POSTERN

South Korea

F-1-D Workation (digital nomad) visa. A high-income, temporary visa for remote workers employed abroad, piloted in 2024 and made permanent in June 2026 — not a route to settling in Korea.

Free · The law behind every answer · Checked Sep 24, 2026

F-1-D Workation (digital nomad) visa

An initial 1-year stay, renewable up to a total of 3 years; spouse and minor children may join on matching status; no right to work for a Korean employer.

Who qualifies

  • Employed by, or an owner of, a foreign company for more than a year, working remotely only; Korean employment is strictly prohibited.
    F-1-D Workation visa
  • Annual income of more than twice Korea’s GNI per capita, roughly USD 74,000–76,000, and medical insurance covering at least about USD 76,000 including repatriation; applicants aged 18–34 based outside Seoul, Incheon, or Gyeonggi qualify at half that income floor, roughly USD 38,000.
    F-1-D Workation visa

You keep your U.S. citizenship.

1

Does it fit your family?

3 questions, from the program’s own rules.

How old are you?

Not legal advice.

2

What it takes.

Income
At least $6,250 a month, steady and documented.
Age
18 or older.
Time
3–4 weeks through a Korean consulate.
Cost
About $45 in visa fees; the larger cost is the high-coverage health insurance required.
The hard part
Documenting roughly $75,000 a year of foreign-sourced income and meeting the steep insurance-coverage minimum.

Dollar figures are converted from the local currency at the rate the program’s research used; the official figure is in the local currency.

3

This door stops short of a passport.

  1. 2027
    First residence permit

    1 year, renewable for 1 year at a time.

  2. 2028
    Renew the permit

    Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 1 year.

  3. 2029
    Renew the permit

    Filed before the old one lapses; renews for 1 year.

Language
Korean language ability and understanding of Korean customs, shown by completing KIIP or passing the naturalisation test, then an interview.
Civics
The naturalisation comprehensive test (or KIIP level 5 completion) covers Korean society, history and the constitution.
Time away
Five consecutive years of domicile in Korea, and holding permanent residence (F-5) when you apply.
Two passports
Usually not: new citizens are asked to give up their other citizenship.
  • Time on this program does not count toward permanent residence or citizenship; the family would need to switch to one that does.
  • One year, extendable; reported to allow three years in all since 30 June 2026 (two before). It is not on the list of statuses that lead to permanent residence.
  • New citizens must give up their old citizenship within one year; only special categories (for example people naturalised for excellent talent, and some spouses) may instead pledge not to use it in Korea.
  • Law firms report 6 to 18 months or more for a decision; no official figure found.
  • The test details come from Korean government and practitioner summaries, not the enforcement decree itself.
The law behind these dates
4

Living there.

Time you must spend there
Maximum 3 years total, non-renewable beyond that.
Tax
A full year on this visa carries real risk of triggering the 183-day Korean tax-residency threshold.

We never file a tax return. We tell you what applies and brief the professional who does.

5

Start today.

  1. Apply for the F-1-D visa through a Korean consulate.Open mofa.go.kr ↗
  2. Round up the papers.
    • Proof of steady income: at least $6,250 a month
    • Request your FBI Identity History Summary
    • Health insurance that meets the program’s rules
6

Or let us run it.

$900for your first year as a founding member. Then $399 a year, automatically.Standard first year: $1,200. Everyone renews at $399.One membership, the whole family. Accounts and activation included.

17 steps, from the first paper to every renewal. You do 4 of them: send what we ask for, sign, and show up. We run the rest, and keep every permit renewed on time. Accounts and activation are included, whether you move now or keep the plan ready. Accounts depend on provider availability. Government, record and approved third-party charges are extra.

Run it for my family →
7
ISSUED TO

YOUR FAMILY

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