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A comprehensive list of all South Korea visa types 2023

Normand The Nomad here, I have put together a list of all the South Korean visas available right now as of writing this article; This will better help your journey to becoming a digital nomad, maybe we will accidently run into each other. I have personally read the 260 page document from 2015 which states the requirements for each visa!

You can find the comprehensive material here as a PDF on the site. If you are a Nomad like myself then the sections most useful to you will be D and E class visas

Korea is a fantastic choice to live long term, especially if you are willing to change your spending habbits to match your income and digital nomad lifestyle.

If you are looking to move to Korea as a Nomad then these are the likely visas you should be targetting, along with a path to living in Korea as a resident then citizen.

D Visa: Education & Oasis Startup Business
E Visas: Working for a Korean company who will sponsor your visa

The Korean Government has put a lot of effort to try and encourage foreigners to start businesses in Korea with a little as $1000. The catch here is that you must go to Korea and undertake the Oasis free business course. I truly encourage this option if you are a headstrong person

You can get information directly here : Oasis Business Center

Normand The Nomad would be very happy if you checked out other articles, I have written on the Oasis visa process. At first glance it seems very difficult but in fact it is not. The difficult part will be self funding yourself throughout the business venture when you have 0 sales but 100 vision

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A visas

List of A visa types
Type	Category	Specific
Type	Category	Specific	A-1	Diplomat (외교)	N/A
A-2	Government official(공무)	N/A
A-3	Agreement (협정)	N/A

B visas

List of B visa types
Type	Category	Specific
Type	Category	Specific	B-1	Visa exemption (사증면제)	N/A
B-2	Tourist/transit (관광통과)	B-2-1: Tourist/transit (General) B-2-2: Tourist/transit (Visiting Jeju Island within 30 days

C visas

List of C visa types
Type	Category	Specific
Type	Category	Specific	C-1	Temporary news coverage (일시취재)	N/A
C-2	Short-term business (단기상용)	N/A
C-3	Short-term visit (단기방문)	C-3-1: General short-term C-3-2: Group tourist C-3-3: Medical tourist C-3-4: Business Visitor (General) C-3-5: Business visitor (Agreement with Korea) C-3-6: Business visitor (Sponsored by company or organization designated by the Minister of Justice) C-3-8: Overseas Korean C-3-9: Tourist C-3-10: Airside direct transit C-3-11: Sailor
C-4	Short-term employee (단기취업)	C-4-1 to C-4-4: Seasonal work short-term employment C-4-5: Short-term employment other than seasonal work

D visas

List of D visa types
Type	Category	Specific
Type	Category	Specific	D-1	Artist (문화예술)	N/A
D-2	Students (유학)	D-2-1: Associate degree D-2-2: Bachelor's degree D-2-3: Master's degree D-2-4: Doctoral degree D-2-5: Research study D-2-6: Exchange student D-2-7: Student invited by the government D-2-8: Short-term study abroad
D-3	Industrial trainee (산업연수)	D-3-11: Industrial trainee D-3-12: Industrial trainee (Technology) D-3-13: Industrial Trainee (Agriculture) D-3-14: Industrial trainee (Other)
D-4	General trainee (일반연수)	D-4-1: Korean language trainee D-4-2: General trainee (Other) D-4-3: Elementary/middle/high school student D-4-5: Korean chef trainee D-4-6: General trainee (Private institute) D-4-7: Foreign language trainee
D-5	Journalism (취재)	N/A
D-6	Religion (종교)	N/A
D-7	Supervisor (주재)	N/A
D-8	Corporate investor (기업투자)	D-8-1: Invest in a corporation D-8-2: Venture investment D-8-3: Invest in private company D-8-4: Invest in technology start-up
D-9	International trade (무역경영)	D-9-1: Trade
D-10	Job Seeking (구직)	D-10-1: Certain job seekers for E-1 to E-7 D-10-2: Business startup

