Can my family stay in Korea with me while I work on a C-4 (short-term employment) visa?

No. C-4 (Short-Term Employment) is not a status that allows family to stay with you as Dependent (F-3). Dependent (F-3) is given to the spouse and minor children of people with statuses from Culture and Arts (D-1) to Special Activities (E-7), Resident (F-2), Overseas Korean (F-4), and others. C-4 is not in that range. Also, the maximum stay you can get at one time with C-4 is 90 days.

💡 Good to know

• Your family can make a short visit separately from you, using a short-term status such as Short-Term Visit (C-3) or visa-free entry. How long they can stay depends on how they enter and their nationality.
• If your family wants to live with you for a long time, you must change to, or newly enter with, a status that allows Dependent (F-3) (E-1 to E-7, F-2, F-4, etc.), not C-4. This depends on the type of work and the requirements, so your personal situation needs to be checked.
• Family members who entered for a short stay need separate permission if they want to work during their stay. Please be careful.

If you want to know whether you can change to a status other than C-4, check at HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) or the Immigration Contact Center (외국인종합안내센터, 1345).