Overseas Korean
- Holders · 2024-12
- 555,968
- Arrivals · 2026-06
- 41,113 +5.0% YoY
- Subtypes
- 25
- Top nationality
- Korean-Chinese (조선족) 390,862
The F-4 (Overseas Korean) visa covers: 재외동포. 555,968 foreign nationals held it as of the latest MOJ cross-tab (2024-12-31; all sojourners, including short-term), with Korean-Chinese (조선족) the largest group (390,862). 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. Overseas Koreans: persons who held ROK nationality by birth (including pre-1948 emigrants) and acquired a foreign nationality, and their direct descendants with foreign nationality. From 2026-02-12 the H-2/F-4 dual track is unified into F-4, so Chinese and CIS-region Koreans are also issued F-4. Men who renounced or lost ROK nationality on or after 2018-05-01 without completing or being exempted from military service are barred until 31 December of the year they turn 40.
Work rights. Employment is unrestricted except as listed in MOJ Notice 2026-65: no simple-labor occupations, no work contrary to good morals (gambling establishments, entertainment-bar hostess work, indecent businesses), and other listed restricted jobs; licensed professions require the Korean license. Exception: in designated population-declining areas under the regional-visa program, the simple-labor and 'other restricted' limits do not apply; former H-2 workers may keep a previously reported simple-labor job with an extra-status activity permit.
Duration. Stay granted up to 3 years per grant (tier depends on Korean-ability proof); F-4 holders file a domestic place-of-residence report (거소신고) instead of alien registration.
Extension. Repeatedly extendable with continued eligibility; restricted for those with law violations. Extension filings use the unified overseas-Korean application with residence proof.
Pathways. F-4 → F-5 for those with 2+ years on F-4 who meet income/asset and other requirements, for those meeting nationality-acquisition requirements, and for former H-2 workers with long service in manufacturing/agriculture/fishery.
ChecklistRequired documents
- Visa application form, passport and copy, 1 standard photo, fee
- Korean-language ability proof (per the MOJ annex standard; also determines the stay period granted)
- Overseas criminal-record certificate (per the MOJ annex standard)
- Documents proving overseas-Korean status: Korean family-relation certificates, removed family register, Chinese hukou book, resident ID, birth certificate, etc.
- In-country status change/extension: 재외동포 unified application form, passport, photo, residence proof, early-adaptation program certificate, fee
Fees: change of status ₩100,000. The full table with legal citations is on /fees.
→ Guide: F-4 eligibility
Serious criminal history (violent crimes, drugs, voice phishing, 3+ DUIs, or any sentence of imprisonment) triggers substantive screening regardless of entry-ban status. C-3-8 (5-year multiple, 90 days) remains for short visits without work.
Official taxonomySubtypes (25)
| Code | Name (한국어) | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| F-4-1 | 기여동포(F-4-1) | 국익기여재외동포 |
| F-4-2 | 일반동포(F-4-2) | 일반재외동포 |
| F-4-11 | 재외동포본인(F-4-11) | 비고시본인 |
| F-4-12 | 재외동포직계가족(F-4-12) | 비고시부모 |
| F-4-13 | DE계열 6개월이상체류자(F-4-13) | DE 체류자 |
| F-4-14 | 대학졸업자(F-4-14) | 대학졸업자 |
| F-4-15 | OECD영주자(F-4-15) | OECD 영주자 |
| F-4-16 | 법인대표등(F-4-16) | 법인대표등 |
| F-4-17 | 10만불기업가(F-4-17) | 10만불기업가 |
| F-4-18 | 다국적기업(F-4-18) | 다국적기업임원등 |
| F-4-19 | 동포단체대표(F-4-19) | 동포단체대표등 |
| F-4-20 | 공무원등(F-4-20) | 공무원등 |
| F-4-21 | 교원(F-4-21) | 교원 |
| F-4-22 | 개인사업가(F-4-22) | 개인사업가 |
| F-4-23 | 빈번출입자(F-4-23) | 빈번출입자 |
| F-4-24 | 제조등근속자(F-4-24) | 제조업등근속자 |
| F-4-25 | 60세이상자(F-4-25) | 60세이상자 |
| F-4-26 | 수교전입국자(F-4-26) | 수교전입국자 |
| F-4-27 | 국가기술자격(F-4-27) | 국가기술자격증소지자 |
| F-4-28 | 사통 4단계이상이수자(F-4-28) | 사통 4단계이상이수자 |
| F-4-29 | 국내고교졸업자(F-4-29) | 국내고등학교를졸업한동포 |
| F-4-30 | 초중고교재학자(F-4-30) | 국내초중고교재학자등 |
| F-4-31 | 국가전문자격(F-4-31) | 국가전문자격증소지자 |
| F-4-99 | 재외동포기타(F-4-99) | 재외동포기타 |
| F-4-R | 지역특화형재외동포(F-4-R) | 인구감소지역에거주하는외국국적동포 |
Who holds itF-4 holders by nationality
| Nationality | Registered holders | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Korean-Chinese (조선족) 한국계중국인 | 390,862 | 70.3% |
| United States 미국 | 51,177 | 9.2% |
| Koryo-saram (Russia) 한국계러시아인 | 33,555 | 6.0% |
| Uzbekistan 우즈베키스탄 | 28,895 | 5.2% |
| Canada 캐나다 | 17,757 | 3.2% |
| Kazakhstan 카자흐스탄 | 14,501 | 2.6% |
| Australia 오스트레일리아 | 5,548 | 1.0% |
| Kyrgyz Republic 키르기즈 | 2,816 | 0.5% |
| New Zealand 뉴질랜드 | 2,692 | 0.5% |
| Ukraine 우크라이나 | 2,287 | 0.4% |
TrendMonthly arrivals on the F-4
In 2026-06, 41,113 people entered Korea on an F-4 visa, up 5.0% from a year earlier.
| Month | Arrivals | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-07 | 40,052 | |
| 2025-08 | 48,299 | |
| 2025-09 | 42,805 | |
| 2025-10 | 53,900 | |
| 2025-11 | 38,790 | |
| 2025-12 | 36,309 | |
| 2026-01 | 38,505 | |
| 2026-02 | 48,590 | |
| 2026-03 | 50,608 | |
| 2026-04 | 45,871 | |
| 2026-05 | 44,495 | |
| 2026-06 | 41,113 |
Verified against source · 2026-08-17