F-5 Permanent Residence
Indefinite residence with unrestricted work rights, granted under several subcategories that have almost nothing in common except the outcome.
F-5 is the end of the Korean ladder, and it is worth understanding that the subcategories are genuinely different instruments. F-5-1 is the general route for long-term residents. F-5-16 is the conversion for F-2-7 holders after three years. F-5-13 is the overseas pension route for people aged 60 and over, and it is the closest thing Korea has to a retirement visa, which is to say it is not one.
Permanent residence is not citizenship. It gives no passport and no vote. It does remove the renewal cycle, provided you re-enter at least once every two years.
Programme snapshot
| Item | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Main audience | F-5-1: long-term residents on F-2, D or E statuses. F-5-16: F-2-7 holders. F-5-13: overseas pension recipients aged 60 and over |
| Route family | Skilled work, with a retirement variant |
| Validity | Permanent |
| Stay per entry | Indefinite, subject to re-entry rules |
| Threshold | F-5-1: 5 consecutive years, 2x GNI household income about KRW 104,820,000 (2026, about USD 75,900 at KRW 1,380 per USD), tax compliance, clean record, KIIP level 5. F-5-13: foreign pension received in the prior year of at least KRW 104,820,000 |
| Renewal | None; re-enter at least once every 2 years |
| Settlement | Direct |
| PR clock | F-5-1: 5 years. F-5-16: 3 years on F-2-7. F-5-13: none, granted as PR |
| Citizenship clock | 5 years of residence as an F-5 holder, plus language and civics |
| Family | F-5-1 and F-5-16 assessed with the household. F-5-13 is partial: spouse and minor children may be included depending on the case, adult children are not |
| Local employment | Unrestricted |
| Tax headline | Worldwide income once resident, including a foreign pension on F-5-13; treaty relief may apply |
| Processing | 6 to 12 months for F-5-1; 3 to 6 months for F-5-13 with apostilled records |
The 2x GNI figure is the one most often misquoted. At KRW 1,355 per USD it is roughly USD 77,400, not the 1x figure that gets repeated.
Application flow
- Identify the subcategory you actually qualify under, because the evidence sets do not overlap.
- For F-5-1, confirm five consecutive years of residence, with no long absence that resets the clock.
- Gather household income evidence from tax records, not contracts or bank balances alone.
- Sit or complete KIIP level 5, which for most applicants means about a year of study.
- Submit the application with the criminal record check, tax compliance certificate and residence history.
- Wait. F-5-1 routinely takes 6 to 12 months.
- After grant, re-enter Korea at least once every two years to keep the status.
Good fit
F-5-1 suits someone who has already spent five years on F-2 or a work status, has household income above 2x GNI and is prepared to do the language work. F-5-16 suits an F-2-7 holder who has kept income and residence clean for three years. F-5-13 suits a retired couple with a company or state pension paying more than about USD 77,000 a year, who want permanence without a business or a job.
Poor fit
New arrivals, since F-5-1 is an endpoint rather than an entry route. Anyone whose income is near the threshold but undocumented. And retirees whose money comes from savings, rent or dividends rather than a pension, because F-5-13 counts pension payments only.
Watchpoints
- Long absences reset the five-year clock. F-5-1 requires continuous residence, and immigration counts days out of the country. Plan travel around it.
- KIIP level 5 is the real requirement. It is not a formality, and it is the item most applicants underestimate by a year. The language and income tests are waived for F-5-13, which is part of why that route is attractive.
- Income is assessed on the household and must show in tax records. Savings balances and offer letters are not income evidence.
- F-5-13 counts pension only. A certificate showing a future pension entitlement is rejected. You must show payments actually received in the prior year, and both the pension certificate and the criminal record need apostilles or consular legalisation.
- The F-5-13 threshold is 2x GNI, not 1x. Many advisers quote the lower figure, which is roughly half the real requirement.
- Three years on F-2-7 does not guarantee F-5-16. The conversion has its own score and income review at a higher bar.
- Permanent residence is not citizenship. No passport, no vote, and the status can be lost through serious criminal conduct or prolonged absence.
Sources
- Korea Immigration Service, F-5 status guidance, checked 2026-10-22
- F-5-13 criteria as set out in the Ministry of Justice manual and summarised in secondary sources, which were not the primary document
- Per-capita GNI of KRW 52,410,000 for 2025, used for the 2x calculation