Having your immigration documents in order is a fact of life for someone living in a foreign country. An American (even a Korean-American such as myself) living in Korea is no exception. And while the Korean government’s “Hi, Korea!” is a valuable resource for all things immigration, the information isn’t always as clear or as plentiful as one would like.
I recently had to get an extension on my F-6 visa (the relatively new visa for spouses of a Korean national), but wasn’t sure which documents I needed. There are several websites that do a good job of explaining what you need to get your F-6 visa in the first place, but I had difficulty finding information on extensions — even on “Hi, Korea!”. I suspected I wouldn’t need nearly as many documents this time around.
A Korean blog post by Global Life proved to be very helpful. And having just gone through the process myself, I can now share that information with you. I don’t have any unusual circumstances regarding my visa, so I expect the information below will apply to most people.
Required documents when getting an extension on your F-6 visa:
- your Alien Registration Card
- your passport
- a completed application – (download – Word)
- Recent (within 3 months) Proof of Resident Registration 주민등록표 for your spouse
- This can be obtained at a local government office or obtained online and printed at home. Visit the Korean Government Civil Petition website.
- a recent Marriage Relationship (status) Certificate 혼인관계 증명서
- You can get a copy of this document at a local government office without your spouse being present, though you’ll have to fill out an application (등록부 등의 기록사항 등에 관한 증명신청서). See below.*
- It can also be obtained online and printed at home. Visit the Korean Court of Law website.
- 30,000-40,000 won
- Fees have recently been increased. See the notice on “Hi Korea!” The notice states that extensions are now both 30,000 won and 40,000 won. I paid 30,000. Of course, unused revenue stamps can be returned to the counter for a refund.
Your F-6 visa will be valid for one year at a time until your second extension. Upon your second extension, your visa will become valid for two years.
I hope this helps. Good luck!
*등록부 등의 기록사항 등에 관한 증명신청서
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