Verified 3 October 2026
Korea digital nomad visa vs Thailand DTV: fees and rules
Two routes, side by side. Each name below links to its full requirements page.
- F-1-D Workation Visa (Korea digital nomad visa)
- 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, up to 3 years. The Ministry release does not say how the years are granted. 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 the Ministry gives 18-34 year olds who settle outside the capital region as its example for the 1x level, which is about KRW 52.41 million. The 2x level is double that figure, which we calculated ourselves because the Ministry does not state the product. 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.
- Destination Thailand Visa (Thailand DTV)
- 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 has a 500,000 THB financial threshold, while document requirements vary by the embassy handling the application.
| Korea digital nomad visa | DTV | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | south-korea | thailand |
| Stay per entry | 1 year on the consular pages, which may predate the 30 June 2026 change | 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 | $340 — Ho Chi Minh City post fee. Posts publish the fee in local currency, so it differs by embassy (Kuala Lumpur lists MYR 1,600). A flat baht fee quoted by secondary sites is not stated on the embassy pages checked. |
| Income required | ₩104,820,000 — per year, for the top tier. We calculated it as 2x the 2025 per-capita GNI of about KRW 52.41 million, which the Ministry of Justice states; the Ministry does not state the product, and the Seattle consulate page still shows the old 2x figure. 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 — the form of proof and the statement period are post-specific. Ho Chi Minh City accepts bank statements or a sponsorship letter; Oslo asks for statements showing an ending balance of at least 500,000 THB over the past three months. Check the embassy handling the application |
| 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 | Set by each post. Ho Chi Minh City quotes 5 working days; Kuala Lumpur quotes about one month or more |
| 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.
- The route has both workcation and qualifying-activity categories, but each handling post sets the supporting-document details.
- Covers dependants (spouse and children under 20) on the same basis.
Quick answers
- What does each cost, the Korea digital nomad visa or the Thailand DTV?
- The Korea digital nomad visa fee on record is $45. The Thailand DTV fee on record is $340. Fees are in each country's own currency or the amount the post quotes, so compare them with that in mind.
- How much money does the Korea digital nomad visa need compared with the Thailand DTV?
- Korea digital nomad visa: income ₩104,820,000. Thailand DTV: savings ฿500,000.
- Which of the Korea digital nomad visa and the Thailand DTV requires health insurance?
- Korea digital nomad visa: required, at least ₩100,000,000. Thailand DTV: not required.
- How long can I stay on the Korea digital nomad visa and on the Thailand DTV?
- Korea digital nomad visa: stay per entry 1 year on the consular pages, which may predate the 30 June 2026 change, total validity Up to 3 years of residence in total since 30 June 2026. Thailand DTV: stay per entry 180 days, total validity 5 years.
Keep reading
Korea digital nomad visa last checked 3 October 2026; DTV last checked 3 October 2026. Sources are listed on each visa page.