In short, here's what you need to know:

🔍 Important Facts

• ‍When: starting from Jan 1, 2024
• ‍Who: foreigners who want to work remotely in South Korea + their family (spouse, children)
• ‍How long: maximum 2 years (1 year + 1 year extension possible)

👤Eligibility & Requirements

• Work for a company abroad or be a freelancer abroad.
• Earn more than 88 million won (~$64,000) in 2024. The visa requires you to earn double Korea's gross national income (GNI) per capita for the previous year.

• Be 18 or older and have worked for at least a year in the same industry.
• Apply in your country's Korean embassy. If you're currently in Korea, you can switch from the visa exemption (B-1), tourist visa (B-2) or short-term stay visa (C-3).

• Personal medical insurance covering at least 100 million won for hospital treatment and repatriation during their stay in Korea.
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Digital Nomad Visa FAQ

Sources: Ministry of Immigration and Foreign Affairs website, Hikorea website, Personal emails with the Ministry of Justice, Members or our community who obtained the visa, Korean Embassies, Yonhap News (updated 26.08.2024)

Can I work in Korea with a digital nomad/workation visa?

Travelers visiting under the visa cannot be hired in Korea or involved in any local profit-making activity during their stay. They can work for a company overseas.

Which documents are needed?

The following are standard papers required for the workation visa application, but there could be additional documents required in your country. We recommend you still ask your embassy for the list of documents required. 

• Visa Request Form
• Passport
• Passport Copy
• Passport Picture
• Proof of employment or work
• Pay slip
• Bank statements (to prove income)
• Other financial proof if existing (all taxable income you have in a year)
• Extract of criminal record (no previous convictions of crimes, neither in your home country nor in Korea are allowed)
• Proof of private Insurance that covers at least 100 million won for accidents/transports/medical help
• Address in Korea is REQUIRED for application

The validity period of proof documents such as employment certificates is 3 months from the date of issue, and visa-related information such as submission documents can be confirmed on the Immigration Service homepage and the Hi Korea homepage.

Do I need to be registered with a company abroad to apply?

Yes, either as a company employee or as a self-employed freelancer. You can apply for the Workation visa if you are currently operating a business, have one year of experience in the same industry, and have proven income. Foreigners who are not affiliated with an overseas business cannot apply for the visa.

Is the minimum income pre or post-tax?

The minimum is calculated from your gross income, in other words, before tax. If your embassy has been giving you a different answer, please contact us, we are trying to bring these issues to the government officials. 

Will I have to pay taxes in Korea?

According to Article 3 (Scope of Taxable Income) of the Income Tax Act, all income is taxable for residents. If you work for a company abroad from Korea, it would be considered Korean-sourced income for tax, because you earned it while staying in Korea.
In an official answer of the government, however, it was highlighted that the temporary resident foreigners are only taxed on the portion of their taxable income that is paid or remitted into the country if it is derived from abroad (this applies to resident foreigners who have had a domicile or residence in Korea for a total of five years or less in the 10 years preceding the end of the relevant tax period). In addition, countries with which Korea has a double taxation avoidance agreement are not subject to such tax if the treaty contains relevant content. You can check the contents of the treaty on the National Tax Service's Tax Legislation Information System. 

As the visa is in its pilot phase, we recommend to contact the National Tax Service Consultation Center (126 without area code) for more information.

We also recommend you check out the #taxes-in-korea channel in our Discord server, where many of our members have been discussing this topic in regards to their various employement and personal situations. 

What is the minimum income required to be eligible?

₩7.3 Million per month in 2024.

How is the monthly income calculated? 

From the documents your submit: pay stubs, bank statements, account transactions, etc. Right now, it will still be a case-by-case decision since there are no proper guidelines to follow. Embassies and officials still don't know how things will proceed as the visa was just launched. 

I see the visa being called a workation visa, a digital nomad visa... What's the official name?

The visa is officially called workation visa (F-1-D).

Do you get a resident card with the visa?

Yes! Perks of the Alien Registration Card (ARC) include: going through Korean immigration through a faster lane at the airport, getting a Korean bank account, a longer-term phone subscription, access to free Korean classes, being able to use Coupang, yogiyo and other practical local services, etc. You'll need to apply for it at your local immigration office in the 90 days following your arrival.

Is the visa valid from delivery or first entry in Korea?

The Workation visa is valid from first entry in Korea if you applied abroad. It is valid from delivery if you applied in Korea. From the activation date on, you can stay for up to 2 years (1 year initial + 1 year extension), and there is no mandatory period of stay in Korea.

How long does it take for the visa to be delivered?

The visa should take about 10-15 days after application to be fulfilled. The visa issuance period may vary depending on the applicant's documentation, embassy conditions, etc.

Which country is eligible?

There are no restrictions on visa applications based on nationality.

Can I apply for this visa if I am currently in Korea?

Yes, if you are on a visa exemption (B-1), tourist visa (B-2) or short-stay visa (C-3). We are working on providing a service that will help you apply for the visa.
‍(Update: When the visa was launched, we recommended not to apply in Korea. But it has gotten a lot easier to do it since. It is now possible to get the visa directly in Korea.)

Which documents are required for an Apostille?

An apostille (or consular confirmation) is required for criminal convictions. In theory, an apostille is not required for proof of family relationship, proof of employment, proof of income, medical insurance, etc. In practice, immigration officers are allowed to ask for additional apostilles if they want or need to. Additional documents such as translations and notarizations may be requested during the visa issuance or change of status examination process.

Can my spouse and I combine our salaries to apply? 

No. The minimum income has to be reached by one person. When the person is eligible, and only then, they can bring their spouse and children along.

Do my partner and I need to be married to be considered as family/spouse?

You can apply for a visa if you can prove a legal family relationship with the main resident (remote worker).

Can I bring my pet to Korea with me?

Please check with the quarantine authorities such as the Korea Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Quarantine Center to see if you can bring an animal into Korea.

Do I need a digital nomad visa to come to Korea?

Not at all! Coming to South Korea on a tourist visa is not difficult for most Digital Nomads. (You might need to register for the Korea Electronic Travel Authorization (K-ETA) before arriving, which is a very quick process and entirely online.) There are other types of visas, like the Working Holiday Visa, the OASIS startup visa, or the Student visa, which can apply to some Digital Nomads’s situations, but most others don't.

What would I need a Digital Nomad Visa for?

You could rent an apartment at a cheaper price for longer periods of time, get a bank account to conveniently order food at home, access free Korean classes… And, of course, stay in this amazing country for more than three months at a time!

Why is the government launching a digital nomad visa?

The Korean government wants to allow foreigners to work and travel in Korea to revitalize the local economy and promote the country's scenery and culture.

If you want to know more about living as a Digital Nomad in Korea, we wrote a comprehensive guide on the topic!