F-2-7 Points-Based Residence Visa Requirements — The 80-Point Threshold and Preparing Income and Korean Language Points

Procedure

1. 1. Checking whether you are eligible

   To apply as a professional (E-1 (Professor) to E-7 (Specially Designated Activities), D-5 (Journalism) to D-9 (Trade Management), etc.), you must have stayed lawfully and continuously for 3 years or more under that status of stay. Employees of listed corporations, holders of a master's degree or higher obtained in Korea and others are eligible under separate categories. First check the detailed code on your residence card (residence card): professionals such as E-7-1 are eligible, but semi-professionals (E-7-2), general technicians (E-7-3) and skilled workers (E-7-4) are in principle excluded.

2. 2. Checking whether your current job is a professional occupation

   If you apply under the employee of a listed company type, your current work must fall under the managers, professionals and related workers occupations of the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations. For the professional worker type, the review looks instead at 3 or more consecutive years of lawful stay in the relevant status and the extension requirements. If the job title is professional but the actual duties are different, this is a ground for refusal, so prepare the certificate of employment and the description of duties to match the actual job.

3. 3. Calculating points in advance

   Age, education, Korean language ability (TOPIK level or Korea Immigration and Integration Program stage) and annual income are the basic scoring items. A degree obtained in Korea, completion of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program, volunteer service and the like give bonus points, while violations of law, tax arrears and the like result in deductions. Income is calculated from the taxable income on the Certificate of Income, not from the salary contract, so non-taxable allowances, meal allowances and severance pay are excluded. It is safer to apply with a margin than to barely exceed 80 points.

4. 4. Preparing supporting documents

   Each scoring item is recognized only with supporting evidence. Prepare a degree certificate with an apostille or consular confirmation for education, a score report or certificate of completion for Korean language, and a volunteer service record confirmation certificate backed by an official record for volunteer bonus points.

5. 5. Applying for permission to change status of stay

   Apply at the immigration office having jurisdiction over your place of stay after booking a visit, or apply through the Hi Korea e-application service. If a request for supplementary documents comes during the review, you must submit the materials within the deadline.

Required documents

• Integrated application form, passport, residence card (residence card), photograph
• Points calculation sheet and supporting evidence for each item
• Certificate of Income (most recent year), certificate of employment, copy of business registration certificate (employer)
• Degree certificate (apostille or consular confirmation), proof of Korean language ability (TOPIK score report or Korea Immigration and Integration Program certificate of completion)
• Evidence for bonus points (degree obtained in Korea, volunteer service record confirmation certificate, etc.)
• Proof of place of stay (lease contract, etc.), fee

Fees

The fee for permission to change status of stay is an official immigration charge and is paid separately. In the industry, service fees are in the range of several hundred thousand won and vary with the scope of points assessment and organizing evidence and whether accompanying family members also change status. We will advise you after a consultation based on your current status of stay and income documents.

See fees and official charges for this service →

Legal basis and review date

• Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, attached Table 1-2
• Public Notice on Standards for Age, Academic Background, Income, etc. of Persons Falling under Item (i) of 24. Residence (F-2) in attached Table 1-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Article 2
• Public Notice on Standards for Age, Academic Background, Income, etc. of Persons Falling under Item (i) of 24. Residence (F-2) in attached Table 1-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Article 3
• Public Notice on Standards for Age, Academic Background, Income, etc. of Persons Falling under Item (i) of 24. Residence (F-2) in attached Table 1-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Article 4
• Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Article 23
• Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Article 72

Checked against the statutes on 2026-10-05

Statutes and public notices change, so each case needs to be checked individually. Statute titles are given in English for reference. The Korean statutes are the authoritative text.

Check these first

• A record of a fine or heavier punishment, activities outside your status of stay and tax arrears can be grounds for point deductions or disqualification, so check before applying.
• Volunteer bonus points are recognized only when both the required number of times and the required hours are met and the service is kept on official record.

Frequently asked questions