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For most foreigners in Korea, the road looks like a straight line. Graduate. Switch to D-10. Find a job. Switch to E-7. Work for years. Finally, maybe, F-2. It’s like a video game with no save points.

But what if you could skip a few levels?

If you graduated with a Korean master’s or PhD, you might go from D-10 straight to F-2, without ever holding an E-7. This post covers who qualifies, the exact steps, and every document you’ll need.

First, a Quick Visa Cheat Sheet

D-10 is the job-seeking visa. Since October 2025, it can last up to 3 years in total, renewed one year at a time. That’s plenty of time to find the right job instead of grabbing the first one. . Read the detailed D-10 guide

E-7 is Korea’s best-known work visa, for professional and specialized jobs. Think of it as a rental: a lovely place to live, but your employer holds the keys. Read the E-7 guide in KOWORK.

F-2 is the long-term residency visa. This is the one you own. You’re not tied to a specific company or job, and you keep your visa when you change employers. After 3 or more years, with income and other requirements, it can lead to the F-5 (permanent residency). Read the F-2 guide here.

We’re talking about the F-2-7, the points-based version.

F-2-7 and The Points Game: 80 Out of 170

You need at least 80 points out of 170, and total bonus points are capped at 40. Points come from age, education, Korean level, and annual income, plus bonuses. Aiming for around 85 gives you a safety margin. Wants to calculate your points? Check this out.

Your free time counts here. Completing KIIP and long-term volunteering can add bonus points, so those “side quests” from our other posts really do pay off. Check what kind of side quests you can done that will benefit you the most.

Want to calculate your points? Calculate it in here

Ways to get F-2

Route 1: The Classic E-7 Path

You hold an E-1 to E-7-1 visa with at least three years of legal stay. Reach 80 points and you can apply right away. The hard part is finding a company willing to sponsor your E-7 to begin with. As there are strict rules and salary floors, companies usually back off when they need to sponsor for E visa.

E-7 salary floor, 2026 (pre-tax, annual)

These standards apply from February 1 to December 31, 2026. Other standards may apply to certain companies, so check the latest notice. And remember, E-7-2, E-7-3, and E-7-4 holders can’t apply for F-2-7 directly.

The short cut nobody tells: D-10 (or D-2) Straight to F-2-7

Here is the shortcut: there is a way you can apply to F2 straight away! You need a master’s degree or higher from a Korean university (a foreign bachelor’s plus a Korean master’s also counts), and you must apply within 5 years of getting the degree, with a job confirmed or already in progress in an E-7 occupation. To see the occupations in E-7, check here. Eventually, you also need 80+ points.

Do You Qualify? Quick Checklist

☐ I have a Korean master’s or PhD (or a foreign bachelor’s plus a Korean master’s).

☐ It’s been 5 years or less since I got the degree.

☐ I’ve stayed legally for 3+ years in a row on D-2 and D-10 combined.

☐ I have a confirmed job (or current employment) in an E-1 to E-7-1 or D-5 to D-9 occupation.

☐ My points total 80 or more.

If you ticked all five, keep reading. This could be you.

Step by Step

Step 1: Count your points honestly.

Use the calculator and add up age, education, Korean level, income, and bonuses. Remember the 40-point bonus cap. If you’re close to 80, boost your score before applying with a higher TOPIK level or KIIP completion.

Step 2: Land the right job.

This is where most people slip. Your job must fall into a professional or managerial occupation category, and the role must be one that realistically matches your degree. Most rejections come from the job not fitting the required occupation category, misjudged income, or misunderstanding the bonus cap, not from low points. Before you sign, ask the employer which occupation category the role falls under.

Step 3: Check your employer’s side.

Your company won’t sponsor you the way it would for an E-7, but it still has to prepare supporting documents (the list is below). Ask early whether HR is willing and able to do this. A “yes” in the interview and a “yes” in the paperwork phase can be two very different things.

Step 4: Gather your documents.

Start with the slow ones. Your home-country criminal record certificate can take a few weeks, so request it first. Everything is listed below.

Step 5: Watch your visa expiry date.

Apply while you still have comfortable time left on your D-10 or D-2. If your visa expires during review, you’ll have a mess to clean up. If you’re short on time, ask the immigration office how to handle it.

Step 6: Book and submit.

Reserve an appointment on HiKorea at your local immigration office, bring everything, and submit. The fee is around KRW 100,000, but it can change, so confirm before you go. KOWORK’s application form generator can help you fill in the unified application form:

Step 7: Answer quickly if immigration asks for more.

Supplementary requests are normal. Reply fast, and keep copies of everything you submit.

Step 8: Get your new ARC.

Once approved, you’ll receive your F-2-7 status. The stay period is granted for 1 or 3 years depending on your points and income, up to a maximum of 3 years. Then you can change jobs freely, and you can start working toward F-5.

Documents Checklist

Requirements can vary by case, so confirm with HiKorea or the 1345 Immigration Contact Center before you go.

Documents you prepare

• Unified application form (통합신청서), passport, ARC, and a passport photo
• Your self-completed F-2-7 points assessment sheet
• Proof of residence (lease contract or accommodation confirmation)
• Criminal record certificate from your home country and your birth certificate, authenticated according to your country’s rules and issued within 3 months
• Degree certificate or graduation certificate (a foreign degree needs an apostille or consular authentication if you’re claiming points for it)
• Employment contract
• Korean language proof: TOPIK score or KIIP completion certificate
• Proof of your legal stay history (D-2 plus D-10 duration)

Documents your employer prepares

• Business registration certificate (사업자등록증)
• Corporate registry (법인등기부등본)
• Latest financial statements
• National and local tax payment certificates, and payment details
• Social insurance enrollment list (4대보험 가입자 명부) and employment insurance list (고용보험 가입자 명부)
• Statement of reason for employment (고용사유서), explaining why this role needs you and why it’s professional

A tip that saves headaches: Make one shared folder with your HR contact and tick items off together. Nothing is sadder than a missing signature on the day of your appointment.

