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If you’ve ever dreamed of working from a café in Seoul, spending weekends in Busan or Jeju, and still keeping your remote job abroad, South Korea has finally created a visa just for you.
Since 1 January 2024, South Korea has offered a digital nomad / “Workation” visa, officially classified as F-1-D. This visa lets eligible remote workers live in Korea for up to two years (one year plus a possible one-year extension) while working for an employer or business outside the country.
In this guide, we’ll break down:
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what the Korean digital nomad visa actually is
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who qualifies (income, job type, insurance, criminal record, etc.)
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what you can and can’t do on this visa
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how to apply step-by-step
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basic tax and cost-of-living considerations
Note: Rules and exact numbers (like income thresholds) are updated regularly. Always double-check with your local Korean embassy or consulate before you apply.
1. What Is the South Korea Digital Nomad / Workation Visa (F-1-D)?
The digital nomad visa – often called the Workation Visa – is a temporary residence visa that allows foreign remote workers to:
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live in South Korea for up to 2 years (1 year + 1 year extension)
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continue working for a foreign employer or foreign-registered business
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bring certain family members (usually spouse and minor children) with them
At the same time, it does not allow you to:
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take a job with a Korean company
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earn income from Korean clients or Korean-registered entities
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run a business that is registered in Korea
The goal of the visa is simple:
let high-earning remote workers live, spend and travel in Korea without competing with local jobs.
2. Who Can Apply? Main Eligibility Requirements
The exact wording varies slightly between official sources and visa guides, but the key requirements are consistent. To qualify for the Korean digital nomad visa, you typically need to:
Age & Work Status
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Be at least 18 years old (some sources say 19 by local counting).
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Work for an employer outside South Korea or run a business registered outside Korea.
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Have at least 1 year of work experience in your current profession or in the same industry.
Some guides say freelancers are excluded; others state that self-employed professionals with foreign clients can qualify.
Because of this grey area, it’s important to check directly with your embassy if you’re a freelancer or business owner.
Income Requirement: Double Korea’s GNI
The headline requirement is income. To qualify, you must earn at least twice the previous year’s Korean gross national income (GNI) per capita.
In practice that means (depending on year):
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For early 2024, this worked out to around KRW 84–85 million per year (roughly USD 61,000–62,000) or more.
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For 2025, some embassies and tax/visa sites mention updated thresholds around KRW 88 million–100 million (about USD 66,000–70,000).
The key point:
you must prove a stable, relatively high remote income from outside Korea – usually with tax returns, pay slips and bank statements.
Insurance, Criminal Record & Other Requirements
Most official checklists include:
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Clean criminal record from your home country / country of residence
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Private health insurance covering at least
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around KRW 100 million (~USD 75,000) for hospital treatment + repatriation,
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or a similar figure like 70,000 EUR, depending on consulate wording
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Valid passport (usually with 6+ months validity)
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Evidence of remote work (employment contract, business registration, etc.)
Some embassies also request:
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proof of address in your home country
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a tentative Korean address (hotel reservation, Airbnb, or rental contract)
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family relationship documents if you bring spouse or children
3. What You Can and Can’t Do on This Visa
What You Can Do
With the F-1-D Workation Visa, you can:
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Stay in South Korea for up to 2 years (initial 12 months + possible 12-month extension).
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Apply for a foreign resident registration card, which lets you:
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sign a long-term apartment lease
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open a Korean bank account
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get a local phone plan
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access some public services, like free or low-cost Korean language classes in many cities
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Bring your spouse and minor children, under dependent status.
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Work remotely from almost anywhere in the country:
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co-working spaces and cafés in Seoul
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apartments in Busan
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quiet stays in Jeju or regional cities
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What You Cannot Do
You cannot:
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take a local job with a Korean company
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receive salary or freelance payments from Korean clients
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run a business that is legally registered in Korea
The government is very clear: your income must come from outside Korea to protect local labour markets.
If you want to teach English, work in a Korean startup, or open a physical shop, you’ll need a different visa category (E-2, E-7, D-8, startup/OASIS etc.).
