Is my status kept if I leave Korea for a long time with an E-7-4 visa?

If you come back within 1 year from the day you leave, your E-7-4 status stays valid. If your remaining stay period is shorter than 1 year, you must come back before that stay period ends. If you are an E-7-4 holder with an alien registration, you can re-enter within this period without a re-entry permit.

If you need to stay abroad for more than 1 year, you must get a re-entry permit before you leave. A single re-entry permit is valid for up to 1 year. The fee is 30,000 KRW. A multiple re-entry permit is valid for up to 2 years. The fee is 50,000 KRW. You usually apply at the immigration office for your address area or on HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr). Even with a permit, you cannot return after your stay period expires.

⚠️ Points to note

• You can get E-7-4 only by changing status inside Korea. You cannot get a new visa from abroad. So once you lose it, it is very hard to get it again.
• E-7-4 is a status based on your labor contract with a company. If you are treated as resigned or your labor contract ends while you are away, you may have problems. Decide with your company in advance how to handle your leave of absence.
• This exemption may not apply to people such as those who are banned from entering Korea.

Before you leave, compare your stay expiry date with your return date. Check once more with HiKorea or 1345 to be sure.