Residence routes to South Korea: work, a Korean partner, Korean descent, nomad or working holiday

Q: How does the work route work?

The usual route for skilled workers is the E-7 visa . Your employer in Korea first applies to the immigration service for a Confirmation of Visa Issuance, an approval in advance. With that number you collect the visa in The Hague. You have a master's degree, a bachelor's degree with one year of work experience, or five years of experience in the field. A minimum wage applies; for professionals in 2026 it is 31,120,000 won a year (about € 21,000). Teaching English on an E-2 visa is only open to people from a country with English as the native language, and the Netherlands is not one of them. More, including on the D-8 investor visa and the visa to look for work (D-10), is in working in South Korea .

Q: What if you are married to a Korean?

Then there is the F-6 visa for marriage migrants. The marriage must be valid in Korea. Living together does not count. Whether a registered partnership or a marriage between two men or two women counts is not in the manual; do not count on it and ask. Your Korean partner earns enough. The manual of October 2026 still gives the 2025 standard for Dutch nationals: 23,595,948 won a year for two people (about € 15,900). For other countries it already gives the 2026 standard: 25,195,752 won (about € 17,000). Ask which one applies to you. If you have a child together, the requirement falls away. If you lived together outside Korea for at least a year and your partner had no Korean income in the past year, that requirement falls away. There is also a language requirement, but it falls away if, for example, your partner lived in the Netherlands for at least a year, or if you have a child together. After two years in Korea you can apply for permanent residence.

Q: What if you are of Korean descent?

Anyone who had Korean nationality at birth can get the F-4 visa , the visa for overseas Koreans. This also applies to their children. You may do almost any work, except simple manual labour. For many Dutch people who were adopted from Korea as children, this is the route back. That is covered in detail in adopted and returning to South Korea .

Q: Can you work remotely?

Yes, with the F-1-D visa , a permanent scheme since 30 June 2026. You have been employed by a foreign company for at least a year, or you own it. Working for Korean employers or clients is not allowed. The income requirement depends on your age and where you live: Age Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Rest of Korea 18 to 34 78,620,000 won (≈ € 53,000) 52,410,000 won (≈ € 35,400) 35 and over 104,830,000 won (≈ € 70,700) 78,620,000 won (≈ € 53,000) You have health insurance with cover of at least 100 million won. The visa is valid for one year and can be extended to three years.

Q: Where do you apply for the visa?

Not at the embassy, but at the Korea Visa Application Center (KVAC) in The Hague, Carnegielaan 12. You hand in your application on working days between 10.00 and 11.00. A visa for more than 90 days cost € 54, plus € 60 in service charges. According to the site those amounts apply until 30 June 2026 and change every six months, so check what they are now just before you apply. After arrival you collect your residence card within 90 days: see registration and numbers .

With a Dutch passport you may be in South Korea for 90 days without a visa, but you may not work. If you want to stay, you need a visa. There are five routes: work (E-7), a Korean spouse (F-6), Korean descent (F-4, also for adoptees), digital nomad (F-1-D) and working holiday (H-1, aged 18 to 30 inclusive). A retirement visa does not exist.

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Written and checked by Auke on 26 October 2026, against the sources at the bottom. Is something no longer right? Report it below and I'll fix it.

With a Dutch passport you may be in South Korea for 90 days without a visa. You may not work during that time. If you want to live there, you need a visa, and there are five routes to one: work, a Korean spouse, Korean descent, working remotely as a digital nomad, or a working holiday if you are aged 18 to 30 inclusive.

A retirement visa does not exist. If you are retired and have no Korean partner or Korean descent, you can only ever be in Korea for 90 days at most. That is the honest position on 26 October 2026.

We convert amounts in won at the European Central Bank rate of 23 October 2026: 1 euro is about 1,482 won.

Which route suits you?

Route	Visa	For whom	Stay per grant
Work	E-7	skilled worker with a contract with a Korean employer	up to 3 years
Partner	F-6	married to a Korean, with a marriage that is valid in Korea	up to 3 years
Descent	F-4	anyone who was Korean at birth, like many adoptees, and their children	up to 3 years
Nomad	F-1-D	employed by a foreign employer, aged 18 and over	1 year, extendable to 3 years
Working holiday	H-1	aged 18 to 30 inclusive, 200 places a year for Dutch nationals	1 year

What applies for the first 90 days?

