South Korea officially launches digital nomad visa with eased eligibility rules

South Korea has launched its digital nomad visa with more relaxed eligibility requirements than those applied during its pilot programme, the Ministry of Justice said on July 7.



The F-1-D visa, also known as the "workation" visa, became officially available on June 30. It allows foreign nationals employed by overseas companies to live in South Korea while working remotely, unlike a work visa, which requires employment with a South Korean employer.



The programme follows a pilot that ran from January 2024 through May 2026. The revised rules are intended to make the visa more attractive.



Under the pilot programme, applicants were generally required to earn at least twice South Korea's previous year's gross national income per capita.



Under the new rules, however, lower income thresholds apply, depending on factors such as age and whether applicants plan to reside outside the Greater Seoul area or in designated population-declining regions.