The Ministry of Justice moved the F-1-D workation visa out of pilot status on June 30, 2026.
It's a permanent program now, and two things changed that actually matter.
1. Max stay went from 2 years to 3 years.
Previously, foreign workers were allowed to stay for up to two years one year upon entry,
with a one year extension. Under the new policy, they can now stay in Korea for up to three years.
2. The income requirement was halved for a specific group.
The standard bar is still 2× Korea's per-capita GNI. But if you're aged 18–34 and staying outside Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi,
you only need to meet 1× GNI. That's a big drop the old threshold was roughly 100 million KRW per year, and this cuts it to about half.
Worth noting the region rule covers most of the country. Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Jeju, Gangwon, and so on all qualify.
If you were priced out of this visa before and you're under 35, it's worth recalculating.
Who qualifies
- Your salary comes from a company outside Korea
- You've worked in the same line of work for at least 1 year, remotely
- You can prove it with payslips and bank records
- You have private health insurance covering treatment and repatriation (100 million KRW minimum coverage)
*Family members can come along on the same visa.
Who doesn't
The F-1-D does not permit employment by Korean companies. If you're hired locally, that's a different visa usually E-7,
though it depends on the job type. Don't try to use this one as a workaround.
*If you've lived in a third country for 1+ consecutive year in the last 5 years,
you'll likely need a criminal record check from there too.
Where to apply
Outside Korea: Korean embassy or consulate in your country.
Already in Korea on a short-term status (B-1, B-2, C-3): your local immigration office can process a change of status.
Requirements do get adjusted, so check with the consulate or immigration office handling your case before you start collecting documents.
1. Max stay went from 2 years to 3 years.
Previously, foreign workers were allowed to stay for up to two years one year upon entry,
with a one year extension. Under the new policy, they can now stay in Korea for up to three years.
2. The income requirement was halved for a specific group.
The standard bar is still 2× Korea's per-capita GNI. But if you're aged 18–34 and staying outside Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi,
you only need to meet 1× GNI. That's a big drop the old threshold was roughly 100 million KRW per year, and this cuts it to about half.
Worth noting the region rule covers most of the country. Busan, Daegu, Gwangju, Jeju, Gangwon, and so on all qualify.
If you were priced out of this visa before and you're under 35, it's worth recalculating.
Who qualifies
*Family members can come along on the same visa.
Who doesn't
The F-1-D does not permit employment by Korean companies. If you're hired locally, that's a different visa usually E-7,
though it depends on the job type. Don't try to use this one as a workaround.
*If you've lived in a third country for 1+ consecutive year in the last 5 years,
you'll likely need a criminal record check from there too.
Where to apply
Outside Korea: Korean embassy or consulate in your country.
Already in Korea on a short-term status (B-1, B-2, C-3): your local immigration office can process a change of status.
Requirements do get adjusted, so check with the consulate or immigration office handling your case before you start collecting documents.