Preparation of application documents for change of stay status to F-2 and F-5 for public project investment immigration

Procedure

Procedure

1. 01

   1. Choose the investment path and investment target — The notice divides the paths into general investment immigration (1,500,000,000 won or more, Residence (F-2) followed by permanent residence) and conditional permanent residence for high-value investment (3,000,000,000 won or more). Investment targets are the Korea Development Bank principal-guaranteed, interest-free type and the profit-and-loss type of developers that received implementation plan approval in a tourism-centered enterprise city and are registered with the competent immigration office after approval by the Minister of Justice; only the principal-guaranteed, interest-free type is accepted for high-value investment. It is also possible to meet the 1,500,000,000 won standard by combining the amount with an investment in a tourism and recreation facility investment immigration target.

2. 02

   2. Remit the investment funds and organize source-of-funds documents — For investment funds brought in from abroad, the remittance route and deposit records form the basis of the proof of investment. Link remittance records, deposit confirmations and materials showing how the funds were accumulated in date order so that the same materials can continue to be used for Residence (F-2) extensions and the change to permanent residence.

3. 03

   3. Apply for Residence (F-2) or Permanent Residence (F-5) — An investor staying in Korea applies for permission to change status of sojourn with the integrated application form, and a change to Residence (F-2) under item (cha) requires proof of investment (Enforcement Rule Annex 5-2). For high-value investment, the requirements are a deposit of 3,000,000,000 won or more, a pledge to hold the investment for 5 years and good conduct, such as having no grounds for disqualification; a spouse and unmarried children are also eligible if they meet certain requirements. The fees are 100,000 won for a change to Residence (F-2) and 200,000 won for a change to Permanent Residence (F-5) (Enforcement Rule Article 72, Subparagraph 5).

4. 04

   4. Hold the investment for 5 years and extend your period of stay — Residence (F-2) under general investment immigration requires proof of investment at each extension of the period of stay, so keep the deposit in place. If combined with a tourism and recreation facility investment, the two investment periods are added together to calculate 5 years, but in principle the public project investment period must be 2 years or longer. A foreigner who redeems early before obtaining permanent residence is, in principle, expected to settle household affairs and leave the country within 3 months.

5. 05

   5. Change to Permanent Residence (F-5) after 5 years of holding — If you have held the investment for 5 years or more after receiving Residence (F-2) under item (cha) and the need for continued residence is recognized, apply for a change to Permanent Residence (F-5) under Annex 1-3, Item 14. Submit proof of investment and a criminal record certificate from your country of nationality; this type is eligible for relaxation or exemption of the livelihood capacity and basic competence requirements, but the good conduct requirement is still examined (Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Article 12-2).

Filing route

Filing route

Deadlines & processing notes

Deadlines & processing notes

Fees & official charges

Fees & official charges

Included in the basic fee — Initial document review, required-document guidance, basic form preparation, one filing support and responses to up to two supplement requests.

Conditional success fee — For this service, any conditional success fee may be separately agreed within the lawful service scope and stated in a written engagement agreement. No outcome is guaranteed.

Displayed amounts are starting estimates, not statutory or standard rates. The final fee is confirmed after consultation and document review in the engagement agreement. Government fees and actual expenses may change.

Basic documents

Basic documents

Before remitting or depositing investment funds, confirm that the investment target is the principal-guaranteed, interest-free type or a registered profit-and-loss type set by the notice; amounts placed in targets not set by the notice are not counted toward the standard amount. Early redemption before obtaining permanent residence, or withdrawal of a high-value investment deposit, leads to departure or revocation of permanent residence status, so plan your funds around the 5-year holding period.