If you’re applying for or renewing a Korean visa in 2026, you’ve probably seen “GNI” mentioned somewhere in the requirements. The 2025 GNI figure, announced by the Bank of Korea in March 2026, is now the active benchmark for visa income requirements effective April 1, 2026. This page is the reference: what the number is, what it means for each visa, and the one important exception.
What GNI Is and Why It Matters for Visas
Korea’s per-capita GNI (1인당 국민총소득) is the average annual income earned by all Koreans, published each March by the Bank of Korea for the previous year. The Ministry of Justice uses this figure as a benchmark for income thresholds across multiple visa categories.
The logic: rather than setting a fixed income requirement in KRW that quickly becomes outdated, many Korean visa requirements are expressed as a multiple of GNI. As Korea’s income level rises, the income thresholds for visas rise with it automatically.
The 2025 GNI of KRW 52,416,000 is the active figure for all visa applications filed between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027.
The Key Multiples — What Each Threshold Looks Like
How GNI Applies to Each Visa — 2026 Reference Table
| Visa | GNI threshold | 2026 amount (KRW) | What it unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-1-D (Digital Nomad) | 2× GNI | ₩104,832,000/yr | Minimum income to qualify for the F-1-D visa |
| F-2-7 Category 2 (Advanced industry) | 1.5× GNI | ₩78,624,000/yr | Income requirement for IT/biotech/advanced industry track of F-2-7 |
| F-2-7 Category 3 (E-7 professionals) — 3-year waiver | KRW 40M (fixed) | ₩40,000,000/yr | If income ≥ KRW 40M, can apply for F-2-7 after 1+ years instead of waiting 3 years |
| F-5 (Permanent residency) from F-2-7 | ≥ 1× GNI | ₩52,416,000/yr | Minimum income required at F-5 application stage |
| E-7-S / Top-Tier Visa | 3× GNI | ₩157,248,000/yr | Income waiver — education and experience requirements waived if salary exceeds this |
| E-7-1 (Professional) — high-income exemption | 3× GNI | ₩157,248,000/yr | Above this income, degree/experience requirements are waived regardless of occupation |
| F-1 (Parent accompanying E-7 holder) | 2× GNI | ₩104,832,000/yr | E-7 holder must earn 2× GNI to bring parents to Korea on F-1 status |
| E-7-1 minimum salary (standard) | Set separately | ₩31,120,000/yr (2026) | Not GNI-based — set via annual government wage announcement (effective Feb 2026) |
| E-7-4 minimum salary | Set separately | ₩26,000,000/yr | Not GNI-based — fixed minimum for skilled worker points system |
→ Full detail: Korea GNI 2026 Update: What It Means for E-7 Holders →
Historical GNI — How the Threshold Has Changed
| Year (income year) | Per-capita GNI (KRW) | Per-capita GNI (USD) | 2× GNI threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | ₩42,484,000 | ~$32,661 | ₩84,968,000 |
| 2023 | ₩47,428,000 | ~$36,194 | ₩94,856,000 |
| 2024 | ₩49,975,000 | ~$36,624 | ₩99,950,000 |
| 2025 (currently active) | ₩52,416,000 | ~$36,855 | ₩104,832,000 |
Quick Reference: Does GNI Apply to Your Situation?
| If you are… | GNI relevance |
|---|---|
| Applying for F-1-D Digital Nomad visa | ✅ Directly relevant — need 2× GNI (₩104.8M) |
| Applying for F-2-7 in advanced industry track | ✅ Directly relevant — need 1.5× GNI (₩78.6M) |
| Applying for F-2-7 as E-7 professional | ⚠️ Partially — KRW 40M waiver threshold is fixed, not GNI-linked |
| Applying for or renewing E-7-1 | ⚠️ Special exception applies — standard minimum salary rules unchanged for now |
| On E-7-4 or planning E-7-4 application | ✅ Not GNI-based — fixed ₩26M minimum, separate from this figure |
| Planning to bring parents to Korea on F-1 | ✅ Need 2× GNI income as E-7 sponsor |
| Planning to apply for F-5 permanent residency | ✅ Income ≥ GNI (₩52.4M) required at F-5 stage |
Related: GNI 2026 Update — What It Means for E-7 Visa Holders →
Related: F-1-D Digital Nomad Visa: Income Documentation Guide →
Related: F-2-7 Points Guide: Income Scoring and Category Requirements →