What Is the F-2-7 Visa?
The F-2-7 is Korea's points-based resident status for skilled foreign professionals. You are scored on age, education, Korean ability and income, and you need 80 points or more. F-2 status carries far broader work rights than an employer-tied visa such as E-7, and time on F-2-7 leads to permanent residency (F-5-16) after 3 years.
Who Can Apply
F-2-7 is not open to every visa holder. Points only count if you first fall into one of the groups the stay manual lists:
- Listed-company employees: people working, or with a signed contract to work, in a managerial or professional occupation at a company listed on KOSPI or KOSDAQ.
- Promising-industry employees: people working in designated fields such as IT, bio, nano and new materials, with income in the previous year of at least 1.5× per-capita GNI.
- Professionals: registered foreigners on a status from E-1 through E-7-1, or D-5 through D-9, who have stayed lawfully on those statuses for 3 years or more in a row. The 3-year rule is waived if your annual income on the tax office certificate is ₩40 million or more. E-6-2 and E-7-2 through E-7-4 holders are excluded.
- Graduates of Korean graduate schools: people who earned a master's degree or higher in Korea and, within 5 years of the degree, work or have a confirmed job in one of the professional categories above.
- Potential talent (F-2-7S): holders of a master's or doctorate from a designated science and engineering university or research institute, on the recommendation of its president, even below the pass mark.
The Points Table
The common items add up to a maximum of 130 points. Bonus items can add up to 40 more, and deductions apply for immigration violations and criminal penalties.
1. Age (max 25)
| Age | 18-24 | 25-29 | 30-34 | 35-39 | 40-44 | 45-50 | 51+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 23 | 25 | 23 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 3 |
2. Education (max 25)
| Degree | Science or engineering field, or two or more degrees | Other |
|---|---|---|
| Doctorate | 25 | 20 |
| Master's | 20 | 17 |
| Bachelor's | 17 | 15 |
| Associate degree | 15 (science or engineering) | 10 |
3. Korean Ability (max 20)
| Level | Points |
|---|---|
| TOPIK level 5 or higher, or KIIP stage 5 | 20 |
| TOPIK level 4, or KIIP stage 4 | 15 |
| TOPIK level 3, or KIIP stage 3 | 10 |
| TOPIK level 2, or KIIP stage 2 | 5 |
| TOPIK level 1, or KIIP stage 1 | 3 |
4. Annual Income (max 60)
| Annual income | Points |
|---|---|
| ₩100 million or more | 60 |
| ₩90 million to under ₩100 million | 58 |
| ₩80 million to under ₩90 million | 56 |
| ₩70 million to under ₩80 million | 53 |
| ₩60 million to under ₩70 million | 50 |
| ₩50 million to under ₩60 million | 45 |
| ₩40 million to under ₩50 million | 40 |
| ₩30 million to under ₩40 million | 30 |
| Minimum wage to under ₩30 million | 10 |
Income is taken from the most recent income certificate issued by the tax office. No income proof, no job, or pay below the minimum wage scores 0.
Bonus Points (max 40)
- Recommendation from a central government agency: 20
- Recognised talent from a Korean War ally nation: 20
- Completion of KIIP stage 5: 10
- Degree from a top-ranked university (QS top 500 or Times Higher Education top 200): doctorate 30, master's 20, bachelor's 15
- Degree from a Korean university: doctorate 10, master's 7, bachelor's 5 (only the highest counts)
- Volunteer work: 7 points for 3 years or more, 5 for 2 to under 3 years, 1 for 1 to under 2 years, each with a minimum number of sessions and hours
Deductions
Points are taken off for fines under the Immigration Act (10 to 30 points depending on the amount, or a departure or deportation order) and for criminal penalties (20 to 40 points). A criminal fine of ₩3 million or more, or any heavier sentence, finalised within the last 3 years bars the change of status altogether.
A Worked Example
A 32-year-old marketing manager on E-7-1 with an overseas bachelor's degree in business, TOPIK level 3 and an annual income of ₩55 million scores 23 (age) + 15 (education) + 10 (Korean) + 45 (income) = 93 points, which clears the 80-point pass mark before any bonus points. Because the income is ₩40 million or more, the 3-year stay rule for professionals is waived as well.
How Long You Get
At extension, the length of stay depends on your total score or your income points, whichever is more favourable to you:
| Total score | or income points | Period of stay |
|---|---|---|
| 130 or more | 50 or more | 5 years |
| 120 to 129 | 45 or more | 3 years |
| 110 to 119 | 40 or more | 2 years |
| 80 to 109 | 30 or less | 1 year |
If you are out of work or earning below the minimum wage when you apply to extend, the manual allows two 6-month extensions on a written pledge, and refuses a third if income is still short.
Fees and the Path to Permanent Residency
A change of status costs ₩100,000 and an extension ₩60,000. After 3 years of continuous stay on F-2-7 you can apply for F-5-16 permanent residency, which needs income of at least 2× the previous year's per-capita GNI or assets of at least 1.5× average household net assets.
See the F-2 resident visa page for the other F-2 routes.
Sources: Ministry of Justice stay manual (September 2026 edition), F-2-7 points table and extension rules, F-5-16 requirements; Immigration Act Enforcement Rules, Article 72 (fees) | Last checked against these sources: October 2026
This article is for informational purposes only. Immigration rules change. Consult a qualified immigration specialist about your own case.