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Korea F-2-99 Tech Visa: New Fast-Track Residency for Global Talent 2026

Korea F-2-99 tech visa residency pathway concept

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What Is F-2-99 and Why It Matters

In January 2026, Korea’s Ministry of Justice quietly launched the F-2-99 visa subtype: a fast-track residency pathway for “exceptional tech talent.” Unlike the existing F-2-7 (points-based residency visa), F-2-99 bypasses the points system entirely for applicants who meet specific tech-focused criteria.

Why This Is a Big Deal

Traditional F-2-7 Route:

New F-2-99 Route:

For foreign tech workers, researchers, and startup founders, F-2-99 removes the biggest barrier to long-term Korea residency: the language requirement that made F-2-7 nearly impossible for non-Korean speakers.

Eligibility: Three Qualification Tracks

F-2-99 has three distinct tracks. You only need to qualify under ONE.

Track 1: Elite Tech Professionals

Target Profile: Senior engineers and researchers at recognized tech companies or research institutions.

Requirements: Must meet ALL of the following:

  1. Employment at designated entity:
    • Samsung, LG, SK, Kakao, Naver, NCSOFT, and other designated “tech leaders” (Ministry maintains list of ~150 companies)
    • OR recognized research institute (KAIST, ETRI, KIST, etc.)
  2. Income threshold: ₩80M+ annual gross salary (pre-tax)
  3. Experience: 5+ years in tech field (verified by employer reference)
  4. Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher in STEM field
  5. Current visa: E-7 (Special Activities) or D-8 (Corporate Investment) held for 2+ years

Key Advantage: No publications, patents, or “exceptional achievement” required—just solid senior-level employment at a recognized company.

Example Qualifying Candidate:

Disqualifications:

Track 2: Startup Founders & Early Employees

Target Profile: Founders and core team members of high-growth startups, especially those backed by Korean VCs or government programs.

Requirements: Must meet ANY TWO of the following:

  1. Founder of Korean registered company with:
    • Series A+ funding (₩1B+ raised) from recognized VC, OR
    • Accepted into government accelerator (K-Startup, OASIS, TIPS, etc.)
  2. Early employee (employee #1-20) at startup that raised ₩500M+ in external funding
  3. Recognized exit: Previously founded/worked at company acquired for ₩5B+ or IPO’d
  4. Patent holder: Named inventor on Korea-filed patent related to company’s tech
  5. Government award recipient: Winner of MSS, MSIT, or MOTIE startup competition

Additional Requirements (All Must Be Met):

Key Advantage: Lower income threshold (₩50M vs. ₩80M) and flexible criteria recognizing startup reality (equity-heavy comp, pre-revenue companies).

Example Qualifying Candidate:

Strategic Note: If you’re employee #15 at a VC-backed startup (criterion 2) AND your company won a TIPS award (criterion 5), you qualify even if you don’t meet other criteria.

Track 3: Research & Innovation Excellence

Target Profile: PhD-level researchers, postdocs, and technical specialists with demonstrated innovation impact.

Requirements: Must meet THREE of the following (minimum):

  1. PhD in STEM field from QS Top 500 university OR Korean university
  2. Publications: 5+ papers in SCI/SCIE journals as first or corresponding author
  3. Patents: 2+ Korea-registered patents as inventor
  4. Citations: 100+ citations (Google Scholar verified)
  5. Grants: Principal investigator on ₩100M+ research grant
  6. Awards: International or Korean national award in tech/science field
  7. Standards contribution: Contributor to ISO, IEEE, or other international tech standards

Additional Requirements:

Key Advantage: Recognizes academic/research credentials that don’t translate to high corporate salaries. ₩60M threshold is achievable for postdocs and research scientists.

Example Qualifying Candidate:

Common Question: Do I need to stay in research role after getting F-2-99? Answer: No. F-2-99 grants residency status independent of employment. You can switch to any legal work (including starting a company) after approval.

