F2-1 visa, F-5 VISA, Korean Citizenship

I just got back from the Uijeongbu Immigration Office and finally I got my F-5 visa (permanent resident visa/green card). For foreign spouses in Korea there are three kinds of status that you might be able to acquire in order to work and live legally in Korea. There's the F2-1 visa (residency/spouse visa), F-5 visa (permanent resident visa/green card), and lastly there's the precious Korean citizenship. Check out the information below for further details......


1. F2-1 VISA

** Since I got married in Korea, the following requirements are for those who got married in Korea and possessed a tourist/student visa before the wedding.
***UPDATE: check this link for the latest requirements on F2-1 visa now called F6-1 Spouse Visa


REQUIREMENTS:

• Spouse's birth certificate (Joomin deungrok deungbon - 주민등록등본)
• Family tree certificate (Hojeok deungbon - 호적등본)
• Reference certificate (Shinwon bojeungseo - 신원보증서)
• Spouse's job certificate (Jaejik jeungmyoung seo 재직증명서)
• Documents establishing property relations or regular income…any of the following will do (bank certificate under the name of your Korean spouse worth 30 million won or more, copy of real estate registration, copy of house lease contract, certificate of employment of your Korean spouse, certificate of employment of the applicant)
• Marriage certificate (접수증)
• Your and spouse's ID card
• Your passport and Alien Registration Card
• Fees: 80,000 won worth of stamps (50,000 for change of visa from tourist or student to f2-1 visa, 30,000 for F2)

EMPLOYMENT:

A foreign spouse of a Korean national is free of any restrictions on the scope of employment activities and may work in Korea just like a Korean national can.

• REMINDERS:
  *There is a need to extend your F2-1 visa upon expiration.
  Requirements:
  Completed application form
  Alien registration card
  Passport
  Copy of spouse’s family registration (indicating fact of marriage or including foreign spouse’s name)
  Copy of spouse’s resident registration
  Letter of Guarantee (by Korean spouse)
  Fees: 20,000 won
  *You need to apply for a re-entry permit at your local immigration office if you plan to leave Korea for travel/emergency.
  *Since you are expected to stay in Korea continuously for 2 years in order to be able to apply for f-5 visa or Korean citizenship, there is a need to apply for re-entry permit so that the calculation of your period of stay will continue after returning to Korea.

*** RE-ENTRY PERMIT

• REQUIREMENTS:
• Accomplished application forms
• Passport and Alien Registration Card
• Fees: Single Entry(30,000 won, permitted to re-enter Korea once within one year) Multiple Entry (50,000 won, permitted to re-enter Korea more than twice within two years )

2. F-5 VISA

• REQUIREMENTS:
  *F2-1 visa holders who have been married and lived in Korea continuously for more than 2 years.
  **Those whose Korean spouses are deceased or pronounced missing by the court.
  **Those who are divorced or separated from their Korean spouses and can prove that the blame lies with the Korean spouse in causing the end of marriage.
  **Those who are raising underage born with their Korean spouses regardless of whom the separation lies
• Application form
• Passport and Alien Registration Card
• Copy of spouse’s family registration (indicating fact of marriage or including foreign spouse’s name)
• Copy of spouse’s resident registration
• Documents establishing property relations or regular income…any of the following will do (bank certificate under the name of your Korean spouse worth 30 million won or more, copy of real estate registration, copy of house lease contract, certificate of employment of your Korean spouse, certificate of employment of the applicant)
• Letter of Guarantee ( by Korean spouse)
• Fees: 50,000 won

APPLICATION PERIOD:
more or less granted within 3 months after application.


PERIOD OF STAY:
Calculation of your period of stay begins on the day of your alien registration. If you temporarily left Korea (for travel/emergency) during the 2 years, it will be deducted from your entire period of stay. (ex. 2 years – 6months out of Korea = 1 year and 6 months)


EMPLOYMENT:
A foreign spouse of a Korean national is free of any restrictions on the scope of employment activities and may work in Korea just like a Korean national can.

BENEFITS:
There is no need to extend period of sojourn/stay.
There is no need to apply for re-entry permit if you will return to Korea within a year after departure.If you plan to stay out of Korea for more than a year, you have to apply for a re-entry permit.
You can vote in the local government elections after 3 years of possessing f-5 visa.
There is no need to renounce your original nationality.
You will be able to maintain your f-5 visa status even if you and your Korean spouse divorce.

3. KOREAN CITIZENSHIP

• REQUIREMENTS:Applicants must have legally resided in Korea continuously for 2 years.
• Applicants must be married to their Korean spouses for more than 3 years and have stayed in Korea continuously for more than a year.
• Those whose Korean spouses are deceased or pronounced missing by the court.
  Those who are divorced or separated from their Korean spouses and can prove that the blame lies with the Korean spouse in causing the end of marriage.
  Those who are raising underage born with their Korean spouses regardless of whom the separation lies.
• Naturalization approval application with 1 color photo (4x5cm) attached
• Copy of first page of application
• Copy of Passport
• Written statement of naturalization
• Copy of spouse’s family registration (indicating fact of marriage or including foreign spouse’s name)
• Copy of spouse’s resident registration
• Documents establishing property relations or regular income…any of the following will do (bank certificate under the name of your Korean spouse worth 30 million won or more, copy of real estate registration, copy of house lease contract, certificate of employment of your Korean spouse, certificate of employment of the applicant)
• Letter of Guarantee (by Korean spouse) and 1 copy(photo attached to each)
• Other materials that can verify you and your Korean spouse have a true relationship (ex. Photos, friend’s written statement, letters exchanged by you and your Korean spouse)
• Fees: 100,000 won

APPLICATION PERIOD: It usually takes more than a year to 2 years to get your application approved. If you have a child by the time you applied, some people say your application will be processed faster.
PERIOD OF STAY: Calculation of your period of stay begins on the day of your alien registration. If you temporarily left Korea (for travel/emergency) during the 2 years, it will be deducted from your entire period of stay. (ex. 2 years – 6months out of Korea = 1 year and 6 months)
REMINDERS:Your Korean spouse must accompany you to your local immigration office.
Naturalization application process is only accepted at immigration offices that offer nationality services.
Documents will be examined, Police will undertake identification process, and an immigration official will conduct a sojourn trend investigation.
Foreign spouses are exempted from taking the written test. But, they need to undergo an interview.
If applicants fail on the first interview, they will be given 2 more chances to pass the interview.
**Change of Name:
You can retain your name but it should be written phonetically in Korean and you should use it when you register your name in the family register.
If you want to adopt a Korean name, you must obtain a copy of permission issued by the domestic relations court at your Korean spouse’s domicile or initial resident registration. You must submit the copy to your local town, myeon, or ward office within one month from issuance.