Ministry of Justice Moves to Amend Law Allowing Long-Term Stay for Afghan Collaborators

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] As 391 Korean government collaborators from Afghanistan are scheduled to enter the country, the Ministry of Justice has initiated a revision of the enforcement decree to grant them long-term stay status.

On the 26th, the Ministry of Justice announced a legislative notice for a partial amendment to the Immigration Control Act enforcement decree, which grants long-term stay status to foreigners with the status of 'Special Meritorious Person.'

The key point is to provide a residence (F-2) visa, a long-term stay status, to foreigners who have made special contributions to the Republic of Korea or contributed to the promotion of public interest, thereby supporting their stay in Korea. Those who obtain this status can engage in employment activities without restrictions.

The residence visa, issued to recognized refugees, outstanding foreigners, minor foreign children of Koreans, foreign investors, and others, has a maximum stay period of five years. There are no restrictions on employment or study, and permanent residency (F-5) can also be granted through screening.

The Ministry of Justice's move to amend the enforcement decree is interpreted as a measure considering Afghans entering Korea under the status of Special Meritorious Person. Accordingly, the Ministry plans to issue short-term visit (C-3) visas to Afghan collaborators first, then grant new statuses in line with the enforcement decree amendment.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.