Overview of the D Series Visas for Study, Investment, and Job Seeking

From language training and university study to technical training, intra-company transfers, investment, trade, and job seeking preparation. This single document explains everything from D-1 to D-10 so you can study, do business, and look for a job in Korea.

2026.08.2842 min
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Contents
  1. 1. Before You Start
  2. 2. Study and Culture: D-1 and D-2
  3. 3. Training: D-3 and D-4
  4. 4. D-5 to D-9: Professional Activities
  5. 5. D-10 Job Seeking
  6. 6. Family, Applications, and Life in Korea
  7. 7. Safety and Wrap-Up

The D series is a group of statuses for study, training, professional non-economic activities like journalism and religion, corporate activities, and job seeking preparation. It is not an employment visa. The D series covers students starting language training, intra-company transferees dispatched to Korean branch offices, people doing business through investment and trade, and graduates looking for jobs. This document explains who each status from D-1 to D-10 is for, how much paid work you can do, and what you must prepare in one place.

1. Before You Start

Things to Know First

This document is not legal advice and does not guarantee that a visa will be issued. Outcomes for the D series vary depending on the curriculum, school certification grade, nationality, education and career history, Korean language ability, source of investment funds, corporate control relationships, actual duties, and past stay records in Korea. Even with the same name for a school, company, or internship, you may need a different Status of Stay if the actual structure is different.

The starting point for checking policies is the latest Guide Manual for Visa and Stay Applications by Status of Stay on HiKorea. This document was written based on the August 7, 2026 edition manual and laws in effect as of August 28, 2026. HiKorea also advises that it may take time for new policies to be reflected in the manual. Right before submitting your documents, check once more with the Immigration Contact Center 1345, the foreign student staff at your school, or the immigration office in charge.

1-Minute Summary

  • D is not a single employment visa, but a Status of Stay grouping study, training, professional non-economic activities, corporate activities, and job seeking preparation.
  • D-1 is for non-profit culture and art, D-2 is for university degrees, exchange, and research, D-3 is for industrial technical training, and D-4 is for language and general training.
  • D-5 is for foreign media journalism, D-6 is for religion and social welfare, D-7 is for dispatch from foreign headquarters to Korean affiliated companies, D-8 is for foreign investment, venture business, and technology start-up, and D-9 is for business activities related to trade, equipment, and vessels.
  • D-10 is a job seeking and preparation status for finding professional employment, preparing a technology start-up, or doing an advanced technology internship. It is not an employment visa itself. When employment is confirmed, you generally must change to an actual activity status like the E series.
  • D-2 and D-4 students cannot do part-time jobs freely. Before starting work, you must get a 시간제취업허가 (sigan-je chwieop heoga, part-time work permit), and allowed hours vary depending on your program, Korean language ability, grades, and school certification grade.
  • From D-7 to D-9, you can only engage in activities within the scope of the permitted company, investment, or business. Doing side jobs freely at other companies is outside this scope.
  • If you stay in Korea for more than 90 days, you must, in principle, complete foreigner registration within 90 days from the date of entry.
  • Your family members' Status of Stay and whether they can work depend on your detailed D status, and the accompanying family F-3 is not an automatic work status.

D Series at a Glance

Status Main Purpose Typical Target Basic Employment Principle
D-1 Culture and Art Non-profit academic, traditional culture, and art research Non-profit researchers, traditional art practitioners No profit-making activities allowed
D-2 Student University degree, research, exchange, and visiting student Associate degree to doctorate, research students, exchange students Study is the principle, only pre-approved part-time work
D-3 Technical Training Industrial technical training in Korea for employees of overseas affiliated companies Production and technical staff of overseas subsidiaries General labor not allowed, approved training only
D-4 General Training Language, non-degree education, and vocational technical training Korean and foreign language trainees, elementary, middle, and high school students, etc. Prohibited in principle, pre-approval for some language trainees only
D-5 Journalism Stationed journalism in Korea for foreign news organizations Foreign journalists and correspondents Permitted news coverage and reporting activities
D-6 Religion Dispatched missionary work, asceticism, religion, and social welfare Religious workers and social welfare dispatched personnel Permitted religious and welfare activities
D-7 Intra-company Transfer Dispatch between foreign HQ or overseas subsidiary and Korean affiliated company Executives, senior managers, and specialists Work within the scope of the dispatch order
D-8 Corporate Investment Foreign investment, venture business, and technology start-up Essential personnel of invested companies, venture and start-up representatives Permitted foreign-invested company and start-up activities
D-9 Trade Management Trade, individual business, export equipment, and vessel supervision Traders, equipment technicians, business operators Permitted business and contract activities
D-10 Job Seeking Professional job exploration, technology start-up preparation, and advanced tech internships Graduates, experienced professionals, start-up preparers Job seeking and permitted internships in principle, part-time work for some only

Quick Decision Order

  1. If a regular university degree is your purpose, look at D-2; if it is a university-affiliated language institute, look at D-4-1.
  2. If it is non-profit culture and arts research, look at D-1; if it is paid performance or entertainment, look at the possibility of E-6.
  3. If an employee of an overseas affiliated company is dispatched to a Korean company, look at D-7; if it is simple domestic hiring, look at employment statuses like E-7.
  4. If you are a representative or essential personnel of a foreign-invested company or technology start-up, look at D-8.
  5. If it is an individual business in trade, installation of export machinery, or vessel construction supervision, look at D-9.
  6. If your professional employment is not yet confirmed or you are preparing a technology start-up, look at D-10.
  7. Even if a company calls it "training," if you actually only perform production labor, it may not be lawful training under D-3 or D-4.

