There are three main statuses of stay connected to the refugee process in Korea. The first is the asylum seeker (refugee applicant), who has applied for refugee status and is waiting for a decision. The second is the humanitarian stay holder, who was not recognized as a refugee but was permitted to stay because returning home could seriously threaten life or physical freedom. The third is the recognized refugee. On the Residence Card (Alien Registration Card), the first two are shown as Other (G-1), and recognized refugees are shown as Residence (F-2). The Ministry of Justice guidance manual divides these further into G-1-5 (asylum seeker), G-1-6 (humanitarian stay holder) and F-2-4 (recognized refugee).
The three statuses differ in period of stay, whether you can work, health insurance, living support, family and permanent residence. This article is based on the laws and Ministry of Justice guidance as of October 2026. For the answer that fits your own situation, check with the Immigration Office that has jurisdiction over you or the Immigration Contact Center (dial 1345 with no area code).
Comparison at a Glance
| Category | Asylum seeker (G-1-5) | Humanitarian stay holder (G-1-6) | Recognized refugee (F-2-4) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who is this? | A person who has applied for refugee status and is waiting for a decision, or who is in an appeal or lawsuit after being denied | A person who is not a refugee but was permitted to stay because there are reasonable grounds to believe they could face inhumane treatment such as torture | A person recognized as a refugee under the Refugee Act |
| Period of stay | 6 months to 1 year at a time, extended 6 months at a time | 1 year, extended 1 year at a time until the reason no longer exists | Extended until the reason for refugee recognition no longer exists |
| Working | After 6 months from applying, you can work with Permission to Engage in Activities Not Covered by Original Status of Stay | You can work with Permission to Engage in Activities Not Covered by Original Status of Stay | No guidance says you must get a separate work permit |
| Health insurance | Check with the National Health Insurance Service about both employee and regional enrollment | Eligible for regional enrollment after living in Korea 6 months or more | Eligible for regional enrollment after living in Korea 6 months or more; may be eligible for Medical Benefit |
| Living support | Can receive living cost support within 6 months of the application date | The Refugee Act has no living cost provision | Social security at the same level as Korean nationals, and basic livelihood security |
| Family | A child born in Korea can stay in G-1 status | Spouse and minor children can stay in G-1 status | Entry of spouse and minor children can be permitted |
| Permanent residence | Not applicable | No route set in the law | After 2 years or more in F-2, you can apply for permanent residence (F-5) |
Period of Stay and Extension
An asylum seeker can stay in Korea until a decision is made on refugee recognition, or, if you are in an appeal or administrative litigation (court appeal), until that procedure ends (Refugee Act Article 5, Paragraph 6). The Ministry of Justice must decide within 6 months of receiving the application, and when unavoidable it may extend this by up to 6 months (Refugee Act Article 18, Paragraph 4). The period of stay is given as 6 months to 1 year at a time. If it ends while no decision has been made, or while you are preparing an appeal or lawsuit, you apply for an extension of 6 months at a time.
A humanitarian stay holder first receives a period of stay of 1 year, and it can be extended 1 year at a time until the reason for humanitarian stay no longer exists. A recognized refugee can extend the period of stay until the reason for refugee recognition no longer exists.
You apply for an extension at the Immigration Office with jurisdiction over your place of residence. In common, you need the application form, your passport, your Residence Card, a photo, and a document proving your place of residence (such as a Lease Agreement). Depending on your status, you also submit the Application receipt for the Application for Refugee Status or a document proving your Humanitarian Stay Permit. The fee for extending the period of stay is 60,000 won. The method for extending when you do not have a passport is summarized in How to extend your period of stay without a passport.
Working
An asylum seeker can receive a work permit once 6 months have passed from the date you applied for refugee recognition (Refugee Act Article 40, Paragraph 2). Before you start work, you must receive Permission to Engage in Activities Not Covered by Original Status of Stay at the Immigration Office, and when you change where you work, you must get permission again in advance. If there are special circumstances, such as having to support a family member who is unable to work, permission may be granted even before 6 months. You cannot work in businesses such as speculative gambling, entertainment hosting, entertainment-related businesses, or private tutoring.
A humanitarian stay holder can also work with Permission to Engage in Activities Not Covered by Original Status of Stay (Refugee Act Article 39). Unlike asylum seekers, there is no rule that you must wait 6 months, and permission can be given for up to 1 year within the period of stay. When you change where you work, you must get permission again in advance.
