Korea F-6 Marriage Visa: Requirements and Citizenship

F-6 (marriage immigration) is the residence status for a foreign national married to a Korean citizen. It is not issued on paperwork alone — the authorities look at whether the couple can genuinely live together. Once you have held F-6, stayed married and lived in Korea for the required period, you can apply for simplified naturalization without going through permanent residency. This post covers the F-6 categories, what to check before applying, the order of steps, and the citizenship path afterwards.

F-6 comes in three kinds

The number after F-6 depends on the current state of the marriage. Someone arriving for the first time receives F-6-1.

• F-6-1 → a spouse in an ongoing marriage to a Korean citizen, living together
• F-6-2 → someone whose marriage has ended and who is raising a minor child of Korean nationality, among other cases
• F-6-3 → someone whose marriage ended for reasons that are not their fault, such as the spouse’s death or disappearance, or the other spouse’s fault

What to check before applying

Screening looks mainly at four things. If one is missing you may be asked for more documents or be refused, so go through them one by one before you file.

• A genuine marriage — the marriage must be legally valid, and there must be a real relationship and intent to live as a couple. How you met, how long you were together and records of contact are typical evidence
• The sponsor’s income — the Korean spouse needs income or assets to support the household. The threshold depends on household size and changes every year
• Housing — the couple needs a place to live together, usually shown with a lease or similar document
• Basic communication — the foreign spouse must show basic Korean ability. Which tests or courses count has changed in the past, so check the rule in force when you apply

The order of steps

There are two routes depending on where you start. Either way the marriage must be valid in both countries, and documents issued abroad may need authentication.

• Bringing a spouse from abroad → the Korean spouse applies to the immigration office for a visa issuance confirmation, or the foreign spouse applies for a visa at a Korean embassy or consulate. After arrival you must register as a foreigner (within 90 days of entry)
• Already living in Korea and then marrying a Korean citizen → apply to change your status to F-6 before your current permitted stay ends
• After receiving F-6 → apply to extend your stay at the set intervals. The marriage, living together and income are checked again

After F-6: simplified naturalization

A person whose spouse is a Korean citizen can apply for simplified naturalization without permanent residency (F-5). The Nationality Act gives two alternative period conditions.

• Married and living in Korea continuously for at least 2 years → you may apply
• Married for 3 years or more and living in Korea continuously for at least 1 year → you may apply

Meeting the period does not end the review: ability to support yourself, conduct and basic knowledge are checked separately. Basic knowledge means Korean and understanding of Korean society; completing KIIP stage 5 and passing its final exam can lead to an exemption from the interview. We cover that in our posts on KIIP and the interview exemption.

It shows up in the interview too

Support services for marriage migrants appear as practice questions. From our question bank:

결혼이민자 등이 이용하는 다누리콜센터 대표번호는 무엇입니까? — 1577-1366

Reading a number is easy; saying it aloud is another skill. Practise with our interviewer voice and answer out loud.

This is not legal advice. Visa requirements and documents depend on your situation and the date, and rules change. Before applying, confirm the current rules with HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr), your local immigration office or a professional.