First, Distinguish Between Visa, Status of Stay, and Period of Stay

  • Visa (사증): This is a document issued by a Korean embassy or consulate abroad so you can request entry into Korea.
  • Status of Stay (체류자격): This is the scope of activities you are allowed to do in Korea.
  • Period of Stay (체류기간): This is the period you can actually stay. It may not be the same as your visa validity period or school admission or employment contract period.
  • Detailed code: This is the exact type within the same broad number, such as D-2-3 or D-8-4.
  • 외국인등록증 (oegugin deungnokjeung, Residence Card, also called the Alien Registration Card or ARC): This is proof of identity and stay information for foreigners staying for more than 90 days.

You can check the basic legal framework in the Immigration Act and the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act.

2. Study and Culture: D-1 and D-2

D-1 Culture and Art

What Kind of Activities Are Covered?

These are academic and artistic activities not intended for profit.

  • Writing academic papers or non-profit creative activities
  • Activities upon invitation from non-profit academic or art organizations
  • Professional research and training in Korea's unique culture and arts, such as traditional martial arts like Taekwondo, Korean dance, calligraphy, court music, nongak, and Seon meditation
  • Guidance from intangible cultural heritage holders, certified skill holders, or prominent experts

Taking general courses at for-profit private academies or engaging in paid performances, broadcasting, or entertainment activities differs from the purpose of D-1. If you engage in profit-making activities, look into a separate status like E-6. For non-profit cultural activities with a Period of Stay of 90 days or less, C-3 Short-term Visit may apply.

Restrictions on Stay and Activities

  • The maximum Period of Stay you can receive at one time is 2 years.
  • Non-profit volunteer work and regular education that do not interfere with the original purpose may be permitted.
  • Receiving actual expenses at the level of meal and transportation costs in volunteer work is possible, but it must not be actual wages.
  • If your affiliated organization changes or is added, you must, in principle, file a report of a change in foreigner registration details within 15 days.

Main Documents

Key documents are an invitation letter, proof of culture and art organization, expert career credentials, training schedule and activity plan, your personal resume and career history, proof of living costs, and residence documents. In some cases, such as invitations from the Korea Foundation or Arts Council Korea, you can receive the visa directly at a Korean diplomatic mission abroad. In other cases, a Confirmation of Visa Issuance (사증발급인정서), which is a visa approval document you get in Korea in advance, is often required.

Detailed Categories of D-2 Student

Detailed Code Target
D-2-1 Associate degree program
D-2-2 Bachelor's degree program
D-2-3 Master's degree program
D-2-4 Doctoral degree program
D-2-5 Specific research program
D-2-6 Exchange student under inter-university agreements
D-2-7 Work-study linked study abroad
D-2-8 Visiting student

The educational institution must be a college, university, or academic research institute of junior college level or higher established under the Higher Education Act or special acts and registered in the foreign student information system (FIMS) of the Ministry of Justice. In principle, distance-learning universities, general lifelong education institutions, non-degree vocational training courses at Korea Polytechnics, and unapproved night courses are not eligible for D-2.

You receive a Period of Stay of up to 2 years at one time. The actual period varies depending on your degree program, passport, tuition fee payment, and the school's certification grade.

D-2 Application Procedure and Documents

General Process

  1. Check the school and program, including whether it has certification for recruiting and managing foreign students from the Ministry of Justice.
  2. Apply to the school and receive admission approval.
  3. The school issues a Standard Admission Letter (표준입학허가서) registered in FIMS.
  4. Depending on your nationality, school grade, and program, proceed with direct application at a Korean diplomatic mission abroad, Confirmation of Visa Issuance, or electronic visa procedures.
  5. After receiving the visa, enter Korea and complete foreigner registration within 90 days.
  6. Manage your tuition fees, grades, attendance, and address, and extend your Period of Stay before it expires.

The application method varies depending on the school's certification grade and your nationality. For specific countries under special management and certain schools or programs, a Confirmation of Visa Issuance from the immigration office in charge of the university's location may be required. Check official school, scholarship, and living information at Study in Korea by the National Institute for International Education.

Common Documents

  • Visa application form or application for Confirmation of Visa Issuance, passport, and photo
  • The school's business registration certificate or unique number certificate
  • Standard Admission Letter issued under the name of the university president or dean
  • Proof of highest level of education
  • Proof of financial ability to cover 1 year of tuition fees and living costs
  • Proof of family relationship if using parents' bank account balance
  • Tuberculosis test certificate for applicable persons, such as nationals of high-risk tuberculosis countries
  • Program-specific research plans, exchange agreements, letters of recommendation, etc.

Foreign educational background documents may require originals and translations, along with an Apostille (아포스티유), an international confirmation that a document is genuine, or consular confirmation from a Korean diplomatic mission. For academic credentials obtained in China, designated verification report standards such as CHSI and CDGDC apply separately.

