I’ve been on an F-6 for a few years and started seriously looking into permanent residency this spring. Ended up going down a rabbit hole because half the English-language info out there is outdated or just wrong. A few things worth knowing if you’re in the same boat:
TOPIK doesn’t count anymore. This one caught me off guard. Since 2019 the language requirement for F-5 is KIIP Level 5 completion, or 60+ on the 영주용 종합평가. A TOPIK score does nothing for you here (it still matters for the F-2-7 points system, which is where the confusion comes from).
KIIP isn’t free anymore. As of January 2025 there are tuition fees,100,000원 per stage for stages 1–4, 70,000원 for the stage 5 basic course. Stage 0 is free and there are exemptions/reductions, but plan for it.
The spouse track is dramatically easier than the general track and a lot of people don’t realise they qualify for it. F-5-1 (general, 5 years) needs 2× GNI, which is about 105 million won. F-5-2 (married to a Korean, 2 years) needs 1× GNI, about 52 million. If you’re married to a Korean citizen you’re on a much shorter, cheaper path than the standard advice assumes.
If you’re raising a Korean child, the income threshold drops to 80% (~42 million). Same reduction applies if you’re pregnant, supporting your spouse’s parents, or over 60. Also note income and assets can’t be combined, you have to clear one or the other on its own.
Order your home-country criminal record check early. It has to be under 6 months old when you apply, but the process (fingerprints → national check → apostille → translation) can take 4–8 weeks. Time it wrong and you either redo it or wait. For Canadians, Canada joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 2024 so it’s simpler than the old guides say, mail the RCMP original straight to Global Affairs.
Current GNI figure applies April 2026–March 2027, and it updates every spring, so double-check before you file. 1345 will tell you the current number if you call.
I ended up building a small app for myself while sorting through all this, happy to link it if anyone wants, but honestly the above is the stuff I wish someone had told me at the start.
submitted by /u/StatementMediocre345
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