Is there a visa to stay long-term in Korea while working remotely for a foreign company?
I work from home for a company back in my country and I'd like to stay in Korea for a while and keep working. A tourist visa doesn't let me stay long, so I'm looking into whether a digital nomad visa exists. I'd like the details on income requirements, how long I can stay, and whether I'd owe taxes in Korea.
1 Answer
Yes, Korea has a digital nomad (workation) visa, classified as F-1-D. It's for foreigners employed by — or doing remote work for — a company based outside Korea who want to stay here while keeping that job. The main requirements are proof of a minimum period of experience in the same field and an annual income above a set threshold (roughly twice Korea's per-capita GNI from the prior year), plus private health insurance covering you and any accompanying family. It's usually granted for one year, extendable by another for up to two years total; you can't work for a Korean company or earn Korean-source income on it. The exact income figure and document list change yearly, so confirm the current standard via HiKorea or the 1345 immigration call center.