Additional Requirements by Program

  • For the D-2-5 research program, immigration in principle checks for a master's degree or higher, a research student confirmation under the university president's name, and research fund and living costs documents. For science and engineering research at some excellent universities, there is an exception for enrolled bachelor's degree students.
  • For D-2-6 exchange students, a recommendation from the home university, an inter-university exchange agreement, and proof of studying for at least 1 semester at the home university are required.
  • For D-2-8 visiting students, proof of enrollment at the home university and a non-degree study plan at the host university are required.

The Most Important Principles for Student Part-Time Work

Holding a student visa does not mean you can start working part-time right away. Before starting work, you must obtain a part-time work permit from HiKorea or the immigration office with your employment contract and confirmation from your school's foreign student coordinator.

When Can You Apply?

  • D-2-1 to D-2-4, D-2-6, D-2-7: Possible immediately after entry or acquiring status, in principle
  • D-2-8 visiting student: After 6 months have passed since entry or change of Status of Stay
  • D-4-1 Korean language training and D-4-7 foreign language training: After 6 months have passed since entry or change of Status of Stay
  • D-2-5 research student: Not eligible for general part-time work, and evaluated separately depending on the nature of research activities.
  • Other training statuses such as D-4-3 elementary, middle, and high school students: Not eligible for general part-time work.

If your grade in the previous semester was below a C grade or 2.0, or if your average attendance rate in language training was below 90%, permission may be restricted.

Allowed Hours by Student Korean Language Level

The basic structure in the August 7, 2026 edition manual is as follows. The hours written on your actual permit are the final standard.

Program Weekdays when not meeting Korean standard Weekdays when meeting standard Weekdays with preferential treatment such as certified university, excellent grades, or excellent Korean
Associate degree 10 hours 25 hours 30 hours
Bachelor's degree (1st to 2nd year) 10 hours 25 hours 30 hours
Bachelor's degree (3rd to 4th year) 10 hours 25 hours 30 hours
Master's and doctoral degree 15 hours 30 hours 35 hours

Students who meet the Korean language standard may have the time limit waived during weekends, holidays, and vacations. Master's and doctoral program completers preparing a thesis have a limit of up to 30 hours per week. The unlimited exception for weekends and vacations does not apply to them.

Korean Language Standard by Program

Your hours vary depending on school certification status, grades, program, and the permit decision. You must not sign a work contract based only on the maximum hours in the table.

What Students Can Do and What Is Prohibited

Generally Allowed Scope

Simple assistant work that can be done alongside studies and is usually done by students is the baseline. Common examples include restaurants, cafes, retail, office assistance, translation and interpretation assistance, and on-campus assistant work, but each workplace and actual duty are reviewed individually.

Restricted or Prohibited Activities

  • Work contrary to good public morals and social order, such as adult entertainment and gambling
  • E-1 to E-7 professional activities and private tutoring done without permission
  • Construction industry
  • E-9 manufacturing industry, but you can apply for an exception if you have Korean proficiency equivalent to Level 4 or higher
  • Special-type work (working under an individual contract without being affiliated with a company), such as parcel delivery drivers, delivery riders, substitute drivers, insurance planners, study material teachers, and door-to-door salespersons
  • Indirect employment through dispatch, subcontracting, and placement agencies
  • Long-distance work that makes it difficult to commute and study
  • Workplaces penalized for illegal employment of foreigners

Illegal employment in construction may make you subject to a departure order even on the first violation. In manufacturing, you need a separate prior permit even if you have TOPIK Level 4.

Permit Period and Number of Workplaces

  • D-2: Up to 1 year per permit, up to 2 workplaces at the same time
  • D-4 language training: Up to 6 months per permit, 1 workplace
  • If your employer changes, you must get permission again before starting work at the new workplace.

Research, Internships, and Field Practice for D-2 Students

Paid research and internships are not all handled in the same way.

  • Research and internship allowances linked to studies within your university: Part-time work permit may be waived
  • Research unrelated to studies within your university: Part-time work permit required
  • Research linked to studies at an outside institution: Part-time work permit required
  • Research unrelated to studies at an outside institution: 체류자격외활동허가 (cheryu jagyeok-oe hwaldong heoga, a permit for activities outside your Status of Stay, which is permission to do work outside your pre-approved activities) such as E-3 is required
  • Activities practically equivalent to full-time work as a researcher at a general company: You need to change your status to an employment status, not a D-2 part-time work permit
  • Ministry of Education standard field practice semester system and mandatory practice courses: Permit may be waived
  • Optional field practice: Part-time work permit required
  • D-2-7 work-study linked study abroad or professional internship during vacation: Check E series requirements and prior permission

When master's and doctoral students are hired as student researchers at a government-funded research institute outside their university, they can apply for a separate special exemption for activities outside their status. You must not broadly apply this special exemption to employment as a researcher at a general company or an industry-academic cooperation foundation.

