Visiting / Cohabitation
- Holders · 2024-12
- 99,051
- Arrivals · 2026-06
- 3,533 -31.7% YoY
- Subtypes
- 28
- Top nationality
- Vietnam 33,129
The F-1 (Visiting / Cohabitation) visa covers: 방문동거미분류. 99,051 foreign nationals held it as of the latest MOJ cross-tab (2024-12-31; all sojourners, including short-term), with Vietnam the largest group (33,129). Application and extension fees are listed with legal citations on the official fee table.
From the MOJ manual · as of 2026-07-31Who qualifies & how
Eligibility. Visiting or living with family and similar non-work purposes: relative visits, dependency, household matters; household helpers of foreign diplomats and of foreign investors with over USD 500,000 invested; dependents of A-1~A-3 holders outside the household; parents (one per student, relatives within 2nd degree) of self-funded K-12 students who meet cost-of-stay requirements (about 2x the student's annual living-cost standard, plus for 21 designated countries income of at least prior-year GNI or median-level assets); SOFA members' family aged 21+; other persons with recognized non-work long-stay reasons (via status change).
Work rights. Employment is not permitted; the status covers non-work purposes (household helpers admitted under F-1 perform only that role). MOJ lists F-1 among statuses whose holders may apply for student part-time-style extra-status permissions only where specific rules allow.
Duration. Up to 2 years per grant (student-parent and helper visas issued for 1 year or less, single entry).
Extension. Extendable while the family/dependency basis and financial requirements continue; applicants fined KRW 2 million+ or removed within the last 5 years are refused issuance.
ChecklistRequired documents
- Student-parent route (F-1-13): visa application, passport, photo, fee; admission letter or enrollment certificate; family-relation proof; balance certificate deposited 3+ months at the required level; financial-capacity proof for 21 designated countries
- Diplomatic household helper (F-1-21): embassy note verbale, employment contract (third-country helpers via MOJ approval or Confirmation of Visa Issuance)
Fees: change of status ₩100,000. The full table with legal citations is on /fees.
F-1-12 exists for family of F-2-7 holders whose income falls below GNI; children born in Korea to F-2 holders receive F-1.
Official taxonomySubtypes (28)
| Code | Name (한국어) | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| F-1-1 | 방문동거(F-1-1) | 친척방문, 가족동거, 피부양, 가사정리등 |
| F-1-2 | 가사보조(F-1-2) | 주한외국공관원등의가사보조인 |
| F-1-3 | 외교동거(F-1-3) | 주한외국공관원등의비세대동거인 |
| F-1-5 | 결혼이민자본국가족(F-1-5) | 결혼이민자의본국부모및가족 |
| F-1-6 | 결혼가사정리(F-1-6) | 혼인단절된결혼이민자의가사정리등 |
| F-1-7 | 국적신청(F-1-7) | 국적신청자 |
| F-1-8 | 합법출생자녀(F-1-8) | 합법체류자의국내출생자녀 |
| F-1-9 | 동포배우자등(F-1-9) | F4의배우자및미성년자녀 |
| F-1-9R | 지역특화형동포가족(F-1-9R) | 지역특화형재외동포(F-4-R)의배우자및미성년자녀 |
| F-1-10 | 동포고령(F-1-10) | 중국및구소련동포고령자 |
| F-1-11 | 방문취업자녀(F-1-11) | H2의배우자및미성년자녀 |
| F-1-12 | 거주배우자등(F-1-12) | F-2의배우자및미성년자녀 |
| F-1-13 | 유학생부모(F-1-13) | 미성년유학생부모 |
| F-1-15 | 우수인재등의부모(F-1-15) | 일정요건을갖춘우수인재, 투자자및석박사과정유학생부모 |
| F-1-16 | 난민인정자의가족(F-1-16) | 난민인정자의배우자및미성년자녀 |
| F-1-21 | 외교가사보조(F-1-21) | 주한외국공관원의가사보조인 |
| F-1-22 | 고액가사보조(F-1-22) | 고액투자가의가사보조인 |
| F-1-23 | 첨단가사보조(F-1-23) | 첨단투자가의가사보조인 |
| F-1-24 | 전문가사보조(F-1-24) | 전문인력등의가사보조인 |
| F-1-25 | 4세대이후한시적구제동포(F1-25) | 4세대이후한시적구제동포 |
| F-1-28 | 귀화자의외국인가족(F-1-28) | 귀화자의가족 |
| F-1-52 | 미입양된중도입국미성년자(F-1-52) | 결혼이민자의전혼관계에서출생한미입양된미성년자녀 |
| F-1-71 | 국적신청가족(F-1-71) | 국적신청자(외국국적동포)의배우자,자녀 |
| F-1-72 | 영주신청가족(F-1-72) | 영주자격(F-5-7)을신청한자의배우자,자녀 |
| F-1-73 | 국적판정신청자등의배우자(F-1-73) | 국적판정을신청한사할린동포의배우자 |
| F-1-99 | 기타동거(F-1-99) | 기타동거 |
| F-1-D | 워케이션(F-1-D) | 해외원격근무자및동반가족 |
| F-1-R | 지역특화형지역우수인재동반가족(F-1-R) | 지역우수인재(F-2-R)의배우자및미성년자녀 |
Who holds itF-1 holders by nationality
| Nationality | Registered holders | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vietnam 베트남 | 33,129 | 33.4% |
| China 중국 | 26,264 | 26.5% |
| Korean-Chinese (조선족) 한국계중국인 | 7,463 | 7.5% |
| Uzbekistan 우즈베키스탄 | 6,734 | 6.8% |
| Kazakhstan 카자흐스탄 | 5,147 | 5.2% |
| Russia 러시아(연방) | 4,250 | 4.3% |
| Philippines 필리핀 | 3,083 | 3.1% |
| Cambodia 캄보디아 | 2,663 | 2.7% |
| Mongolia 몽골 | 1,435 | 1.4% |
| Thailand 타이 | 1,231 | 1.2% |
TrendMonthly arrivals on the F-1
In 2026-06, 3,533 people entered Korea on an F-1 visa, down 31.7% from a year earlier.
| Month | Arrivals | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-07 | 5,344 | |
| 2025-08 | 7,714 | |
| 2025-09 | 5,328 | |
| 2025-10 | 5,349 | |
| 2025-11 | 3,611 | |
| 2025-12 | 3,273 | |
| 2026-01 | 4,166 | |
| 2026-02 | 6,467 | |
| 2026-03 | 10,541 | |
| 2026-04 | 5,725 | |
| 2026-05 | 4,286 | |
| 2026-06 | 3,533 |
Verified against source · 2026-08-17