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F-1 Family Visitor

South KoreaFamily

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

Official link

Explore pathways in South Korea Read the five questions ↓

Which family relationships qualify?

F-1 covers: visiting relatives or living together with family members, dependents, housekeeping, etc.; family members such as parents of marriage migrants; spouse or underage children of F-2 holders; spouse and underage children of F-4 and H-2 holders; parents of foreign students in high school or below; parents of foreign talent, investors and international students; spouse and underage children of recognised refugees; foreign-nationality parents of naturalized citizens; and others.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The list ends with "Others", so it is not exhaustive.

Who may sponsor or bring the family member, and what immigration/citizenship status must that person hold?

E-1 to E-7 holders whose annual income is more than twice the previous year's GNI can invite their parents (including parents of spouse) as F-1 (eased to GNI level for those with a Korean bachelor's degree or higher who changed to that status). Spouse and underage children of other F-2 holders can be invited as F-1. The official source does not state the sponsor status required for the other F-1 categories.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Sponsor status for the other F-1 categories (e.g. relatives of marriage migrants, refugees, naturalized citizens) is not stated.
  • https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration_eng/230/454085/download.do
    (F-1, Parents of Foreign Talent, Investors and International Students) Those with E-1 (Professor) to E-7 (Foreign National of Special Ability) status, whose annual income is more than twice the previous year's GNI can invite their parents (including parents of spouse) as F-1 status (However, the income requirements have been eased to that equal the GNI level or higher) for those who have acquired a bachelor's degree or higher from a domestic university and have changed to the above status)
  • https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration_eng/230/454085/download.do
    Other F-2 visas - Spouse and underage children can be invited as a Family Visitor (F-1) status

What is important for proving marriage, partnership, parentage, custody, dependency or another qualifying relationship?

For F-1-9 (spouse or minor child of an F-4 holder), the relationship is proven with original family relation certificates: a marriage certificate for a spouse and a birth certificate for a child, plus a copy of the F-4 holder's visa grant notice.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Source is the Korean Consulate General in Los Angeles page; it states that required documents may vary by consulate/embassy.
  • Covers only the F-1-9 sub-type.

What important financial, accommodation, insurance or maintenance responsibilities apply?

For parents invited by master's/doctoral students, proof of financial support during the stay must be provided; the sponsoring student must have sufficient financial capacity and live in a residential facility. The official source does not state an amount or the support requirements for other categories of this visa.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • No monetary amount is stated.
  • Support requirements for other F-1 categories are not stated.

How does the application work at a high level, what rights does the family member receive, how long does the status last, and how can it become independent or longer-term where officially stated?

F-1 is listed with a 2-year period of stay and work not permitted; in principle employment and profit-making activities are not allowed. The F-1 parent-invitation guidance notes that, in principle, the holder of this status cannot change status in Korea; when applying for the visa at an embassy abroad, the process can be expedited by first obtaining a confirmation of visa issuance from the immigration office in Korea.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • How F-1 can become an independent or longer-term status is not stated for F-1 generally.
  • Whether F-1 is extendable is not stated.
  • The change-of-status note is placed under the F-1 parent-invitation bullet; its application to other F-1 categories is not stated.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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