Leave of Absence, School Change, and Stay After Graduation

  • If you take a leave of absence due to personal reasons or low grades, extension of your D-2 or D-4 visa may be restricted.
  • For unavoidable reasons such as illness or accident, exceptions are reviewed using a medical certificate and school documents.
  • If your school or program changes, check whether you need prior permission for the change or must report a change in foreigner registration details within 15 days.
  • In principle, D-4 language training students changing schools must leave the country and get a visa for the new school, but exceptions exist for valid reasons such as school closure or TOPIK Level 3 or higher.
  • Your Period of Stay does not automatically extend just because you graduate. You must change your status before it expires. Change to an E series status if professional employment is confirmed, to D-10 if you want to look for a job, or to D-8 or D-9 if you start a business.

3. Training: D-3 and D-4

D-3 Technical Training

What Kind of Status Is This?

This is a status for employees of overseas affiliated companies to learn necessary skills at Korean industrial companies. Eligible enterprises include overseas subsidiaries invested in by domestic companies, companies exporting technology abroad, and companies exporting plants (large-scale production facilities), and trainees are overseas employees of those companies.

Detailed code Representative structure
D-3-11 Training for local staff of a foreign direct investment enterprise
D-3-12 Training under a technology export contract
D-3-13 Training under a plant export

Trainees generally must be healthy employees of overseas corporations aged 18 to 40 years old and must meet local work experience and Korean language proficiency requirements. TOPIK Level 2 or King Sejong Institute Beginner 2 is the baseline. Exceptions may exist for companies that promise interpreter placement and monthly Korean language education.

Stay and Restrictions

  • The initial stay and training period is usually within 6 months.
  • If the need for additional training is recognized, it can be extended within a total of 2 years from the date of entry.
  • In principle, general employment outside your status, workplace changes, and domestic change to another status are restricted.
  • Invitation quotas based on the number of regular Korean employees at the training company and workplace reviews apply.

D-3 is not an employment system to fill a shortage of production workers. If an enterprise assigns only production work identical to regular workers without approved technical education, it may be judged as disguised training (위장연수, actual labor under the name of training).

Rights and Warning Signs for D-3 Trainees

The training company must provide a training plan, suitable accommodation, health check-ups, guarantee insurance against unpaid training allowances, and industrial accident insurance or equivalent accident insurance.

The following acts are subject to sanctions under official guidelines.

  • Forcible keeping of passports, Residence Cards, money, or wages
  • Shifting invitation costs, such as entry airfare, onto the trainee
  • Simple labor in a field different from the industry the trainee worked in abroad
  • Unpaid training allowances
  • Failing to pay statutory extra allowances for on-the-job training exceeding 8 hours a day or conducted at night
  • Entrustment or dispatch unrelated to training
  • Failing to provide safety equipment, insurance, and accommodation

Even if you are listed as a "trainee" in company documents, labor law coverage may apply if an actual employment relationship exists. For unpaid wages, industrial accidents, or passport confiscation, consult the Ministry of Employment and Labor at 1350, the police at 112, or immigration at 1345.

Detailed Types of D-4 General Training

Detailed code Representative target
D-4-1 Korean language training at university-affiliated institutes
D-4-2 General training at national, public, corporate, or organizational institutions, including customized corporate K-Trainee
D-4-3 Elementary, middle, and high school students studying abroad at their own expense
D-4-5 Korean cuisine cooking training at institutions designated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
D-4-6 Training at excellent private vocational and technical education institutions meeting Ministry of Justice standards
D-4-7 Foreign language training at university-affiliated institutes

The maximum Period of Stay granted at one time is 2 years. The actual total training period may be shorter depending on the program.

D-4-1 and D-4-7 Language Training

Officials review a high school diploma or higher, Standard Admission Letter, training plan, tuition and living costs, and final education documents. You can apply for part-time work only after 6 months have passed since entry or status change and you meet attendance, Korean language, and school confirmation requirements.

D-4-2 and K-Trainee

This is non-degree training at national or public institutions, enterprises, and organizations. There is also a pathway where domestic university graduates complete necessary training at the domestic headquarters or affiliate of a company hiring them abroad, or at international organizations. The corporate-customized internship D-4-2K is in principle 6 months, and if additional necessity is recognized, it can be extended within a scope not exceeding 1 year from the date of entry.

D-4-3 Elementary, Middle, and High School Study Abroad

Immigration verifies admission to an accredited paid educational institution, full tuition payment, living costs, and a qualified guardian (an adult responsible for looking after the student). Study abroad agencies and homestay business operators cannot become guardians. Income and asset standards also apply to guardians of students from certain countries. Students entering high school dormitories may have the guardian requirement waived depending on conditions.

D-4-5 Korean Cuisine Cooking Training

The program must be a regular course at an institution designated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. You cannot change directly to D-4-5 from another status within Korea. As a rule, after being selected, you must receive a Confirmation of Visa Issuance, leave Korea, and enter again. Immigration considers a maximum range of 2 years from the date of entry.

D-4-6 Training at Excellent Private Educational Institutions

This is training at a corporate vocational and technical education institution that meets Ministry of Justice standards. Trainees generally must be 18 to 30 years old with a high school diploma or higher. From January 1, 2026, the Korean language standard was raised to TOPIK Level 2, KIIP Stage 2 or pre-assessment test score of 41 points, or King Sejong Institute Beginner 2 or higher. Training is not employment, and it does not automatically allow general part-time jobs.

