Dependent Family visa: How to apply for F-3-1 in South Korea?

F-3-1 dependent family visa, which is issued as a single entry, is for the spouses and children of people who have some South Korean visas. The conditions defined for this visa are similar to those set for the primary visa holder. In other words, if the E-2 visa holder extended his permit for another year, the F-3-1 visa of his dependent will be renewed for another year.

In this blog, we will review essential details regarding this visa, including the requirements, application process, renewal procedure, and validity.

What is an F-3-1 dependent family visa?

The visa helps foreigners living, working, and studying in South Korea to reunite their families. With this visa, spouses and children under the age of 18 can join their families in South Korea.

What are the requirements of an F-3-1 visa?

Spouse and minor child under the age of 18 who hold the following visas can apply for an F-3-1 visa:

• Korean Arts and Culture (D-1)
•  Student (D-2)
•  General Trainee (D-4)
•  Long-term News Coverage (D-5)
•  Religious Worker (D-6)
•  Intra-company Transferee (D-7)
•  Corporate/Foreign Investor (D-8)
•  International Trade (D-9)
•  Job Seeker (D-10)
•  Professor (E-1)
•  Foreign Language Instructor (E-2)
•  Researcher (E-3)
•  Technology Instructor / Technician (E-4)
•  Professional (E-5)
•  Artist/Athlete (E-6)
•  Foreign National of Special Ability (E-7)

Applicants for an F-3-1 dependent family visa must provide the following documents:

• Visa application form
• Photo of the applicant, which should be in color and white background
• A valid passport and a copy of it: the passport must be valid for at least six months and have a blank sheet.
• Application fee
• The inviter must provide the following documents:

• • Tax payment certificate
  • Certificate of employment
  • Bank statement proving the inviter can financially support his/her family

• Marriage certificate for spouse (in English)
• Birth certificate for a minor child (in English)
• Alien Registration Card of the primary visa holders
• Applicants from countries listed in the following table must provide a health certificate:

• Applicants from the listed countries are required to submit an invitation letter and a letter of guarantee from Korea. The notary public must notarize both letters in Korea.

What is the application process for an F-3-1 dependent family visa?

The South Korean family visa application process is as follows:

• Step 1: First, the application form (or e-Form) on the Korean visa portal must be completed.
• Step 2: When you have completed the form, sign it, and submit it to the South Korean Embassy along with the other documents mentioned.

The embassy may ask you for more documents, if necessary.

How long can a visa holder stay in South Korea?

The validity of your visa is determined based on the length of stay of the primary visa holder. Keep in mind that the terms of the F-3-1 dependent family visa are tied to the terms of the primary visa holder.

Can a dependent family visa be extended?

Yes. If the holder of the primary visa extends his/her stay, you are allowed to renew your visa. You will need the following documents when renewing your visa:

• Visa application form
• Passport
• Alien Registration Card
• Application Fee
• Proof of residency

Can F-3-1 visa holders change the status of their visa to another one?

Yes. If you can find a proper job opportunity, you can qualify for the following visas:

• E-1
• E-5
• E-6
• E-7

Let’s sum up …

In this article, we explained the details of a South Korea F-3-1 dependent family visa, including the application process, requirements, costs, and validity. On the Visa Library website, you can learn about other Soth Korean visas as well as ways to immigrate to other countries. In case you have some experience, please write it down in the comment section. Your comments let the readers choose better and avoid mistakes. Conveying your experiences in comments is a great help for applicants