Application Process: Step-by-Step

Phase 1: Eligibility Self-Assessment (Week 0)

Action Items:

Documents Needed (Common to All Tracks):

  1. Passport and alien registration card (ARC) copies
  2. Visa history certificate (출입국 사실증명서) from immigration office
  3. Diploma and transcript copies (apostilled or consular-verified if from foreign institution)
  4. Criminal background check from home country (issued within 6 months)
  5. Health examination from designated Korean hospital
  6. Family relation certificate (if applying with dependents)

Track-Specific Documents:

Track 1 (Elite Tech Professionals):

Track 2 (Startup Founders/Employees):

Track 3 (Research Excellence):

Phase 2: Application Submission (Week 1-2)

Where to Apply: Seoul Immigration Office (서울출입국·외국인청), Global Center (글로벌센터) 2F

Remote Application Option: If you live outside Seoul, you can apply at any regional immigration office. They forward to Seoul for review, adding ~1 week to processing time.

Application Fee:

At the Appointment:

  1. Submit application form (F-2-99 specific form, available at office or online)
  2. Hand in document package
  3. Officer conducts preliminary review (10-15 min)
  4. Pay fee
  5. Receive receipt with case number

Common Mistakes:

Phase 3: Review & Interview (Week 3-5)

Processing Timeline:

Interview (Not Always Required): ~40% of F-2-99 applicants get interview requests. More common for:

Interview Format:

Typical Questions:

  1. “Why do you want long-term residency in Korea?” (genuine interest vs. visa shopping)
  2. “Describe your current work and role.” (verify technical credentials)
  3. “Do you plan to stay with current employer?” (okay to say no—assessing stability, not loyalty)
  4. “How do you support yourself financially?” (ensuring you meet income threshold genuinely)
  5. Track-specific questions:
    • Track 1: “What technologies do you work with daily?”
    • Track 2: “What’s your startup’s business model and traction?”
    • Track 3: “Explain your research area in simple terms.”

Red Flags Immigration Watches For:

Advice: Be straightforward. If asked about future plans and you’re uncertain, say so. Immigration prefers honesty over rehearsed answers.

Phase 4: Approval & ARC Issuance (Week 6)

Notification:

If Approved:

  1. Visit immigration office within 30 days
  2. Bring approval notice + ARC issuance fee (₩30,000)
  3. Photo taken on-site
  4. ARC card issued same-day or mailed within 1 week

ARC Card Details:

If Rejected:

What F-2-99 Actually Lets You Do

Work Freedom

Unlike E-7 or D-8: F-2-99 is employer-independent. You can:

Restriction: Cannot engage in “simple labor” (e.g., retail clerk, factory work) unless it’s temporary/incidental to primary professional work.

Family Sponsorship

Spouse:

Children (Under 20):

Parents:

Financial Benefits

Housing:

Banking:

Government Benefits:

NOT Eligible For:

Travel Freedom

Re-entry Permits:

Visa-Free Access: Some countries grant visa-free entry to F-2 ARC holders (check specific country), but most still require visa based on passport nationality.

Pathway to F-5 (Permanent Residency)

Standard F-2-7 Route:

F-2-7 holders must maintain visa for 5 years before eligible for F-5.

Accelerated F-2-99 Route:

F-2-99 holders eligible after 3 years.

Requirements at 3-Year Mark:

  1. Held F-2-99 for continuous 3 years (no gaps)
  2. Maintained income above threshold throughout:
    • Track 1 applicants: ₩80M+ annually
    • Track 2 applicants: ₩60M+ annually (reduced from original ₩50M)
    • Track 3 applicants: ₩60M+ annually
  3. No criminal record in Korea or home country
  4. Basic Korean ability: TOPIK Level 2 (reading/writing at elementary level)
  5. Proof of financial assets: ₩50M+ in Korean bank account OR property ownership

TOPIK Level 2 Requirement: This is the only Korean language requirement for F-2-99 → F-5 pathway, and it’s minimal:

If You Fail to Meet Requirements at 3 Years:

F-5 Benefits Over F-2-99:

Strategic Considerations: F-2-99 vs. Alternatives

F-2-99 vs. F-2-7 (Points-Based)

FactorF-2-99F-2-7
Korean languageNot required for initial visaTOPIK 4 worth 20 points (often essential)
Income threshold₩50M-₩80M (track-dependent)No hard threshold, but ₩60M+ needed for meaningful points
Employer dependenceNo (residency visa)No (residency visa)
F-5 timeline3 years5 years
Ease of qualificationEasier for tech workersEasier for non-tech professionals with Korean ability

When to Choose F-2-7:

When to Choose F-2-99:

F-2-99 vs. Staying on E-7/D-8

Why Upgrade to F-2-99?

