Hello, this is KOWORK, a foreign talent recruitment platform.
One of the drawbacks of the E-7-1 professional employment visa is its short permitted stay, which requires frequent extensions. For this reason, many people seek to obtain the F-2-7 visa for more stable, long-term residency. The F-2-7 visa is a points-based “Outstanding Talent” residency visa and is considered a higher-level visa category than the E-7, as it falls under the broader F-2 residency visa.
Because this visa is issued based on a points system and allows much greater freedom in employment activities, it is highly preferred among foreign job seekers — which also means we receive many inquiries about it. Today, we will walk you through how to change your visa status from E-7-1 to F-2-7.
✅ What qualifications are required to change your status from E-7-1 to F-2-7?
If you wish to change your visa status, you must have legally and continuously resided in Korea for at least three years on an E-7-1 visa as of the application date, and you must also meet the requirements for extending your E-7-1 visa.
If you ask, “Do I absolutely need to hold the E-7-1 visa for three full years to switch to the F-2-7?” — the answer is “Not necessarily.”
Cases where the three-year residency requirement is waived
If your annual income shown on the “Income Amount Certificate (소득금액증명)” is 40 million KRW or higher
(It must be proven specifically with the Income Amount Certificate.)
- If you are invited under a science and engineering talent recruitment program recognized by the Ministry of Justice and have received a recommendation from the head of a central government ministry.
- If you are employed by—or have a confirmed employment contract with—a company listed on the KOSPI or KOSDAQ markets.
Important Notes
※ You must meet the requirements above and achieve a minimum score of 80 points based on the F-2-7 evaluation criteria.
※ Regarding the Income Amount Certificate (소득금액증명): This document for the previous tax year can be issued only from May each year, and no other documents can be used as proof of income.
✅ What documents do I need to submit when applying for the F-2-7 visa?
※ The documents listed above are the basic requirements, and the immigration office may request additional documents during the visa review process.
This concludes our guide on how to change your visa status from E-7-1 to F-2-7.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the channels below!
E-mail: hyunsik@kowork.kr
TEL: 02-6951-4108
