Everyday expats come to Korea for long term residencies and anyone from a visa-exempt country who plans on coming to Korea for longer than 30-180 days needs to get a visa (visa exempt days vary by country). If you are one of those planning to stay in South Korea for a longer term then, you will most likely need one of the visas listed below. D-2 or D4: Student Visa For any students who are planning to attend school here in South Korea, you will need to get a D-2 visa. The D-4 visa is for individuals who come here purposely for language training with government approved programs. You will need to make sure to have a letter of acceptance from a recognized institution and whatever other documents to prove you have been selected and are qualified to study here. The downside of this visa is that you will not be able to work full time, you will not be qualified for all part time jobs, and you may need to report any part time jobs that you do qualify for. This includes anything you could be gaining monetary income from such as internships. E-2: Foreign Language Instructor This is probably the most common expat visa in Korea, this is strictly for individuals who come as English teachers or other foreign language teachers. This will require extensive paperwork and background checks while you are in your home country before you can make your way over to Korea. While in Korea, you cannot legally take on any other paid work outside of your teaching institution. E-7: Specially Designated Activity Perhaps you have professional experience or professional skillsets that make you qualified to work in certain fields of work such as medical, tech, business, etc. In this case, a company will need to hire you under an E-7 visa. This is for professions outside of teaching but this will also only allow you to be paid to work within your company. E-6 If you are looking to come as an entertainer, model, singer, etc. Then, you will need to find an agency willing to sponsor you under an E-6 visa. These visas require agencies to obtain a letter from the Ministry of Culture, which can usually take up to a month to get. You will also need to be able to prove your plan to retrieve income when applying as well as prove sustainable income while you are living in Korea. H-1 If you are from eligible countries and are within the qualified age range, you may be able to apply for a working holiday visa. This will allow you to stay for a year in Korea and work as long as it is not in entertainment, as a foreign language instructor, or jobs that would require you to have a license such as a medical practitioner. This visa is non-renewable so once your year is up, that’s it. Source Credit : Photo credit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcKc7bgOl8M
