What is the regional specialized visa (F-2-R), and how do I get it?

The regional specialized visa (F-2-R) is a residence (F-2) status issued on the recommendation of the head of a metropolitan local government. You must live and work in, or start a business in, a population-decline area for at least 5 years. First you get a recommendation letter. Then you apply for a visa or a change of status.

You must meet these conditions

• Recommendation letter from the head of a metropolitan local government: Apply through each region's recruitment notice to get it.
• Education or income: You must have an associate degree or higher from a Korean school, or your annual income must be at or above the living wage of the metropolitan local government recommending you.
• Korean language: You must complete Social Integration Program Level 3 or higher (placement at Level 4 or higher in the pre-assessment is also accepted), or have TOPIK Level 3 or higher.
• Residence: You must commit to living in the recommended region for at least 5 years.
• Employment or starting a business (one of the two):
• For employment, you must work or have a confirmed job in a designated industry. The workplace must be inside the target local government area, and in the same basic local government (si/gun/gu) as your home.
• For starting a business, the business must be in a designated industry and the investment must be at least 200,000,000 KRW.
• Other requirements set by the Minister of Justice, such as good conduct

How to apply

1. Check the recruitment notice for recommended candidates from the metropolitan local government where you want to live. Links to the notices for Busan, Daegu, Incheon, Gangwon, Chungbuk, Chungnam, Jeonbuk, Jeonnam-Gwangju, Gyeongbuk and others are collected in a HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) notice.
2. Apply to the local government and get the recommendation letter.
3. Prepare your documents, including the recommendation letter, and apply for a visa or a change of status at the immigration office (출입국·외국인관서). Documents and fees depend on the type of application.
4. When you receive your alien registration card, sign and submit the regional specialized visa guidance form. You must collect the card in person. Pickup by another person or by mail is not allowed.

⚠️ Points to note

• For the first 2 years, you must live and work in the basic local government written on your recommendation letter. After 2 years, you can move to another population-decline area within the same metropolitan local government.
• If you are employed, you must be employed for at least 3/4 of the permitted period (9 months out of 1 year). You cannot change your industry for the first 2 years.
• To change your workplace, or to switch between employment and starting a business, you must attach a recommendation letter from the head of the metropolitan local government and go through a "change of permit conditions" review at immigration.
• If you break permit conditions such as residence, employment or business, or income, your status can be canceled and you can be ordered to leave Korea.

To extend, your annual income for the previous year, counted from the application date, must be at or above the living wage of the metropolitan local government. Each region may have extra requirements. Check the latest notice for your region, and confirm at HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) or 1345.