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Your employer (hagwon/school) sponsors the visa. Vet the employer carefully — your visa is tied to this contract.
Documents
- Signed employment contract
E-2
Foreign Language Instructor
Conversation Instruction (회화지도)
For native-level speakers teaching conversation at hagwons, schools, or companies. Requires citizenship of a designated country for the language taught (for English: US, UK, CA, AU, NZ, IE, ZA).
0/4 stamped
Korean terms in ( ) are the exact words to show or say at the immigration counter.
Before you arrive
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After you arrive in Korea
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Documents for your nationality
Some documents depend on your country. Pick it to see what changes for you.
Count your deadlines
Enter your dates to see how many days you have. The 90-day residence-card deadline is the one most people miss.
Fill in a date above to see your countdown.
Estimate only — confirm exact dates with HiKorea.
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Exceptions worth knowing
- Leaving mid-contract needs a release letter from your current sponsor; finishing the contract (or a mutually agreed end date) doesn't. Either way you must report the workplace change to immigration within 15 days and get approval — don't quit before checking.
- Private tutoring outside your contract is illegal on E-2 and a common deportation cause.
- Your spouse and unmarried children under 19 can join you on an F-3 dependent visa (동반) — the sponsor must show income above a minimum living-cost threshold. Since April 2025, dependents apply at the Korean embassy abroad; in-country F-3 filing is suspended.
- Changing to E-2 from inside Korea (e.g., from D-10) is possible only in limited cases, and the apostilled criminal check and health screening still apply — ask 1345 or the immigration office about your situation rather than assuming.
Unsure about your case?
Call 1345, the Immigration Contact Center (19 languages; +82-1345 from abroad), describe your situation, and ask for the document checklist for your case by email. Can't make calls? HiKorea's online inquiry answers in writing, and before you fly, your local Korean embassy's email works just as well.
This is a guide — confirm before you act
Get into Korea is an independent guide, not a government body and not legal or administrative advice. Requirements change often and depend on your nationality and situation, so details here may be outdated or not apply to you. We take no responsibility for any decision made from this page — always verify your exact case with the official sources below before you apply or pay any fee.
Official sources — verify here