4. D-5 to D-9: Professional Activities

D-5 Journalism

Eligible Persons

  • Resident correspondents dispatched by foreign newspapers, broadcasting companies, magazines, or news media organizations
  • News gathering personnel stationed in Korea under contract with foreign news media organizations
  • Journalists affiliated with branch offices or bureaus of foreign media organizations established in Korea

The Period of Stay granted at one time is up to 2 years. For short-term news coverage of 90 days or less, consider the C-1 visa.

Main Documents and Scope of Activities

A dispatch order and certificate of employment from the foreign headquarters, branch or bureau establishment permission or business registration in Korea, and a news coverage plan are essential. If there is no branch in Korea, an official cooperation letter from the Korean Culture and Information Service of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism may be required.

D-5 is a status for news gathering and reporting purposes. Advertisement production, general corporate public relations, monetized YouTube businesses, and employment at other companies are not automatically included. If your affiliated institution or organization changes, report it within 15 days.

D-6 Religion

Eligible Persons

  • Persons dispatched from foreign religious or social welfare organizations to their registered branches in Korea
  • Dispatched persons engaging in missionary or religious activities at related religious organizations in Korea
  • Persons engaging in religious or welfare activities at medical, educational, or relief organizations run by religious bodies
  • Persons undertaking ascetic practice, training, or research upon recommendation from a domestic religious organization
  • Persons engaging in non-profit welfare activities at legitimate social welfare organizations

The upper limit of the Period of Stay granted at one time is 2 years. Prepare the dispatch order (dispatch document sent by the religious organization), establishment permission or unique number certificate of the domestic organization, and invitation and activity plans.

D-6 is a status for religious and welfare activities. Employment at general companies or for-profit businesses is not permitted. Lecturing at a university under the same religious foundation may also require a permit for activities outside your Status of Stay under E-1.

D-7 Intra-company Transfer

Basic Structure

This is a status for employees who have worked for 1 year or more at an overseas headquarters, institution, or company and are dispatched to Korea. The dispatch destination is an affiliated company, subsidiary, branch, or office in Korea, and the role is essential professional personnel. Conversely, there is also a structure where employees who have worked for 1 year or more at an overseas subsidiary of a domestic listed company or public institution are dispatched to the Korean headquarters to provide or acquire professional knowledge and technology.

Essential professional personnel refers to executives, senior managers, or persons with professional knowledge essential to the company's research, design, technology, or management. For general office, sales, and on-site service workers, or employees hired directly by a Korean corporation, you should consider other statuses like E-7 instead of D-7.

Key Requirements

  • Legal relationship between the overseas headquarters or subsidiary and the Korean branch or corporation
  • In principle, 1 year or more of work experience at the overseas company
  • Dispatch order and certificate of employment issued by the headquarters
  • Report of establishment of a domestic branch or liaison office and business registration
  • Introduction of operating funds, office space, tax payment, and business performance of the Korean business place
  • Applicant's role as an executive, manager, or specialist

If it involves key national industries, national projects, or cases recognized by the Ministry of Justice, the requirement of 1 year of overseas work may be waived. The upper limit of the Period of Stay at one time is 3 years.

Points to Note

  • Side jobs outside the company you are dispatched to and beyond your scope of work are not automatically permitted.
  • Transfers within the same affiliated group may be processed by reporting a change in foreigner registration details, but you must prove the affiliate relationship, dispatch order, and business performance again.
  • Even if you receive your salary from the overseas headquarters, you may be subject to filing Korean income tax if you work in Korea.

D-8 Corporate Investment

Type Eligible Persons Maximum Period of Stay at One Time
D-8-1 Corporate Investment Essential professional personnel of a foreign-invested Korean corporation 5 years
D-8-2 Venture Investment Representatives of companies with venture business confirmation or an excellent technology evaluation 2 years
D-8-3 Sole Proprietorship Investment Essential professional personnel who co-invested in a sole proprietorship run by a Korean national 5 years
D-8-4 Technology Start-up Founders of corporations with degrees or recommendations, and technology and points requirements 2 years
D-8-4S Technology start-up founders recommended for the Startup Korea Special Visa Within D-8-4 scope

D-8-1 Corporate Investment

Investment targets are limited to already established Korean corporations. The investment amount is 100,000,000 KRW or more, and in principle, you must hold 10% or more of voting shares, or hold shares and sign an executive dispatch or appointment contract.

Listing yourself as a representative or executive of the invested company on documents is not enough. You must prove the transfer of investment funds from abroad, foreign-invested company registration, fund usage, an actual workplace, taxes, and business operations. A person simply hired in Korea does not qualify as D-8-1 essential professional personnel. In this case, you can look into E-7.

D-8-2 Venture Investment

The target is a representative of a venture business or preliminary venture business with superior technology such as intellectual property rights. You must prove venture business confirmation, intellectual property rights or technology evaluation, the corporation, the workplace, and business performance.

D-8-3 Sole Proprietorship Investment

  • The investment target is a sole proprietorship run by a Korean national.
  • Foreign investment of 100,000,000 KRW or more and 10% or more of the total investment amount are required.
  • You must be registered as a joint representative with a Korean national on the business registration certificate.
  • Business funds of the Korean joint business partner must also be 100,000,000 KRW or more.

Nominal joint representatives, circular remittance where money is sent in loops, and temporarily deposited money that is put in and quickly taken out can be judged as false investment.

