Public Project Investment Immigration F-2 (Residence) and F-5 (Permanent Residence) Requirements — Procedure and Documents for 1,500,000,000 won General Investment and 3,000,000,000 won High-Value Investment Permanent Residence

Procedure

1. 1. Choose the investment path and investment target

   The notice divides the paths into general investment immigration (1,500,000,000 won or more, Residence (F-2) followed by permanent residence) and conditional permanent residence for high-value investment (3,000,000,000 won or more). Investment targets are the Korea Development Bank principal-guaranteed, interest-free type and the profit-and-loss type of developers that received implementation plan approval in a tourism-centered enterprise city and are registered with the competent immigration office after approval by the Minister of Justice; only the principal-guaranteed, interest-free type is accepted for high-value investment. It is also possible to meet the 1,500,000,000 won standard by combining the amount with an investment in a tourism and recreation facility investment immigration target.

2. 2. Remit the investment funds and organize source-of-funds documents

   For investment funds brought in from abroad, the remittance route and deposit records form the basis of the proof of investment. Link remittance records, deposit confirmations and materials showing how the funds were accumulated in date order so that the same materials can continue to be used for Residence (F-2) extensions and the change to permanent residence.

3. 3. Apply for Residence (F-2) or Permanent Residence (F-5)

   An investor staying in Korea applies for permission to change status of sojourn with the integrated application form, and a change to Residence (F-2) under item (cha) requires proof of investment (Enforcement Rule Annex 5-2). For high-value investment, the requirements are a deposit of 3,000,000,000 won or more, a pledge to hold the investment for 5 years and good conduct, such as having no grounds for disqualification; a spouse and unmarried children are also eligible if they meet certain requirements. The fees are 100,000 won for a change to Residence (F-2) and 200,000 won for a change to Permanent Residence (F-5) (Enforcement Rule Article 72, Subparagraph 5).

4. 4. Hold the investment for 5 years and extend your period of stay

   Residence (F-2) under general investment immigration requires proof of investment at each extension of the period of stay, so keep the deposit in place. If combined with a tourism and recreation facility investment, the two investment periods are added together to calculate 5 years, but in principle the public project investment period must be 2 years or longer. A foreigner who redeems early before obtaining permanent residence is, in principle, expected to settle household affairs and leave the country within 3 months.

5. 5. Change to Permanent Residence (F-5) after 5 years of holding

   If you have held the investment for 5 years or more after receiving Residence (F-2) under item (cha) and the need for continued residence is recognized, apply for a change to Permanent Residence (F-5) under Annex 1-3, Item 14. Submit proof of investment and a criminal record certificate from your country of nationality; this type is eligible for relaxation or exemption of the livelihood capacity and basic competence requirements, but the good conduct requirement is still examined (Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Article 12-2).

Required documents

• Integrated application form (report form) (Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Form No. 34, with the change of status of sojourn item marked)
• Passport and alien registration card
• Proof of investment (Korea Development Bank deposit confirmation or investment confirmation from the investment-attracting institution)
• Records of overseas remittance of investment funds and materials showing how the funds were accumulated
• Pledge to hold the investment for 5 years (for conditional permanent residence for high-value investment)
• Documents proving family relationship when accompanied by a spouse or unmarried children
• Criminal record certificate from the country of nationality (for the change to permanent residence after 5 years of holding, Annex 1-3, Item 14)
• Fees (change to Residence (F-2) 100,000 won, change to Permanent Residence (F-5) 200,000 won)
• Letter of authorization (when an administrative agent submits on your behalf)

Fees

Typically from several hundred thousand won to around 1,000,000 won across the industry · We will advise after consultation, based on the investment path (general, high-value, or combined with tourism and recreation facilities), the volume of remittance and source-of-funds materials, and the number of accompanying family members. Immigration fees (change to residence 100,000 won, change to permanent residence 200,000 won) are separate.

See fees and official charges for this service →

Legal basis and review date

• Immigration Act, Article 10-3
• Immigration Act, Article 24
• Immigration Act, Article 79-2
• Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Article 12-2
• Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Article 30
• Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Annex 1-2, Item 24(cha)
• Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Annex 1-3, Item 14
• Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Annex 1-3, Item 16
• Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Article 72
• Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Annex 5-2
• Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Form No. 34
• Standards on Investment Targets, Investment Amounts, etc. for the Public Project Investment Immigration System (Ministry of Justice Notice)

Checked against the statutes on 2026-10-15

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

• Before remitting or depositing investment funds, confirm that the investment target is the principal-guaranteed, interest-free type or a registered profit-and-loss type set by the notice; amounts placed in targets not set by the notice are not counted toward the standard amount.
• Early redemption before obtaining permanent residence, or withdrawal of a high-value investment deposit, leads to departure or revocation of permanent residence status, so plan your funds around the 5-year holding period.

Frequently asked questions