Permanent Residence for Overseas Pension Beneficiaries

The Permanent Residence for Overseas Pension Beneficiaries (F-5-13) allows foreign nationals aged 60 or older who receive qualifying pension income from abroad to reside indefinitely in South Korea. It is one of the more accessible permanent residence routes, as it does not require prior residence in Korea, completion of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program (KIIP), or a social integration assessment. The program grants unrestricted stay duration and freedom to engage in economic activities, including employment and business ownership. Only pension income from a foreign government or institution qualifies — other forms of passive income such as rental income, investment dividends, or private annuities are not accepted.

• Age 60 or older
• Annual overseas pension income of at least 2x South Korea's per capita GNI (approximately KRW 99,910,000/year or ~USD 73,000/year for 2025-2026)
• Must hold a lawful visa status in South Korea at the time of application (any valid sojourn status)
• Only the applicant's own pension income counts — spouse or family member income cannot be combined
• No educational, professional, or Korean language qualifications required
• Clean criminal record

• Integrated application form
• Passport and copy
• Alien Registration Card (ARC) and copy, or passport photo if no ARC
• Proof of residence (property lease agreement or residence registration certificate)
• Foreign criminal record certificate with apostille or consular authentication
• Letter of reference / identity guarantee
• Pension certificate from the foreign pension authority
• Bank account statements showing pension deposits for the preceding 12 months
• General information form

F-5-13 grants permanent residence with no expiration on the underlying status. The permanent residence card is valid for 10 years and must be renewed before expiration. Holders who remain outside Korea continuously for more than 2 years without obtaining a re-entry permit will lose their permanent residence status. There is no minimum days-in-country requirement per year, but the 2-year continuous absence rule effectively requires periodic return.

Permanent residence holders may sponsor their spouse and unmarried minor children for F-2 (Residence) status. Family members on F-2 status have the right to engage in economic activities. After maintaining F-2 status for at least 2 years, family members may apply for F-5-4 (Family of Permanent Resident) permanent residence. Separate applications are required for each family member, including proof of the family relationship (marriage certificate, birth certificates) with apostille or consular authentication.

F-5 permanent residents are considered tax residents of South Korea. Residents who have lived in Korea for more than 5 years within the preceding 10-year period are subject to income tax on all worldwide income. Otherwise, only Korean-source income and foreign-source income remitted to Korea are taxable. Overseas pension income may be subject to Korean income tax depending on applicable bilateral tax treaties. South Korea has progressive income tax rates ranging from 6% to 45%. Permanent residents are automatically enrolled in the National Health Insurance system from the date of obtaining F-5 status, with premiums calculated at the same rate as Korean citizens.

Applicants must first hold a lawful visa status in Korea, which means entering on a valid visa (such as a short-term visit C-3 or other appropriate status) before applying for the status change. Applications are submitted in person at the regional immigration office with jurisdiction over the applicant's registered address. Reservations must be made through the HiKorea portal (hikorea.go.kr). The pension income verification covers the 12 months preceding the application date, and only pension income actually received is evaluated. Processing takes approximately 3 to 6 months. Upon approval, the applicant receives a permanent residence card valid for 10 years.

F-5 holders may apply for naturalisation (Korean citizenship) after meeting additional requirements including 5 years of continuous residence and Korean language proficiency. Any change of address must be reported to the immigration office within 14 days.