D-8-4 Technology Start-up and Startup Korea Special Visa

General Technology Start-up Points System

This is the path taken by people who want to start a technology corporation. Eligible persons are those who have an associate degree or higher in Korea, a bachelor's degree or higher abroad, or a recommendation from a relevant ministry.

  • At least 60 points out of a total of 300 points
  • At least 1 mandatory item such as patents, utility models, designs, government start-up support, OASIS (the Ministry of Justice start-up immigration training course), E-1 or E-3 research experience, or attracting investments of 100,000,000 KRW or more
  • Optional points such as Korean language, master's degree or higher, and OASIS training
  • Korean corporation establishment and business registration

Participants in the K-Startup Grand Challenge and beneficiaries of government start-up support projects above a certain amount can be exempt from the points system with a recommendation from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.

D-8-4S Startup Korea Special Visa

This is a technology start-up path where a private evaluation committee evaluates business viability and innovation, and the Minister of SMEs and Startups recommends candidates. You must establish a corporation in an industry related to the evaluated technology. Check notices from K-Startup and the Global Startup Center for detailed recruitment and recommendations.

Even if a change of Status of Stay is exceptionally allowed before establishing a corporation, you must usually complete corporate registration and business registration within 6 months and apply for an extension.

Common Practical Precautions

  • Keep records of the source of investment funds and remittance paths under your own name from the beginning.
  • Keep workplace lease contracts, signboards, office spaces, receipts for capital use, and bank account statements.
  • Individual investments under 300,000,000 KRW may face more rigorous screening regarding the use of funds and industry experience.
  • False investments and dormant corporations (a corporation that exists only on paper without actual business operations) can lead to denial of stay extension and criminal or immigration penalties.

Check foreign investment procedures at Invest KOREA of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA.

D-9 Trade Management

Main Activities

  • Company management and trade by traders who received a trade business identification number (무역업 고유번호) from the Korea International Trade Association
  • Foreign business operators running a sole proprietorship in Korea
  • Providing technical services for installing, operating, and maintaining imported industrial equipment and machinery
  • Essential professional personnel of ordering companies or specialized service companies who supervise shipbuilding or industrial equipment production

The Period of Stay has an upper limit of 2 years at one time.

General Foreign Sole Proprietors

Generally, you must bring in 300,000,000 KRW or more of foreign capital (funds brought in from abroad) under foreign exchange transaction procedures, register your business, and have an actual workplace. Graduates or prospective graduates with a master's degree or higher from Korean universities can look into special exceptions for investments of 100,000,000 KRW or more. Exceptions also exist if a bachelor's degree graduate in Korea earns 30 points or more in OASIS.

In principle, businesses with only an online address, residential-only spaces, and short-term leases of less than 6 months are hard to be recognized as workplaces. You also need to continuously prove the introduction of investment funds, capital use, business performance, and tax payments.

Equipment and Shipbuilding Sectors

You need a dispatch order and a certificate of employment from the overseas headquarters, and a shipbuilding contract or equipment introduction contract. It must not be simple machine operation or production work, but professional installation, operation, maintenance, and supervision required to fulfill the contract.

D-9-1 Trade Visa Points System

This is a system where traders enter based on points. A trade business identification number, business registration, and an actual workplace are prerequisite conditions.

Initial Permission

  • At least 60 points out of a total of 160 points
  • At least 10 points in mandatory items such as trade performance, trade experience, trade major, and Ministry of Justice-recognized training
  • Optional and bonus points such as stay in Korea, educational background, study in Korea, capital, and Korean language
  • The initial permission period is 1 year

Mandatory trade performance looks at the annual average export or export and import performance over the last 2 years. 2 years or more of trade experience, a relevant bachelor's degree, and OASIS trade professional training can also count as expertise points.

Extension

  • At least 5 mandatory points for annual average trade performance over the last 2 years
  • Additional points for hiring Korean nationals as regular, permanent employees, individual income tax payment, and advanced training
  • First extension is 6 months, 1 year, or 2 years depending on points
  • From the second extension, extension is denied if total points are 10 or less; 11 to 30 points give 1 year, and 31 points or more give 2 years as a basic structure

You use certificates of export and import performance issued by the Korea International Trade Association, export performance from foreign exchange banks, and transaction records from a limited range of online malls. Check official trade affairs at the Korea International Trade Association.

5. D-10 Job Seeking

Four Types of D-10 Job Seeking

Type Purpose Possibility of Internship
D-10-1 General Job Seeking Job seeking in E-1 to E-7 professional fields Professional internship possible if requirements are met
D-10-2 Technology Start-up Preparation OASIS, intellectual property rights, and corporation establishment preparation General internship not allowed
D-10-3 Advanced Technology Internship Paid advanced technology internship at eligible companies and research institutes Contracted advanced internship activities
D-10-T Top Talent Job seeking in Korea by talents with a master's degree or higher from top global universities Professional job seeking and short-term internships

With a D-10 visa, you cannot look for a job while working freely in restaurants or factories. This status assumes the possibility of leading to employment in professional fields from E-1 to E-7 or to technology start-ups.

