Miscellaneous (Other)
기타 (G-1) — G-1 Miscellaneous / Other status – a safety-net status for people who need to stay in Korea for a legitimate reason but do not fit any other visa category (e.g. injury/industrial-accident treatment, ongoing lawsuit, unpaid-wage or labor case, medical treatment, pregnancy/childbirth, refugee applicant awaiting decision, humanitarian stay, victim of a crime).
At a glance
Foreigners who do NOT fall under any other status (from A-1 diplomat through H-2 work-visit) but whom the Minister of Justice recognizes as needing to stay in Korea for…
Short and tied to the situation; commonly granted and extended in periods of up to 6 months (up to a 1-year maximum per grant under the enforcement decree).
Generally NOT allowed by default – G-1 does not itself authorize employment.
No Korean-language (TOPIK/KIIP) requirement.
Fee: Change of status of stay: about KRW 100,000; extension of stay: about KRW 60,000; grant of status of stay: about KRW 30,000 (standard immigration fees; confirm current amounts on HiKorea). For a G-1 entry visa applied at an overseas mission, a single-entry visa is about USD 50 and multiple-entry about USD 80 (a Visa Issuance Certificate application itself has no fee). (unverified – exact current KRW amounts should be checked on HiKorea.) · Time: Not fixed; depends on the case and the immigration office. (unverified)
Who can apply
- ✓Foreigners who do NOT fall under any other status (from A-1 diplomat through H-2 work-visit) but whom the Minister of Justice recognizes as needing to stay in Korea for an unavoidable, legitimate reason.
- ✓Main situations covered: (1) receiving treatment or compensation for an industrial accident at work (and family members caring for them); (2) getting medical treatment for a serious illness or accident, or acting as a guardian/carer of such a patient; (3) a party to an ongoing lawsuit or court case in Korea; (4) an unpaid-wage (wage arrears) or other labor dispute being handled by the Ministry of Employment and Labor; (5) a refugee (asylum) applicant awaiting a decision, appeal, or related litigation; (6) a person granted humanitarian stay (인도적 체류허가); (7) a victim of prostitution, sexual assault/harassment, human trafficking or similar crime who must remain in Korea; (8) other unavoidable cases the Minister of Justice accepts.
- ✓NOTE: G-1 is a status usually CHANGED INTO from inside Korea when one of these situations arises, not a visa most people plan to apply for from abroad.
- ✓(Some overseas Korean missions also list Jeju recreation-facility investors and invited long-stay medical-treatment/medical-tourism patients under G-1.)
Documents you'll need
- Varies by situation. General: passport
- application form (integrated application, Form 34)
- one photo
- proof of residence (address)
- fee. Plus evidence of the specific reason for stay – examples: industrial-accident case = COMWEL (Korea Workers’ Compensation & Welfare Service, 근로복지공단) documents proving an ongoing claim
- medical = doctor’s diagnosis / treatment plan and proof of ability to pay costs
- lawsuit = court documents proving the case is in progress and you are a party
- unpaid wages / labor case = confirmation from the labor office (Ministry of Employment and Labor) that the dispute is being handled
- refugee applicant = refugee-application receipt (and tuberculosis/health screening for nationals of designated high-incidence countries). Confirm the exact checklist for your situation on HiKorea or with the 1345 Immigration Contact Center.
How to apply
- Mainly domestic change-of-status or grant-of-status (체류자격 변경·부여) at a local immigration office once a qualifying situation arises; some categories (e.g. invited medical-treatment patients, Jeju investors) may use an overseas embassy visa or a certificate of visa issuance (사증발급인정서).
- Most G-1 grants happen inside Korea at the local Immigration Office (지방출입국·외국인관서) as a change of status of stay or a grant of status, once the qualifying situation (accident, lawsuit, refugee application, humanitarian permit, etc.) exists.
- Refugee applicants, for example, change to or are granted G-1 at the immigration office covering their residence.
- Some categories (e.g. invited medical-treatment patients, Jeju recreation-facility investors) can be applied for from abroad via a Korean mission or a Visa Issuance Certificate (사증발급인정서).
- Use HiKorea online booking / e-application where available.
Stay & extension
Short and tied to the situation; commonly granted and extended in periods of up to 6 months (up to a 1-year maximum per grant under the enforcement decree). The stay lasts only as long as the qualifying reason continues (treatment, court case, refugee decision, etc.).
Extendable while the reason for stay still exists – you must apply at the local immigration office before your current permit expires. Refugee applicants and similar cases are typically extended in 6-month increments as long as the adjudication, appeal, or litigation is ongoing.
Extension ends when the underlying situation is resolved.
Working on this visa
- Generally NOT allowed by default – G-1 does not itself authorize employment.
- To work you must either obtain a separate work-activity permit from immigration or change to a proper work visa.
- Where a work permit is granted (notably for refugee applicants, usually available about 6 months after applying), it is limited to non-professional / simple-labor jobs and excludes gambling, adult-entertainment/entertainment venues, and private tutoring, and is granted for limited periods (about 6 months at a time).
- Case-by-case; confirm with immigration.
Requirements in detail
No Korean-language (TOPIK/KIIP) requirement.
No labor-ministry endorsement; grant is at the recognition of the Minister of Justice, supported by other bodies’ documents (e.g. COMWEL for industrial accidents, Ministry of Employment and Labor for wage disputes).
Sub-types
G-1-1industrial-accidentG-1-2illness/accident treatment or carerG-1-3lawsuit partyG-1-4unpaid-wage/labor caseG-1-5refugee applicantG-1-6humanitarian-stay holderplus crime-victim and G-1-99 other. (numbers other than G-1-5/G-1-6 unverified)
No standard dependent visa; a family member acting as carer for a patient or accident victim may themselves be granted G-1 case by case.
Applies — G-1 holders who complete foreigner registration and hold an ARC can issue the mobile Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증) (available from 2025-01-10 to registered foreigners aged 14+).
2025–2026 policy updates
- No new G-1 visa track was created in 2025-2026 from official sources reviewed.
- Related support: the Ministry of Justice’s 1345 Immigration Contact Center announced (press release dated 2025-10-02) expanded human-rights guidance for foreign workers, including help applying for COMWEL (근로복지공단) insurance benefits for industrial accidents, unpaid wages, and harassment/sexual-harassment cases – situations that can underlie a G-1 stay.
- Standing policy (re-verify officially): foreign workers with an ongoing industrial-accident compensation claim can be granted G-1 status on humanitarian grounds so they can stay lawfully until the compensation procedure and any lawsuit finish.
- No fee/quota change for G-1 confirmed for 2025-2026.
Common mistakes
- Thinking G-1 lets you work – it usually does not; you need a separate permit or a work visa.
- Assuming it is a visa you apply for from abroad – most G-1 grants are changes of status done inside Korea after a qualifying event.
- Letting the permit lapse – you must extend before expiry while the situation continues.
- Assuming G-1 leads to permanent residence – it is normally temporary and ends when the reason ends.
- Not gathering the situation-specific proof (COMWEL papers, court documents, labor-office confirmation, medical records).
Where this leads
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