Changing Your Visa Status
A new job, graduation or a change in family circumstances may require a different status of stay. In-country changes are not automatic: first check whether immigration permits your specific transition, then secure approval before starting the new activity.
Official links 8
- When to apply
- Before starting new activities; exceptions apply
- Where
- HiKorea or your immigration office
- Standard fee
- ₩100,000
- Changing to F-5
- ₩200,000
- Core documents
- Application, passport, supporting evidence
- Online application
- Available only for eligible changes
People often call this a “visa change.” Officially, it is permission to change your status of stay (체류자격 변경허가). A visa used to enter Korea is not the same as the permission governing your activities once you are here.
Check which procedure you need
Changing your status of stay
Examples include a D-2 student seeking E-7 work status after graduation, or an eligible person applying for F-6 after marrying a Korean citizen. Immigration checks each case against the new status's requirements. An offer letter or marriage certificate alone does not mean the change is approved.
A visitor who wants to stay
Official guidance starts from the principle of obtaining the appropriate visa abroad and re-entering Korea. Immigration can permit a change inside Korea in qualifying cases, after review. The official legal guide lists C-3 to D-8 investment as one example requiring permission; it is not blanket eligibility for visitors to switch to work or study status. Check your exact transition with immigration before making plans to stay or leave.
Keeping your current status
Staying longer under the same status usually calls for an extension of stay, not a change of status. Changing employers or adding work may require a separate workplace report or activity permission. Confirm the correct service before submitting an application.
How to change your status
Check that your change is allowed in Korea
Write down your current status, target status and permitted-stay expiry date. Start with the official change-of-status guide. Then check HiKorea or call 1345 about your specific transition, especially when changing from short-term entry.
Apply while your existing permission to stay is valid, and obtain approval before beginning the new activity. The ordinary rule is not a fixed number of days after getting a job or graduating. There is a specific exception: for some diplomatic, official and treaty statuses (A-1, A-2 and A-3), Article 24 sets a 30-day deadline after the relevant change in status. Confirm the rule for your circumstances with 1345.
Prepare evidence for the new status
Bring or upload the following, as applicable:
- Valid passport and Residence Card, if issued
- Integrated Application Form (select change of status)
- Proof of your Korean address, if requested
- Evidence for the new status: for example, an employment contract and employer documents for work, or family-relationship evidence for marriage
- Other status-specific papers, including a tuberculosis certificate where immigration requires one
Your target status determines the full document list. Check it before your appointment rather than using a generic checklist as final proof of eligibility.
Choose online or in-person filing
Log in to HiKorea and check Petition Application → e-Application. Only specified changes can be filed online: the H-2 → F-4 route is one officially confirmed example. Otherwise, check Visit Reservation and the office responsible for your address. A booking does not make you eligible for an in-country change.
A visit reservation is not a submitted application. If available appointments are too late for your current period of stay, call 1345 promptly for guidance.
Submit the application and pay the correct fee
The standard change-of-status fee is ₩100,000. A change to permanent residence (F-5) is generally ₩200,000. Confirm the amount and payment method for your case.
There are exceptions. For example, the H-2 → F-4 change-of-status fee is waived through December 31, 2027 under the 2026 overseas Korean policy; the domestic residence document issuance fee is separate. The government notice explains the exemption.
Keep the submission confirmation and any receipt. Immigration may request more documents.
Wait for approval and check your new permission
Do not begin activities that require the new status until immigration grants permission. An application receipt is not an approval. Check the decision through HiKorea or your immigration office, then confirm the new status and permitted-stay end date. Follow instructions about updating your Residence Card if needed.
When a decision is delayed or your permitted stay is approaching its expiry date, contact immigration at 1345 before the deadline and ask how the pending application affects your legal stay. Also check re-entry requirements before leaving Korea. Neither the receipt nor an appointment guarantees an extension or re-entry.
Before you start the new activity
Not sure which status you should request? Begin with Which Korean Visa Do You Need?. After approval, follow the immigration office's instructions for updating an existing Residence Card. Getting Your Residence Card in Korea covers first-time registration, which is a different procedure.