Guide
The F-2-7 Points-Based Residence Visa in Korea
This is the visa that sets you free: work for anyone, start a business, and build toward permanent residence. Here is how the points work and how to get there.
The E-7 work visa gets you a job, but it ties you to one employer. The F-2-7 points-based residence visa is the upgrade that removes that leash. It is scored on who you are (age, education, Korean ability) and what you earn, and once you cross the threshold you can work for almost anyone, change jobs freely, and even start a business. It is also the main on-ramp to F-5 permanent residence.
- It is points-based. You need to reach a minimum score (commonly 80 points) across age, education, Korean ability, income, and bonus factors.
- It frees you from sponsorship. Unlike a work visa, you are not tied to one employer; you can change jobs and run a business.
- Youth, education, and Korean all score well. Applicants around their early thirties, with a degree and strong Korean, score highly.
- A Korean degree and high TOPIK pay off again here, just as they did at admission and on the D-10.
- It leads to F-5. Hold F-2 status for the required period and meet the income bar, and you can apply for permanent residence.
How the points work
The F-2-7 assesses you against a points table. The exact items and weights are set by immigration and updated over time, but the major categories are consistent:
| Category | Examples of what counts |
|---|---|
| Age | Applicants in their early thirties tend to score the maximum |
| Education | A bachelor's, master's, or doctorate, with a Korean degree scoring well |
| Korean ability | TOPIK level or completion of the KIIP social integration program |
| Income | Annual income, often measured against national income benchmarks |
| Bonus factors | A Korean degree, completing KIIP, volunteering, and other extras |
You generally need to reach at least 80 points to qualify. Your score also affects how long the visa lasts: higher scores and higher income can earn a longer period of stay (up to several years) rather than a one-year grant.
Why it is worth the effort
The freedom is the point. On a work visa you depend on your employer's sponsorship, and changing jobs means re-clearing the rules. On the F-2-7:
- You can work for almost any employer without re-sponsoring.
- You can change jobs freely.
- You can start your own business.
- You gain a more stable, longer-term residence status, with fewer strings.
For anyone planning to make Korea home, this is the visa that turns a job into a life.
The path to F-5 permanent residence
The F-2-7 is also the standard route to F-5, permanent residence. In general terms, you hold F-2 status for the required period (commonly around three years) and meet an income requirement, after which you can apply for F-5. The income bar for permanent residence is higher than for the F-2-7 itself, though a relevant Korean degree can ease some requirements. F-5 lets you stay indefinitely without sponsorship.
What to do next
- On a work visa now? Read the E-7 work visa guide to see how the two connect.
- Build your score: a higher TOPIK level helps here as much as it did at admission.
- See how the whole ladder fits together in the working in Korea after graduation overview.