current status first.

02

Filing route

Filing route

Immigration office with jurisdiction over the place of stay (filed after booking a visit through HiKorea)

Confirm the current filing office, jurisdiction, and online availability on the official website.

Official check
Actual processing agencyCompetent Immigration Office
Statutory and policy authorityCompetent Korean authority or official service
Online routeHiKorea
03

Deadlines & processing notes

Deadlines & processing notes

Check deadlines and next steps against the notice, filing date, and any request for additional documents.Official check
04

Basic documents

Basic documents

Basic documents0 / 8

The home-country criminal record certificate takes time to issue and authenticate, so if preparation starts close to the expiry of the current stay, the permanent residence application may not be filed in time and the current status has to be extended first.

Scope of services

Scope of services

Hwang Yunsang Administrative Agent Office prepares and translates documents for administrative agencies, submits them on your behalf, and guides you through permit, application, and notification procedures. Services that require the principal’s personal appearance, principal’s application, or electronic signature may be limited in delegation.