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South Korea Points-based Resident Visa

South Korea Points-based Resident Visa

The South Korea quasi–green card program grants long-term residence visas to applicants who meet the points-based requirements for age, education, income, and other criteria (a score of 80 points or above). It does not require employer sponsorship, allowing full freedom to work or start a business. Permanent residence can be obtained in as fast as three years (compared with the standard five-year pathway). Spouses and children may be included. This is a low-cost relocation pathway designed specifically for highly educated, high-income professionals.

Image by Robson Hatsukami Morgan

Time to residency

3-6 months

Residency requirement

-

Visa-free travel

189 countries and regions

Taxation

No taxation

Passport rank

3rd in the world

Established time

Program launched in 2013

Image by Cait Ellis

Application Requirements

  • Main Applicant: Must be 18 years old or above;

  • Must fall into one of the following four categories:

    ① Listed Company Employee:
    Employed by, or having signed an employment contract with, a company listed on KOSPI or KOSDAQ in South Korea.

    ② High-Income Technology Professional:
    Engaged in cutting-edge technology industries such as IT, biotechnology, nanotechnology, new energy, or semiconductors, with an annual salary of at least 1.5 times Korea’s average GNI (approximately KRW 63 million / RMB 330,000 or above).

    ③ Senior Professional:
    Holding an E-1 (Professor) to E-7 (Specialty Occupation) visa, or a D-5 to D-9 (Intra-company Transfer / Trade) visa, and having continuously resided and worked in Korea for at least 3 years.
    (If the annual salary exceeds KRW 40 million, the 3-year residence requirement may be waived.)

    ④ Highly Educated Korean Graduate:
    Holding a master’s degree or above from an accredited Korean university, having graduated within the past 5 years, and having secured a professional job in Korea (no minimum salary requirement).

  • Points Requirement:
    According to the official points system, the total score must reach 80 points or above, based on factors such as age, education, Korean language proficiency, annual income, and bonus items;

  • Health Requirement:
    Must pass a medical examination and have no high-risk infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis;

  • Employment Background Restrictions:
    No restricted industry employment prior to application (within the past 3 years, applicants must not have worked in entertainment venues such as KTVs or bars, gambling, or adult services industries; within the past 6 months, applicants must not have engaged in purely manual labor, such as food delivery, courier services, construction site carrying, or factory assembly line work that is non-professional in nature);

  • Criminal Record:
    Must have no serious criminal record worldwide.

    • In Korea: Within the past 3 years, fines must not exceed KRW 3 million (approximately RMB 16,000). Serious offenses such as DUI, assault, or three or more violations of immigration regulations will result in direct refusal;

    • Outside Korea: Applicants must not have been sentenced to imprisonment or fixed-term imprisonment (including suspended sentences). Any history of drug offenses, sexual crimes, telecom fraud, or threats/intimidation is not accepted.

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