D-10-1 General Job Seeking

General Points System

  • An associate degree in Korea or a bachelor's degree or higher in Korea or abroad
  • At least 20 points in basic items
  • At least 60 points out of a total of 190 points
  • Age and education, recent work experience, study or training in Korea, Korean language, and bonus points for top universities, global companies, recommendations, science and engineering fields, and high income
  • Point deductions for crimes and immigration law violations, and screening for disqualifying reasons

When nationals of a designated country announced by the Ministry of Justice change status domestically from certain statuses such as B or C short-term, D-3, E-9, E-10, or G-1, a restriction requiring 80 points or more in total may apply.

Points System Exemptions and Special Exceptions

  • People who graduated from a D-2 associate degree or higher program in Korea and are changing to D-10-1 for the first time: points system exemption for the initial 1 year
  • People within 3 years of graduating from a Korean university and possessing TOPIK Level 4 or equivalent to KIIP Stage 4
  • Foreign youth aged 18 to 24 who attended elementary, middle, or high school in Korea while growing up
  • Recent graduates of top global universities aged 29 or younger, or talents majoring in Korean studies with TOPIK Level 6
  • Persons who completed professional training for care workers
  • People who continue job seeking after completing professional work under E-1 to E-7
  • Interns at foreign diplomatic missions in Korea

The initial exemption for graduates does not continue indefinitely. Upon extension, the immigration office reviews points, job-seeking activities, and living costs again.

Period of Stay

  • Basic upper limit at one time: 1 year
  • Score of 80 points or higher, Korean university graduates with excellent Korean proficiency, top global universities, etc.: within a total of 3 years, 1 year at one time
  • Score of 60 to 79 points: within a total of 1 year, 6 months at one time
  • Job seeking for people with professional work experience: generally up to a total of 1 year, 6 months at one time

You must prove your job-seeking activity plan, application, interview, and recruitment processes, living costs, and address upon extension.

D-10-2 Technology Start-up Preparation

This status is for people with a bachelor's degree or higher, or an associate degree or higher in Korea, who are preparing for the following activities.

  • Participating in OASIS start-up immigration training
  • Holding or applying for intellectual property rights in Korea or OECD countries
  • Preparing patent, utility model, and design applications
  • Preparing technology start-up corporation establishment and business plans
  • Participating in the K-Startup Grand Challenge

General job-seeking internships are not allowed. You continuously need plans and actual activity records for start-up training, intellectual property rights, and corporation establishment.

Those with patents, 35 or more start-up points, or qualified K-Startup participants can receive 1 year at one time within a total of 3 years. For cases such as simply having pending applications or participating in only parts of OASIS courses, a range of 6 months at one time within a total of 1 year may apply.

D-10-3 Advanced Technology Internship and D-10-T Top Talent

D-10-3 Advanced Technology Internship

This is a status for doing a paid internship at eligible Korean companies and research institutes. The target is current students in a bachelor's degree program or higher, or talents within 3 years of graduation in advanced technology fields from top universities abroad.

  • University: Main campus ranked within the top 200 in THE or top 500 in QS
  • Age: Under 30 years old for bachelor's degree students and graduates, under 35 years old for master's degree or higher
  • Inviting organization: Listed companies with advanced research facilities, corporate research institutes or dedicated research departments, advanced technology enterprises, venture businesses, and national, public, or government-funded research institutes
  • Invited quota: Generally within 20% of the number of Korean employees
  • Stay: Total of 3 years, 1 year at one time

You can receive a salary and living costs according to the internship contract. Doing additional general part-time work at the same company is not allowed.

If you complete an advanced internship for 1 year or more, get formally hired in the same field, and earn a wage equal to or higher than the previous year's gross national income per person (GNI), you can look into special exceptions that exempt education and experience requirements when changing to E-7. If you start a business with the same technology, you receive D-8-4 bonus points.

D-10-T Top Talent

This is a type newly created in 2025. It is a status used at a stage when employment in Korea is not yet confirmed. The target is persons who received a master's degree or higher within the last 5 years from universities ranked within the global top 100 in overall or engineering fields by QS, THE, or US News.

  • No separate ministry recommendation is required.
  • You need a job-seeking plan and proof of your degree and university ranking.
  • It is within a total of 3 years, 1 year at one time.
  • When employment is confirmed, the immigration office screens the actual requirements for top talent or the relevant E or F status again.

D-10 Internships and Part-Time Work

D-10-1 Professional Field Internships

If you start an internship in a professional field under E-1 through E-7 or change companies, you must report the start of training or a change of training institution within 15 days.

  • An internship at the same company can last up to 1 year.
  • The screening reviews the rate of companies repeatedly using interns without converting them into regular hires.
  • D-10-2 Technology Start-up Preparation holders cannot do an internship.
  • General internships are also restricted for people who changed to D-10-1 after working under E-1 to E-7.
  • You need an internship contract, the company's business registration, an employment insurance subscriber list, and other related documents.

D-10-1 Part-Time Work Exceptions

Only people who meet all of the following requirements can get a separate permit for activities outside your Status of Stay and work within the scope of student part-time jobs.

