Newly Revised F2-7 VISA policy (December 2020)

Ministry of Justice’s Announcement No. 2020-243 

The Ministry of Justice hereby announces revised criteria (age, education, annual income, etc.) for persons who fall under Item (I) of 24. Point based Resident (F2-7 visa) status of Table 1-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Control Act. (Revised criteria of the Ministry of Justice's Announcement No. 2016-170 on June 1, 2016)

Announcement on revised criteria (age, education, annual income, etc.) for persons who fall under Item (I) of 24. Point based Resident (F2-7 visa) status of Table 1-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Control Act shall be effective from December 1, 2020.

I. Eligible Applicants:

E-1 visa, E-2 visa, E-3 visa, E-4 visa, E-5 visa, E6-1 visa, E6-3 visa, E7-1 visa, D-5 visa, D-6 visa, D-7 visa, D-8 visa, D-9 visa (*excluding E6-2 visa, E7-4 visa)

1. Requirements for the above Eligible Applicants:

(1) Shall stay in Korea for 3 years or more continuously at the time of application. However, if applicants fall under one of the following, applicants will be exempt from the period of stay for 3 years;

1) Yearly income over 40 million won; or

2) Recommendation from relevant Ministries; or

3) Registered foreigners who have obtained a Master degree in Korea while legally residing for more than 3 consecutive years with D2 visa or D10-1 visa.

(2) Shall meet the requirements of status of stay at the time of application.

(3) Not to be disqualified (Criminal records in Korea etc.).

2. D-2 visa or D-10 visa holders meeting below All requirements

(1) Totally 3 years continuously staying in Korea with D-2 or D-10 visa at the time of application;

(2) Obtained a Master degree or higher;

(3) Shall apply for E-1 visa, E-2 visa, E-3 visa, E-4 visa, E-5 visa, E6-1 visa, E6-3 visa, E7-1 visa, D-5 visa, D-6 visa, D-7 visa, D-8 visa, D-9 visa from D-2 visa or D-10 visa;

(4) Not to be disqualified (Criminal records in Korea etc.).

3. Persons who have employed by a corporation listed on KOSPI or KOSDAQ or have entered into an employment contract with a listed corporation and meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Managers or experts and related employees according to Korea Standards Classification by the National Statistical Office;

(2) Not to be disqualified (Criminal records in Korea etc.).

4. F2-71 visa requirements: Dependent Family such as spouse or child of those who meet the requirements for F2-7 visa with yearly GNI*1 income.

II. Point Chart

* Check Points when application for visa change and extension; (see attached)

1. Points Charts (totally 170 points including extra points)

2. Qualified Points: 80 points or higher

3. Detailed evaluation of points

(1) Age (3~25 points): 18~24 (23 points), 25~29 (25 points), 30~34 (23 points), 35~39 (20 points), 40~44 (12 points), 45~50 (8 points), over 51 (3 points)

(2) Education (10~25 points): Associate degree (engineering major (15 points), other majors (10 points)), Bachelor degree (engineering major or more than 2 other major (17 points), other major (15 points)), Master degree (engineering major or more than 2 other major (20 points), other major (17 points)), Doctorate degree (engineering major or more than 2 other major (25 points), other major (20 points))

(3) Korean language ability (3~20 points): KIIP 1 or TOPIK 1 (3 points), KIIP 2 or TOPIK 2 (5 points), KIIP 3 or TOPIK 3 (10 points), KIIP 4 or TOPIK 4 (15 points), KIIP 5 or TOPIK 5 (20 points)

(4) Yearly Income (Unit: million won): 10~60 points

-100 million won (60 points), 90 million~less than 100 million (58 points), 80 million won~less than 90 million won (56 points), 70 million won~less than 80 million won (53 points), 60 million won~less than 70 million won (50 points), 50 million won~less than 60 million won (45 points), 40 million won~less than 50 million won (40 points), 30 million won~less than 40 million won (30 points), minimum wage~less than 30 million won (10 points)

(5) Extra Points (max. 40 points)

- Korean war participating coutries' Outstanding talents (20 points)

- Relevant Ministries recommendation (20 points)

- Completion of KIIP program stage 5 (10 points)

- Times or QS 500 Top global universities degree holder (Doctorate: 30 points, Master degree, 20 points, Bachelor degree (15 points), domestic doctorate degree holder (10 points), domestic master degree holder (7 points), domestic bachelor degree holder (5 points) 

- Domestic Voluntary Service activities (more than 3 years (7 points), 2 years~less than 3 years (5 points), 1 year~less than 2 years (1 points)

(6) Deduction Points (max.80):

- Penalties caused by violation of Immigration Law (Penalties more than 3 million won (-30 points), 1 million~less than 3 million won (-20 points), 500,000 won~less than 1 million won (-10 points)

- Criminal Records in Korea (Fined 2 million won~less than 3 million won (-30 points), less than 2 million won (-20 points), exceeding fines (-40 points)

- If case of one of dependent family member or invitee (invited person) violated fines more than 1 million won within recent 3 years or are staying illegally in Korea or received departure order or has been deported: -10 points  

III. Extension for F2-71 visa

1. F2-7 visa holder’s points shall be 80 or higher;

2. Yearly income of F2-7 visa holders shall be GNI*1.

IV. Period of Stay based on Points or Income:

A. Total score is more than 130 or income points are more than 50:

3 years~5 years; 

B. Total score is more than 100~129 or income points are 30~49:

1 year~3 years;

C. Total score is 80~99 or income points are below 29:

within 1 year

IV. Failure to Extend of F2-7 visa

Shall change from F2-7 visa to D-10 visa.

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