Since 1970 the Netherlands and Korea have had an agreement on visa-free travel, for three months. During that time you may hold business meetings, take a short language course or receive medical treatment. Paid work is not allowed.

The K-ETA is an electronic travel authorisation that you apply for online in advance. Dutch nationals are exempt from it up to and including 31 December 2026. From 1 January 2027 you need one, unless Korea extends the exemption again. A K-ETA costs 10,000 won (about € 7) and is valid for three years. Children up to and including 17 and people aged 65 and over are exempt, as is anyone who already has a visa or a Korean residence card. Without a K-ETA you fill in the free e-Arrival Card, the digital arrival card.

How does the work route work?

The usual route for skilled workers is the E-7 visa. Your employer in Korea first applies to the immigration service for a Confirmation of Visa Issuance, an approval in advance. With that number you collect the visa in The Hague. You have a master's degree, a bachelor's degree with one year of work experience, or five years of experience in the field. A minimum wage applies; for professionals in 2026 it is 31,120,000 won a year (about € 21,000).

Teaching English on an E-2 visa is only open to people from a country with English as the native language, and the Netherlands is not one of them. More, including on the D-8 investor visa and the visa to look for work (D-10), is in working in South Korea.

What if you are married to a Korean?

Then there is the F-6 visa for marriage migrants. The marriage must be valid in Korea. Living together does not count. Whether a registered partnership or a marriage between two men or two women counts is not in the manual; do not count on it and ask.

Your Korean partner earns enough. The manual of October 2026 still gives the 2025 standard for Dutch nationals: 23,595,948 won a year for two people (about € 15,900). For other countries it already gives the 2026 standard: 25,195,752 won (about € 17,000). Ask which one applies to you. If you have a child together, the requirement falls away. If you lived together outside Korea for at least a year and your partner had no Korean income in the past year, that requirement falls away. There is also a language requirement, but it falls away if, for example, your partner lived in the Netherlands for at least a year, or if you have a child together. After two years in Korea you can apply for permanent residence.

What if you are of Korean descent?

Anyone who had Korean nationality at birth can get the F-4 visa, the visa for overseas Koreans. This also applies to their children. You may do almost any work, except simple manual labour. For many Dutch people who were adopted from Korea as children, this is the route back. That is covered in detail in adopted and returning to South Korea.

Can you work remotely?

Yes, with the F-1-D visa, a permanent scheme since 30 June 2026. You have been employed by a foreign company for at least a year, or you own it. Working for Korean employers or clients is not allowed. The income requirement depends on your age and where you live:

Age	Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi	Rest of Korea
18 to 34	78,620,000 won (≈ € 53,000)	52,410,000 won (≈ € 35,400)
35 and over	104,830,000 won (≈ € 70,700)	78,620,000 won (≈ € 53,000)

You have health insurance with cover of at least 100 million won. The visa is valid for one year and can be extended to three years.

And the working holiday?

If you are aged 18 to 30 inclusive, you can travel and work in Korea for a year with the H-1 visa. There are 200 places a year for Dutch nationals. You work at most 25 hours a week, and you show at least 3,000,000 won (about € 2,000) and a return ticket. Family members cannot come with you.

Where do you apply for the visa?

Not at the embassy, but at the Korea Visa Application Center (KVAC) in The Hague, Carnegielaan 12. You hand in your application on working days between 10.00 and 11.00. A visa for more than 90 days cost € 54, plus € 60 in service charges. According to the site those amounts apply until 30 June 2026 and change every six months, so check what they are now just before you apply. After arrival you collect your residence card within 90 days: see registration and numbers.

In Vertrekklaar this is phase 1 of 5 of the journey, step 1.1: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to South Korea or go straight to step 1.1 in the open plan.

What this rests on

The facts in this article come from these official pages. Rules change. When in doubt, go by the source, not this article.

NederlandWereldwijd — travel advice for South Korea, with 90 days without a visa and the K-ETA from 2027 — nederlandwereldwijd.nl
K-ETA — the temporary exemption up to and including 31 December 2026 — k-eta.go.kr
HiKorea — manuals for visa and residence per status (October 2026 version) — hikorea.go.kr
Korean Ministry of Justice — press release on the permanent F-1-D nomad visa (7 July 2026) — immigration.go.kr
Korea Visa Application Center The Hague — which visas, the fees and the service charges — visaforkorea.eu
Korea Visa Application Center The Hague — address and opening hours — visaforkorea.eu

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