A recognized refugee works in Residence (F-2) status, and HiKorea and the Ministry of Justice manual do not say you must get a separate work permit. Recognized refugees can receive vocational training support, and qualifications obtained abroad can also be recognized (Refugee Act Articles 34 and 36).
The permit fee, the permit period, and whether you can work in construction are described differently in different government guidance. Before you apply, check with the Immigration Office with jurisdiction over you or with 1345. For more detail on how to work under each status of stay, see How to work legally by visa (status of stay) type.
Health Insurance
Workers who work at a company covered by health insurance and have completed Alien Registration are eligible as employee subscribers (National Health Insurance Act Article 109, Paragraph 2). Whether an asylum seeker can enroll as an employee subscriber when working with a work permit, check with the company or the National Health Insurance Service.
A person who does not work at a company can become a regional subscriber after living in Korea for 6 months or more, but the eligible statuses of stay are set by law. These include recognized refugees (F-2) and humanitarian stay holders. Asylum seekers are not listed separately, so check with the National Health Insurance Service (1577-1000) about whether you can enroll as a regional subscriber. Recognized refugees can also receive Medical Benefit if they meet the conditions. How to enroll and the premiums are in National Health Insurance guide for foreigners and refugees, and how to receive medical consultation when you have no insurance is in Finding free clinics.
Living Support
An asylum seeker can receive living cost support within 6 months of the date you submitted the Application for Recognition of Refugee Status. Whether you receive support and how much is decided by the Ministry of Justice, looking at the period of stay, whether you are working, your dependents and other factors (Enforcement Decree of the Refugee Act Article 17). For how to apply, see Subsidization of living costs of refugee applicants: eligibility, amount and procedure. Some asylum seekers, such as those in a lawsuit or who have applied again, may be excluded from living cost support.
For humanitarian stay holders, the Refugee Act sets only the work permit, and has no provision for living costs or basic livelihood security. The Immigration Reception Center provides basic living support, such as food, lodging and medical care, and Korean language education to asylum seekers, humanitarian stay holders and recognized refugees.
A recognized refugee receives social security at the same level as Korean nationals (Refugee Act Article 31) and can receive basic livelihood security if you apply (Refugee Act Article 32). You apply for Livelihood Benefit, Housing Benefit, Medical Benefit and education benefit at the Community Service Center of the eup, myeon or dong where you live. You can also receive Korean language and social adaptation education such as the Korea Immigration and Integration Program.
Family
When the spouse or minor child of a recognized refugee applies for entry, the Ministry of Justice must permit entry unless there is a ground for prohibiting entry under the Immigration Act (Refugee Act Article 37). According to HiKorea guidance, family members come in with a short-term visit (C-3) Visa obtained at a diplomatic mission abroad, and in Korea they can receive refugee recognition through Family Reunification.
The spouse and minor children of a humanitarian stay holder can stay in G-1 status within the humanitarian stay holder’s period of stay. A child that an asylum seeker gives birth to in Korea can receive G-1 status within the parent’s period of stay. Minor children of asylum seekers and recognized refugees can receive primary and secondary education at the same level as Korean nationals (Refugee Act Articles 33 and 43).
Permanent Residence and Naturalization
A recognized refugee who has stayed in Residence (F-2) status for 2 years or more can apply for Permanent residence (F-5) (Immigration Act Enforcement Decree Annex 1-3). You must also meet requirements such as ability to support yourself, conduct, and basic knowledge, such as completing Level 5 of the Korea Immigration and Integration Program. The detailed requirements are in How to apply to change to permanent residence (F-5-27) for recognized refugees, and the requirements.
For humanitarian stay holders and asylum seekers, no route directly to permanent residence is set in the law. To apply for general Naturalization, you must have a status of stay that allows you to reside permanently in Korea (Nationality Act Article 5).
Travel Document
A recognized refugee can receive a Refugee Travel Document when leaving the country. It is valid for 3 years, and within that period you can leave and enter the country several times without a Re-entry Permit (Immigration Act Article 76-5). You apply at the Immigration Office with jurisdiction over your place of residence, and the fee is 10,000 won. Asylum seekers and humanitarian stay holders cannot receive a Refugee Travel Document.
Where to Ask
- Extension of period of stay, work permit, travel document: the Immigration Office with jurisdiction over your place of residence (make a visit reservation on HiKorea)
- Telephone consultation: Immigration Contact Center, dial 1345 with no area code
- Health insurance: National Health Insurance Service 1577-1000
- Refugee application procedure and appeal: Refugee application procedure, and how to appeal or bring administrative litigation if denied