From January 1, 2024, foreigners can stay in the country for 2 years
South Korea has introduced a new visa for foreign citizens coming to the country on a working vacation. This new initiative has emerged as a result of the growing popularity of remote work and extended vacations.
This visa will allow foreign residents to stay in the country for up to two years, while maintaining their jobs at home, various media outlets report, citing officials.
Recognizing the growing trend of people working remotely from different locations, the South Korean Ministry of Justice launched a work visa on January 1, 2024. The initiative encourages people to stay in the country for a long period, in line with the global work trend.
Currently, foreign citizens wishing to work and travel in Korea need a tourist visa, the duration of which is limited to 90 days. The proposed work visa will allow people to stay in the country for up to one year from the date of entry, with the possibility of extension for another year.
Referring to this, the ministry further stated that in order to make remote work and recreation more comfortable for foreigners in Korea, they decided to launch a new digital visa for nomads.
As for “work”, it refers to a process that combines work and leisure, and represents a modern work trend in which people maintain their normal work schedule by going on long-term trips. Many countries in Europe, Central and South America and Southeast Asia have recently introduced work visas for digital nomads to adapt to the changing nature of work.
Applicants for a nomad digital visa must provide the necessary documentation to the South Korean Embassy in their countries, including proof of annual income exceeding 84.96 million won (86,700 Singapore dollars), which is twice the gross national income of South Korea per capita as of 2022.
Additional documents that will be required are proof of employment and a criminal record check. In addition, applicants must have private health insurance with coverage of at least 100 million won to ensure that they can return home in case of an emergency.
The age requirements for candidates are 18 years and older, with at least one year of work experience in the current field. After obtaining a visa, digital nomads can bring their spouses and children with them. It is noteworthy that the initial year of stay in South Korea can be extended for another year.
An attractive aspect of this initiative is that foreigners already in South Korea on short-term tourist visas such as B-1, B-2 or C-3 can apply for a new digital nomad visa. However, it is important to note that this visa does not give digital nomads the opportunity to look for work in South Korea.
