What visa can the spouse and children of an E-1 professor use to live with them in Korea?

The spouse and minor children of an E-1 professor can live with them on an Accompanying (F-3) visa. This applies to minor children who are unmarried. Family members of people with a status from Culture and Arts (D-1) to Specific Activities (E-7) fall under F-3, and E-1 is included.

Prepare these documents (when applying for the visa)

• Basic documents (visa application form, passport, 1 photo, fee)
• Documents proving the family relationship: a marriage certificate for a spouse, a birth certificate or family relationship certificate for a child
• Letter of guarantee (신원보증서)

Official documents issued in your home country must come with a translator's certificate. If your country is a party to the Apostille Convention, you need an apostille. If not, you need consular confirmation from a Korean diplomatic mission. E-1 is exempt from documents proving the ability to support yourself and documents proving your place of residence.

💡 Good to know

• Family members of E-1, E-3, E-4, E-5 and GOLD CARD E-7 holders can use the electronic visa. You get the visa online without visiting a Korean diplomatic mission abroad.
• Your stay period on F-3 is set to match the stay period of the main visa holder.
• An F-3 spouse can work after getting permission for activities outside one's status of sojourn. This permission applies only to spouses of skilled workers and others, except those of E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, E-5 and E-6-2. So you must check with Immigration first whether the spouse of an E-1 professor is covered.
• Studying at regular schools such as elementary, middle, high schools and universities is allowed without separate permission.

Before you apply, check the final documents on HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) or at the Immigration Contact Center (외국인종합안내센터, 1345).