4. How to Apply for the Korean Digital Nomad Visa (Step-by-Step)
Exact instructions can differ slightly by country, but the general process looks like this:
Step 1 – Check You Actually Qualify
Before you spend time on documents, confirm:
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Your income meets or exceeds the latest published threshold (double GNI).
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Your work setup is fully remote and non-Korean.
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You can get the required criminal record check and health insurance.
Check your local Korean embassy or consulate website for specific numbers and forms – some publish detailed digital nomad visa pages with updated income figures and document lists.
Step 2 – Gather Required Documents
Typical document set (this can vary):
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Completed visa application form
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Valid passport
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Proof of employment or business (work contract, employer letter, business registration, etc.)
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Proof of income:
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recent bank statements
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tax returns
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salary slips
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Criminal record certificate (often apostilled or consular-legalised)
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Private health insurance certificate showing required coverage
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Proof of current residence in your home country
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(Optional / if requested) proof of a place to stay in Korea (hotel, Airbnb, rental contract)
If your spouse or kids join you, expect to add:
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marriage certificate (apostilled/legalised)
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birth certificates for children
Step 3 – Submit at an Embassy or Change Status in Korea
You usually have two options:
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Apply at the Korean embassy/consulate in your home country or country of legal residence.
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If you are already in Korea on a short-term visa or visa-waiver stay (e.g. C-3, K-ETA), some sources note you may be able to change status to F-1-D inside Korea, instead of leaving and re-entering.
Processing times reported by visa guides are often around 10–15 days, but this depends on the consulate and your documents.
Step 4 – After Arrival: Registration & Practical Setup
Once you arrive in Korea with your F-1-D visa, you will usually need to:
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Register as a foreign resident at the local immigration office within a set timeframe (often 90 days).
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Receive your Alien Registration Card (ARC) – essential for:
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signing long-term rental contracts
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getting a SIM card on contract
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opening a bank account
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From there, you’re free to live your best digital nomad life for up to a year – and later apply for a 1-year extension if you still meet the criteria.
5. Taxes and Cost of Living: What to Expect
Tax Residency
This isn’t a tax guide, but a few key points appear consistently across expat resources:
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If you stay in Korea for 183 days or more in a tax year, you are generally treated as a tax resident.
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Tax residents can be taxed on worldwide income, with rates roughly between 6% and 35%, depending on income level.
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Non-residents are usually taxed only on Korea-sourced income (which you’re not supposed to have on this visa anyway).
Because rules and double-taxation treaties differ by country, it’s smart to talk to a tax advisor who understands both Korea and your home country’s system.
Cost of Living
Estimates vary, but multiple visa and expat guides suggest:
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Overall living costs in Korea are often lower than in many Western countries, especially for food and public transport, though this depends heavily on lifestyle and city.
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Rent in Seoul can be high, but still cheaper than central areas of cities like Zurich, London or New York for equivalent quality.
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Public transport, mobile data and high-speed internet are generally excellent value. South Korea consistently ranks among countries with the fastest average internet speeds in the world.
For many remote workers, this combination of cost, safety, quality of life and connectivity is exactly what makes the F-1-D visa so attractive.
6. Is the Korean Digital Nomad Visa Right for You?
The F-1-D Workation Visa is a great fit if:
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you earn well above the global average in a remote job
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your employer or business is fully outside Korea
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you want to stay longer than 90 days and live like a local
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you value fast internet, safety, and a mix of city life + nature
It’s probably not the best option if:
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your income is below the threshold
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you rely on local gigs (e.g. teaching English without an E-2 visa)
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you mainly want a short (1–2 month) trip and don’t need long-term residency
For high-earning remote professionals, though, this visa is a golden ticket: you can spend up to two years exploring Korea’s cities, mountains and islands while keeping your existing job and income stream.
Final Thoughts
South Korea has joined the growing list of countries with a dedicated digital nomad visa – but it’s playing in the “premium” segment: high income, clear rules, serious documentation.
If you can meet the requirements, the reward is huge:
Up to two years of life in one of the most dynamic, safe and connected countries in Asia – without giving up your remote career.