A foreign national who entered Korea on a C-3 short-term visa inquired about extending their stay for 3 to 6 months for cosmetic surgery purposes. They received a 60-day stay and have already stayed in Korea for 45 days.
Even if they can provide reasons for an extension, it can only be extended up to 90 days in total, meaning they can only extend their stay for an additional 45 days.
※ If a foreign national enters Korea on a short-term visa (C-1, C-3, C-4), they can only extend their stay up to a maximum of 90 days if unavoidable reasons are proven. Short-term visas (such as C-3) cannot be extended beyond 90 days unless there are exceptional reasons like natural disasters, pregnancy, childbirth, or the absence of a departing ship.
If the stay is extended beyond 90 days due to such exceptional reasons, it is not an extension of the short-term visa but a deferred departure with the visa considered expired.
During the consultation, it was confirmed that the husband had a job that allowed remote working and their income was sufficient, so we decided to proceed with an F-1-D (workation) visa.
※ The F-1-D visa (workation, digital nomad) can be applied for both visa issuance (through the Korean embassy in the home country) and status change (through the immigration office in Korea).
※ The spouse and minor children, who fall under the category of accompanying family members, can also apply for the F-1-D visa simultaneously with the primary applicant.
Let's look into the F-1-D visa (workation, digital nomad) which has been piloted since January 2024.
F1 Visa F-1-D (Workation, Digital Nomad) Eligibility and Requirements
▶(Issuance Target)
- Foreigners who are owners of overseas businesses or employees of overseas companies who can work remotely, and have been employed in the same industry for more than one year, and their families.
▶(Age)
- Over 18 years old (accompanying family children are exceptions).
▶(Income Requirement)
- Income must be at least twice the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of the previous year as announced by the Bank of Korea.
※ As of June 2024, approximately 85 million won or more.
▶ (Criminal Record) The following individuals are ineligible for visa issuance
- Those convicted abroad of specific violent crimes, threats, extortion, fraud, voice phishing, drugs, or sexual violence as defined in Article 2 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Specific Violent Crimes.
- Those who have been sentenced to imprisonment or higher for other crimes abroad, and less than 5 years have passed since the end of the sentence or the decision not to serve the sentence.
▶(Medical Insurance)
- Must be enrolled in personal medical insurance covering at least 100 million won for hospital treatment and repatriation during the stay in Korea.
F1 Visa F-1-D (Workation, Digital Nomad) Required Documents
※ Below is the list of required documents for changing status to F-1-D visa (application to the immigration office in Korea) when entering Korea with visas like B-1, B-2, or C-3.
① Original and copy of the passport, integrated application form, foreign registration card (if applicable), one standard-size photo
② Certificate of employment (proof of more than one year in the same industry)
③ Income proof documents such as payslips, bank balance certificates, account transaction details
- Proof that the income is at least twice the per capita Gross National Income (GNI) of the previous year as announced by the Bank of Korea.
④ Original and translated copy of the overseas criminal record certificate
- Issued within 6 months of the application date.
- Must be translated into English or Korean and notarized, with apostille or consular confirmation.
- If the applicant has lived in a third country continuously for more than one year within the last 5 years, a criminal record certificate from the third country must also be attached.
⑤ Proof of medical insurance
- Enrolled in personal medical insurance covering at least 100 million won for hospital treatment and repatriation during the stay in Korea.
⑥ Proof of family relationship (if accompanied by family)
⑦ Proof of residence
⑧ Proof of enrollment (for foreigners aged 6 to 18 years old)
⑨ Tuberculosis diagnosis certificate (if applicable, valid for 3 months)
- Issued by a public health center or a hospital designated by the Ministry of Justice.
