Korea digital nomad visa vs DTV
South Korea's F-1-D "Workation" visa stopped being a pilot on 30 June 2026 and now allows up to 3 years of residence instead of 2, granted 1 year at a time from the date of entry. The income test is no longer a flat double-GNI bar: the Ministry of Justice applies 1x to 2x of per-capita GNI (about KRW 52.41 million for 2025) depending on your age and where in Korea you live, so 18-34 year olds settling outside the Seoul capital region or in a population-decline area qualify at roughly KRW 52.41 million a year while the top tier is about KRW 104.82 million. Everyone must hold private medical insurance covering at least KRW 100 million for hospital treatment and repatriation to their home country, and working for a Korean employer while on F-1-D is prohibited. The DTV is a five-year multiple-entry Thai visa allowing 180 days per entry, aimed at remote workers and at people enrolled in approved Thai cultural activities. It requires 500,000 THB in liquid savings and, since 31 August 2026, a criminal record certificate.
| Korea digital nomad visa | DTV | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | south-korea | thailand |
| Stay per entry | 1 year from the date of entry | 180 days |
| Total validity | Up to 3 years of residence in total since 30 June 2026 (previously 1 year plus a single 1-year extension, capped at 2 years) | 5 years |
| Government fee | $45 — single-entry consular fee for U.S. citizens at Korean missions in the U.S.; fees differ by nationality under reciprocity, and a change of status filed inside Korea on HiKorea is billed separately in won | ฿10,000 |
| Income required | ₩104,820,000 — per year, after tax, for the top tier (2x Korea's 2025 per-capita GNI of KRW 52.41 million). Since 30 June 2026 the requirement slides between 1x and 2x GNI by age and region: applicants aged 18-34 in a non-capital-region or population-decline area need only 1x, about KRW 52.41 million. The base GNI figure is re-announced by the Bank of Korea each spring, so the won threshold moves every year. | None |
| Savings required | None | ฿500,000 — liquid funds in a personal account, shown on a 6-month statement and maintained through at least the final 3 months |
| Deposit required | None | None |
| Minimum age | 18 | None |
| Health insurance | Required — ₩100,000,000 | Not required |
| Processing time | Not officially published; secondary sources cite 2 to 4 weeks at a consulate, and 3 to 10 business days for a change of status filed on HiKorea | Typically 2–6 weeks, varying widely by embassy |
| Apply from | A Korean embassy or consulate abroad, or as a change of status inside Korea from B-1, B-2 or C-3 short-term status via HiKorea | Outside Thailand, at the Thai embassy or consulate covering your place of residence |
Choose the Korea digital nomad visa if
- Three years is now possible in one status, which is longer than most Asian remote-work visas allow
- Spouse and unmarried children under 18 can accompany you as dependents
- Issued multiple-entry, so regional trips out of Korea do not burn the status
- Applicants aged 18-34 who base themselves outside the Seoul capital region face an income bar roughly half the headline figure
- You can switch from a tourist or short-term business status without leaving the country
Choose the DTV if
- Five years of validity from a single application, with unlimited re-entry.
- No income floor — savings alone qualify you, which suits people between contracts.
- Covers dependants (spouse and children under 20) on the same basis.
Korea digital nomad visa last checked 11 September 2026; DTV last checked 10 September 2026. Sources are listed on each visa page.