E visas

List of E visa types
Type	Category	Specific
Type	Category	Specific	E-1	Professor (교수)	N/A
E-2	Foreign language instructor (회화지도)	E-2-1: Foreign language instructor (General) E-2-2: Teaching assistant E-2-91: Foreign language instructor (FTA)
E-3	Research (연구)	N/A
E-4	Technology transfer (기술지도)	N/A
E-5	Professional employment (전문직업)	N/A
E-6	Artistic performer (예술흥행)	E-6-1: Artist under the Public Performance Act E-6-2: Hotel and adult entertainment under the Tourism Promotion Acts E-6-3: Athlete
E-7	Designated activities (특정활동)	E-7-1: Professional E-7-2: Semiprofessional E-7-3: General skilled E-7-4: Trained FTA independent expert
E-8	Training employment (연수취업)	D-8-1: Establishing local business D-8-2: Venture capital D-8-3: Unincorporated business D-8-4: Technology-based business start-up
E-9	Non-professional employment (비전문취업)	E-9-1: Manufacturing E-9-2: Construction E-9-3: Agriculture E-9-4: Fishery E-9-5: Service
E-10	Crew employee (선원취업)	E-10-1: Sailor E-10-2: Fisherman E-10-3: Cruise ship crew

F visas

List of F visa types
Type	Category	Specific
Type	Category	Specific	F-1	Visiting or joining family (방문동거)	F-1-3: Cohabitee of diplomat/foreign government official F-1-9: Spouse/underage children of F-4 Overseas Korean F-1-13: Parents of international student
F-2	Resident (거주)	F-2-1: Spouse of Korean F-2-2: Single-entry visa valid up to 90 days to an underage child of Korean national holding foreign citizenship F-2-3: Single-entry visa valid up to one year issued to spouse of F-5 permanent resident visa holder F-2-4: Refugee F-2-7: Points-based system F-2-7S: Science and engineering universities and government funded research institutes F-2-99: 5 years on an E-2 visa w/conditions
F-3	Accompanying spouse or child (동반)	F-3-1: Dependent Family
F-4	Overseas Korean (재외동포)	F-4-11: Overseas Korean F-4-12: Descendent of Overseas Korean F-4-13: Former D or E visa holder F-4-14: University graduate F-4-15: Permanent resident of OECD country F-4-16: Corporate Executive F-4-17: Entrepreneur of $100,000 F-4-18: Multinational company F-4-19: Representative of overseas Koreans organization F-4-20: Government employee F-4-21: Teacher F-4-25: Person of Age 60 or older
F-5	Permanent resident (영주)	F-5-1: General Permanent Resident F-5-2: Spouse of Korean citizen F-5-3: Minor children of Korean citizen F-5-4: Spouse or minor child of permanent resident F-5-5: Investors F-5-6: Overseas Koreans who stayed more than 2 years F-5-7: Those who could acquire nationality F-5-8: Overseas Taiwanese born in Korea F-5-9: Ph.D. holder with certain major and employed F-5-10: BA in technology, MA in general field F-5-11: Special talent F-5-12: Special merit F-5-13: Pension beneficiaries F-5-14: 4 years on H-2 F-5-15: Ph.D. from Korea and employed F-5-16: 3 years on F-2-7 F-5-16S: STEM-based researchers F-5-17: 5 years real estate investors F-5-18: Spouse of child f F-5-16 holder F-5-19: Spouse or child of F-5-17 holder F-5-20: Those born in Korea with permanent resident parents F-5-21: 5 years investors F-5-22: Spouse of F-5-21 or F-5-23 holder or unmarried children F-5-23: Specific retired investors F-5-24: Specific technology startup investors F-5-25: Potential large-scale investor F-5-26: Essential R&D professionals F-5-27: Refugee who stayed more than 2 years
F-6	Marriage to Korean citizen (결혼이민)	F-6-1: Spouse of Korean national F-6-2: Child raising

G visas

List of G visa types
Type	Category	Specific
Type	Category	Specific	G-1	Miscellaneous (기타)	G-1-1: Medical treatment due to industrial accident and family members G-1-2: Medical treatment for diseases or accident (or are guardian of the individual) G-1-3: Involved in a lawsuit G-1-5: Refugee status G-1-6: Humanitarian status G-1-10: Treatment and recuperation G-1-11: Victim of prostitution, sexual assault/harassment, human trafficking, etc.

H visas

List of H visa types
Type	Category	Specific
Type	Category	Specific	H-1	Working holiday (관광취업)	N/A
H-2	Working visit (방문취업제)	H-2-1: Work and visit (Family) H-2-2: Work and visit (Parent/spouse of D-2 student) H-2-5: Work and visit (Visa lottery) H-2-7: Work and visit (Expired visa)