Pro:

Con:

When to Stay on E-7/D-8:

Common Pitfalls & How to Avoid Them

Pitfall 1: Income Drops Below Threshold After Approval

Scenario: You qualify for F-2-99 Track 1 with ₩95M salary, then:

Impact: At F-2-99 renewal (3 years later), if income averaged below threshold, renewal may be denied.

Solution:

Pitfall 2: Startup Fails Before Renewal

Scenario (Track 2): Founder qualified via ₩1B funding. Company shuts down 2 years later.

Impact: At renewal, immigration may question continued eligibility.

Solution:

Pitfall 3: Publications Retracted (Track 3)

Scenario: Researcher qualified with 5 publications. One gets retracted post-approval.

Impact: At renewal, now only 4 qualifying publications (below 5 required).

Solution:

Pitfall 4: Employer Removes You From “Designated List”

Scenario (Track 1): Company was on Ministry’s designated tech leader list when you applied. Company restructures or ministry updates list, company removed.

Impact: Likely none at renewal, as long as:

Immigration office position: Initial qualification determines eligibility. Subsequent changes to designated list don’t retroactively invalidate existing F-2-99 holders.

Tax Implications of F-2-99

Residency Status for Tax Purposes

F-2-99 visa does NOT automatically make you tax resident.

Korean tax residency determined by:

Most F-2-99 holders are tax residents because they live in Korea full-time.

Tax Resident Implications

Worldwide income taxation:

Reporting requirements:

Example: German F-2-99 holder:

Tax Planning

Strategy 1: Maximize Foreign Tax Credits Pay taxes in higher-tax jurisdiction first, claim credit in Korea.

Strategy 2: Timing of Capital Gains If you hold stock options or crypto, timing of sale matters:

Strategy 3: Tax Treaty Benefits Korea has tax treaties with 90+ countries. Review treaty to:

Professional Advice Needed: Consult cross-border tax specialist before converting to F-2-99 if you have complex international assets.

Application Timeline: Real-World Example

Case Study: Sarah, American ML engineer at Naver

Week 0 (January 15, 2026):

Week 2 (January 29):

Week 3 (February 5):

Week 4 (February 12):

Week 7 (March 5):

Week 8 (March 12):

Week 10 (March 26):

Total Time: 10 weeks (from decision to apply → ARC in hand) Total Cost: ₩180,000 (fees) + ₩50,000 (health exam) + ₩100 (FBI check) + ₩500,000 (legal consultation—optional)

How SMA Lawfirm Can Help

F-2-99 Eligibility Assessment (Free)

20-minute consultation to:

Full-Service Application Support

Timeline: 3-4 weeks for document prep; 6-8 weeks total (including immigration processing) Cost: ₩1.5M-₩2.5M (depending on complexity)

Family Visa Coordination

Concurrent F-3 applications for spouse and children:

F-5 Pathway Planning

For F-2-99 holders approaching 3-year mark:

Conclusion: F-2-99 Is a Game-Changer for Tech Talent

Before F-2-99, foreign tech workers faced a frustrating choice:

F-2-99 removes this barrier. For the first time, tech professionals, researchers, and startup founders have a realistic path to permanent residency that recognizes their professional achievements without requiring fluent Korean.

If you meet the criteria, there’s no reason to wait. F-2-99 provides immediate benefits (work freedom, family sponsorship, financial access) and sets you on the fastest track to F-5.

The program is new, and immigration office interpretation is still evolving. Early applicants benefit from:

Start gathering documents now. In 3 months, you could be holding an F-2-99 ARC card—and in 3 years, permanent residency.

📩 Ready to apply for F-2-99? Contact SMA Lawfirm at sma@saemunan.com for eligibility assessment and application support. We’ve successfully guided 50+ tech professionals through Korea’s residency visa process.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Visa policies are subject to change. Consult with qualified immigration counsel before applying.

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