Don’t Have a Korean Master’s? You Still Have Options

No Korean Degree? You Still Have a Way In

Say you didn’t graduate from a Korean university. Maybe you came for a language program, switched to D-10, and haven’t been in Korea very long. You might assume F-2 is a world away.

Plot twist: it isn’t. There’s a special route built for people working at big, publicly listed companies. If your employer’s name appears on the stock exchange, you may be able to skip the long wait entirely.

Why This Route Is Different

On most F-2-7 routes, immigration wants to see years of residence or a Korean degree. On this one, the stay requirement is often waived, though your job category and contract are still reviewed separately. In other words, the company you work for does a lot of the heavy lifting.

The catch? It has to be the right kind of company.

The Four Conditions

1. Your employer is KOSPI- or KOSDAQ-listed.

Think of the exchange list as a VIP list: if the name isn’t on it, you’re not getting in. The company must be listed directly. Subsidiaries, unlisted affiliates, and KONEX-listed companies don’t count, unless the specific entity on your contract is itself listed.

✅ How to check: Search the company on the Korea Exchange’s disclosure site, KIND. Make sure the legal name on your employment contract matches the listed company’s name exactly.

2. Your role is managerial or professional.

Your position must fall under the manager or professional categories of the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations (KSCO), major groups 1 and 2. What counts is the actual work you’ll do, not your job title. “Associate” and “Manager” can mean very different things on paper.

✅ How to check: Ask HR which KSCO category the role falls under, and make sure the job description matches your real duties.

3. You reach 80 or more points.

The minimum is 80 out of 170 points. Without a Korean degree, you’ll lean more on age, Korean language, and especially salary. Yes, 80 points is a strict minimum across all routes!

4. You can prove your income.

Immigration normally asks for an official NTS income certificate (소득금액증명서) and your employment contract showing the salary you’ll earn. If you can’t provide an income certificate, the salary on your employment contract can sometimes be accepted instead. If you haven’t earned income in Korea, ask your immigration office exactly what they want to see

Documents Checklist

Paperwork isn’t the fun part, but it’s the part that gets applications approved. Here’s everything you’ll need, split into three piles so you can tick things off. Requirements can vary by case, so check with HiKorea or the 1345 Immigration Contact Center before your appointment. Bring originals and copies.

Pile 1: Essential Personal & Application Documents

• Unified application form (통합신청서): The main form for any status change. You can download it from HiKorea.
• Passport and ARC (Alien Registration Card): Bring originals, plus copies to be safe.
• Passport photo: One standard-sized photo with a plain background.
• Processing fee: Varies depending on your application; verify the current fee on HiKorea beforehand.
• Self-completed F-2-7 points assessment sheet: The self-evaluation form detailing your point breakdown, signed by you. Ensure figures match your supporting documents.
• Proof of legal stay history: Coverage of your D-2 and D-10 duration.

Pile 2: Employer & Company Documents

(Request these from your HR department early)

• Business registration certificate (사업자등록증): Proves the company is officially registered.
• Corporate registry (법인등기부등본): Required corporate record document.
• Proof of KOSPI/KOSDAQ listing (상장법인 증명서): Applicable if your employer is a listed company (a corporate register can also fulfill this).
• Latest financial statements: Recent company financial records.
• Tax payment certificates: Both national and local tax payment certificates, along with payment details.
• Insurance enrollment lists:
  • Social insurance enrollment list (4대보험 가입자 명부)
  • Employment insurance list (고용보험 가입자 명부)
• Statement of reason for employment (고용사유서): A letter signed by your employer detailing why the role is professional and why your specific hiring is necessary. Ensure job descriptions align with your employment contract.

Pile 3: Qualifications, Background & Residence Documents

• Employment contract: Official signed contract detailing your position and salary.
• Degree / Graduation certificate: Foreign degrees require an Apostille or consular authentication if you are claiming points for them.
• Korean language proficiency proof: Valid TOPIK score certificate (valid within 2 years) or KIIP completion certificate.
• Criminal record certificate: Official background check from your home country with an Apostille or consular authentication, issued within 3 months of application.
• Birth certificate: Authenticated according to your home country's regulations and issued within 3 months.
• Proof of residence: Typically a housing lease contract in your name, or an accommodation confirmation if staying in temporary/third-party housing.

Before You Go: The Last-Minute Check

☐ Every document is the right version, signed where needed, and not expired

☐ Your name and details match exactly across all documents

☐ Foreign documents are apostilled or authenticated, and criminal record is under 3 months old

☐ You’ve got copies, plus originals

☐ Your HiKorea appointment is booked

The Bottom Line

The path to F-2 doesn’t have to be a straight line. If you have a Korean master’s or PhD, you may skip E-7 altogether. Count your points, make sure your job fits the category, start the slow documents early, and keep your visa dates in view.

And remember: rules and point tables change, so confirm everything with HiKorea or your immigration office before you apply. Good luck!
 

💼 KOWORK is more than just a job platform, it’s your guide to living in Korea.

Visit our website to read our latest blogs, ask questions in the community tab, and get first-hand advice from experienced expats!

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