2024-11-13BY Immikorea

There are many criteria for the F6 marriage visa, but there are three main ones: income, communication, and authenticity.
Income requirements
The income requirement is based on the income of the Korean spouse. If your foreign spouse is working in Korea on a legitimate visa, you can combine their income.
For a two-person household, it’s usually in the low $20,000s, but there are some people who struggle. If you’re self-employed or freelance and don’t report your income, you may be underreporting your actual income. In this case, you can use the property income imputation, health insurance premium imputation, or combine your income with that of your immediate family.
<Based on income requirements by household size in 2024>
division | 2-person household | 3-person household | Household of 4 | 5 households | Household of 6 | 7 households |
Income thresholds | 22,095,654 | 28,287,942 | 34,379,478 | 40,174,410 | 45,710,214 | 51,089,964 |
- Household is the immediate family members (grandparents, parents, children, and grandchildren of the sponsor) who live in the same household on the social security card.
- Income is the sum of labor income + business income + real estate rental income + interest income + dividend income + pension income for the year prior to the date of application (freelancers and agricultural and forestry workers are considered business earners)
- Converting income from property
- Only assets of $1 million or more that have been held in deposits, insurance, securities, bonds, or real estate for at least 6 months
- Only 5% of your net worth minus your debts
- Utilize family income and assets: You can utilize the income and assets of your immediate family members who live in the same household as you.
- Income verification exemptions
- You have a child born to the couple
- The sponsor has lived together in a foreign country for more than one year after marriage (other than a common-law marriage) and cannot have had domestic income in the past year.
Communication requirements for couples
To prevent adverse consequences of arranged marriages, immigrants must provide evidence of the following minimum communication requirements
- Proof of Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) level 1 or higher
- Certificate of completion of a beginner Korean course at a designated institution
- Documentation of a Korean-related degree from college or graduate school
- Immigration records of the marriage immigrant’s stay in Korea for more than one year in the past
- Communicating in three languages other than Korean (stated in the invitation letter and submitted as proof)
- The sponsor has lived in the marriage immigrant’s native country for at least one year.
- The couple has lived in a country where a third language is spoken for at least one year continuously in the past
- If the language of your pre-naturalization nationality is the same as the native language of the marriage immigrant
- Exemption from proof of communication
- You have a child born to the couple
Marriage authenticity
You’ll need to provide proof that your marriage is not a sham. Most people don’t have a problem with this, but if you have a special situation, it’s something to think about.
- Relationship history and relationship photos
- Social media history
- If you have a history of sponsoring a foreign spouse within the last five years, you will be restricted from obtaining a visa.
Basic documents to be submitted
Common | Visa Application | |
1 photo | ||
passport | ||
Identity guarantee | ||
invitation letter for foreign spouse | ||
Affidavit of Marital Background for Foreign Spouse | ||
A copy of your Korean spouse’s passport | ||
Proof of Family Relationship (Details) | Civic Center | |
Basic Certificate (Details) | Citizen Center | |
Marriage License (Details) | Civic Center | |
Social Security Number | 市民中心 |
Proof of income
Common Required | Sources of Income | Home /Tax Office |
Credit Report | Visit credit4u.or.kr or the National Association of Banks in person | |
Earned Income | Earned Income Source Collection | Home / Tax Office |
Proof of Employment | 公司 | |
Business License | 公司 | |
Business Income Earners | Business License | Home / Tax Office |
Other income earners | Renters: Land registry, lease agreement Interest Earner: Bank Statement | 政府24 Banking |
When Recycling Property | Deposits, insurance, securities, bonds: 6 months or more | Eligible financial institutions |
Real Estate: Registry of Deeds, List of Valuations | Government24 | |
When using family income | Affidavit of family income status, supporting documentation |
Proof of communication
Korean | Korean Language Institute (Level 2) Certificate of Completion Sejong Hakdang (Beginner 1A+1B) Certificate of Completion | |
Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) Level 1 or higher transcript | ||
Certificate of completion from a designated Korean language institution | ||
University (graduate) degree in Korean language | ||
Foreign national documentation | ||
Proof that the foreign spouse has lived in Korea continuously for at least one year | Certificate of Eligibility Personal statement | |
Foreign Spouse Language | Proof that the Korean spouse has lived in a country where the foreign spouse’s language is an official language for at least one year. | Certificate of Eligibility Personal statement |
Documentation that the Korean spouse is a naturalized citizen from a country where the foreign spouse’s language is an official language | ||
Other languages | Proof that the Korean spouse and foreign spouse have lived continuously for at least one year in a country where the language is an official language. | Certificate of Eligibility Personal statement |
Common |
Proof of residency
Self | Register of Deeds | 政府24 |
Leasing | Deeds, leases | |
Family name | Family register or lease, proof of family relationship |
Criminal background checks, health certificates
Criminal History Certificate | Apostille (within 3 months of visa application date) | Not required if you are exempt |
Medical certificate | Include any infections such as mental illness, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis and AIDS (within 6 months of visa application date) | |
TB Certificate | TB certificate with X-ray | High TB risk countries |
Who’s exempt from medical exams and criminal background checks
- Stayed in the foreign spouse’s country for more than 6 months
- Continued stay in a third country on a long-term visa for study, secondment, etc.
- If your foreign spouse has been in Korea for more than 91 days and you are in a relationship
- When humanitarian considerations are required, such as pregnancy or childbirth of a Korean or foreign spouse
Tuberculosis high-risk countries
Nepal, East Timor, Russia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan, India, Indonesia, China, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Pakistan, Philippines, Laos, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Nigeria, South Africa, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola, Peru, Papua New Guinea.
Some of the common reasons why marriage visas are denied include
- You don’t have basic needs, such as income, communication, or housing.
- If the marriage immigrant has violated Korean law in the past and the penalty has not been resolved (illegal immigration, etc.)
- Ineligible to host – domestic violence, sex offenses, certain violent crimes, etc.
- If you doubt the authenticity of your marriage
- False documents, misrepresentation, etc.
- The invitee has invited another spouse within the last five years.
- Whether or not three years have passed since the sponsor, who was a foreigner, acquired Korean citizenship.
Sometimes people come to visit because they are denied, but if they are denied because they applied directly to the Foreign Affairs Office, it is not easy to know exactly why they are denied.
Because the reason for rejection is simply stated, the client is not sure why they were rejected, and the administrator cannot deduce the reason because they have already submitted the documents and do not have a copy. In general, the reason for the rejection is that they didn’t meet the standards or didn’t prepare the supporting documents correctly.
If your marriage visa is denied, you can reapply after six months. Add in the time it takes to get proof of income, etc. and you could be waiting well over a year, so be prepared to be approved the first time.
If you are sponsoring a national from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, or Thailand for a marriage visa, you must complete the International Marriage Guidance Program.
Who is exempt from the International Marriage Guidance Program
- Those who can prove that they have been living in the foreign spouse’s country for more than six months, or have been living in a third country on a long-term visa for study, secondment, etc.
- The alien spouse can demonstrate that he or she has been lawfully present in the United States for at least 91 days and has been in a relationship with the sponsor.
- Pregnancy, childbirth, and other recognized humanitarian considerations
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