South Korea
South Korea Investor / F-2 Long-Term Residency
Also known as: Korea F-2-5 Investor Visa, Korea D-8 Business Investment Visa
- Min investment
- $450K
- Program tier
- Renewable Temp
- Program type
- Investor Visa
- Initial validity
- 2 yr
- Renewable
- Yes
- Path to PR
- 5 yr
- Path to citizenship
- 5 yr
- Schengen access
- Yes
Investment options
Business Investment
$500KD-8 → F-2-5 conversion — invest USD 500,000+ in a Korean business and reside in Korea on D-8 (Business Investment) for 3 consecutive years. Upon meeting conditions, eligible to upgrade to F-2-5 (long-term residence) for self and family.
Real Estate
$730KF-2 Real Estate Investor Immigrant Scheme — Purchase property worth KRW 1 billion+ (~USD 730K) in designated areas (Jeju, Pyeongchang, Yeosu, Incheon Free Economic Zone). 5-year holding; grants F-2 long-term residency.
Bank Deposit
$1.1MF-2 Investor by Public Investment — KRW 1.5 billion (~USD 1.1M) deposit with the Korean government, OR KRW 3 billion (~USD 2.2M) higher tier with shorter PR path.
Fund
$450KF-2 via Public Business Investment — Invest KRW 500 million+ (~USD 450K) in approved Ministry of Justice public investment products. 5-year holding period.
Physical presence
Path to citizenship
- Available: Yes
- Minimum years: 5
- Physical-presence years: 5
- Language test: Yes
Naturalization after 5 years on F-5 (PR), Korean language exam (TOPIK), Korean civics. Korea historically required RENUNCIATION of original citizenship, but since 2010 'oath of allegiance' allows dual citizenship for naturalized seniors (65+) and special-talent individuals. Standard naturalizers still must renounce.
Tax implications
- Becomes tax resident automatically: No
- Worldwide income taxed: Yes
- Territorial tax system: No
- Day-count for tax residency: 183 days
- Wealth tax: No
Tax resident if 183+ days OR domicile in Korea. Worldwide income taxed (6-45% progressive + local income tax). Korean residents under 5 years of cumulative residence in past 10 years are taxed only on Korean-source + remittance basis on foreign-source — significant transitional benefit. Capital gains varied. No wealth tax. Aggressive inheritance tax up to 50%.
Family inclusion
- Spouse: Yes
- Children under 18: Yes
- Dependent adult children: No
- Parents: No
Spouse and unmarried children under 25 included on F-2 family permits. Adult children may apply separately.
Additional fees
- Application fee: $200
- Government fees: $250
- Legal/agent (est.): $8K
Visa application fees modest. ARC (Alien Registration Card) fees minor. Korean health insurance mandatory. Legal/agent fees USD 5,000-15,000.
Eligibility requirements
- Age 18+
- Clean criminal record (Apostilled FBI/national police)
- Documented investment
- Health certificate (TB, HIV)
- Korean tax registration
- Korean address
Disqualifiers
- North Korean affiliation
- Insufficient physical presence on F-2
- Withdrawal of investment within holding period
- Criminal record
Recent changes
- 2022-2024
Real Estate Investor Immigration Scheme (Jeju and other free zones) thresholds adjusted; Jeju's threshold raised to KRW 1 billion.
- 2025-2026
F-2-5 (High Investment Investor) confirmed as 3-year D-8 path with USD 500K investment; corporate investor track stable.
Notes
Korea's investor immigration is less marketed than Asian competitors but offers a legitimate path to a strong passport (Korean passport ranks among top 5 globally). USD 500K + 3-year D-8 + 5-year F-2 → 10-12 year total to citizenship realistically. Renunciation requirement (with exceptions) is the major caveat for those wanting to retain home citizenship. Korean language requirement is the practical barrier — TOPIK Level 3+ effective for naturalization. Worldwide tax exposure with 5-year transitional remittance basis is favorable for first wave.
EasyPassport is a document-organization tool focused on citizenship by descent. This page is reference research, not legal or financial advice. Always verify with the official program authority.