  • Less than 3 years since earning an associate degree or higher from a domestic Korean university
  • TOPIK Level 4 or KIIP Stage 4 or higher
  • Must have never stayed under an E-1 to E-7 status in the past
  • Must hold D-10-1 status. D-10-2 and D-10-3 are excluded

The allowed time is 25 hours during weekdays, with no limit on weekends and public holidays. If you have KIIP Stage 5 or higher, you can work up to 30 hours during weekdays. In manufacturing, TOPIK cannot substitute, and you need KIIP Stage 4 or higher. Before starting work, you must obtain a permit for activities outside your Status of Stay, which includes a 120,000 KRW fee.

6. Family, Applications, and Life in Korea

Can You Bring Your Family?

Your family does not automatically receive the same D status.

  • Spouses and unmarried minor children of D-1, D-2, and D-4 to D-9 holders can look into F-3 Dependent Family if they meet the requirements.
  • D-3 Technical Training is excluded from general F-3 invitations.
  • For associate degrees, language training, and short-term study abroad courses, F-3 issuance for spouses and children is restricted, and only humanitarian reasons can be an exception.
  • D-10 is generally not a status based on family invitation. Check separately at the time of application whether special types like D-10-T offer family benefits.
  • F-3 spouses cannot work automatically. A separate permit for activities outside your Status of Stay or a change to a work status is required.

Details on family status are covered in the F series document.

The Application Process Usually Follows This Order

  1. Write the purpose of your activity in one sentence and find the exact D detailed code.
  2. Check the qualification requirements of the school, inviting institution, company, investment, or business first.
  3. Complete domestic preliminary procedures such as admission approval, invitation letter, dispatch order, investment report, and business registration.
  4. Check which procedure applies among a direct visa at a Korean diplomatic mission abroad, Confirmation of Visa Issuance, or an electronic visa.
  5. Prepare education, career, family, investment fund, financial, criminal record, and health documents in official authentication formats.
  6. Receive your visa and enter Korea within its validity period.
  7. If you stay for more than 90 days, complete foreigner registration within 90 days.
  8. Follow the deadline for permission or reporting whenever your address, passport, school, company, or business changes.
  9. Extend your Period of Stay before it ends, or change to a status that matches your actual next activity.

Use the Korea Visa Portal for visa processing, and use HiKorea for stay-related appointments and e-applications.

Checklist of Common Required Documents

  • Passport, photo, application form, and fee
  • Purpose documents such as admission approval, invitation letter, dispatch order, internship contract, and business plan
  • Business registration and establishment documents of the school, inviting institution, or company
  • Proof of degree, graduation, enrollment, transcript, attendance, and work experience
  • Documents on financial ability, tuition payment, scholarships, and research funds
  • Documents on investment report, foreign currency remittance, shareholder registry, corporate registration, and capital use
  • Trade business identification number, export and import performance, and equipment or vessel contracts
  • Criminal history records, tuberculosis test certificates, or health documents if required
  • Proof of residence such as a lease agreement, dormitory certificate, or accommodation provision confirmation
  • Documents proving family relations and separate application documents for accompanying family members

Foreign public documents may require not only translations but also an Apostille or consular confirmation from a Korean diplomatic mission abroad. Follow the instructions of the receiving office regarding the validity period of documents and eligible issuing countries.

Registration, Changes, and Re-Entry After Entry

Foreigner Registration

People staying for more than 90 days must, in principle, complete foreigner registration at the immigration office in charge within 90 days from the date of entry. Even if your school or company submits as a group, check your registration completion and Period of Stay yourself.

Reporting Changes

If your name, nationality, passport number and validity period, address, or school, affiliated organization, or company name changes, report it within the deadline for each reason. For changes related to affiliation, training, or internships from D-1 to D-10, a 15-day deadline usually applies in many cases, but for activities requiring prior permission, you must get permission first.

Re-Entry

If a registered foreigner leaves Korea, returns within 1 year, and still has a remaining Period of Stay at that time, a re-entry permit is generally exempted. If you have a history of entry restrictions or plan to stay abroad for more than 1 year, check your re-entry permit before leaving Korea.

Health Insurance, Taxes, and Labor Rights

  • Foreign students and long-term residents become eligible for local subscriber coverage or workplace subscriber coverage under National Health Insurance depending on their Status of Stay and timing of entry or registration. Enrollment timing may differ for D-2 and D-4, so check with the National Health Insurance Service at 1577-1000.
  • Even if D-7 through D-9 holders receive a salary from an overseas head office, Korean taxes may apply to income from work or business performed in Korea. For national tax consultation, call 126.
  • The minimum wage and the Labor Standards Act also apply to legally employed students, interns, and workers. The minimum wage for 2026 is 10,320 KRW per hour. Source: Minimum Wage Commission
  • The actual working relationship matters more than the name of the school or company. For unpaid wages, industrial accidents, or verbal and physical abuse, consult the Ministry of Employment and Labor at 1350 or the police at 112.
  • For international student part-time work and D-10 internships, keep your permit, contract, pay slip, and work hours record.

7. Safety and Wrap-Up

These Statements Are Warning Signs

Do not believe the following statements.

  • "Once you get a student visa, you can work anywhere right away."
  • "You can start going to work first without school confirmation and get permission later."
  • "As long as you borrow a delivery app account, it is legal even for international students."
  • "D-3 trainees receive no labor law protection at all."
  • "Even if you just deposit 100,000,000 KRW into Korea and send it back, you will get a D-8 visa."
  • "As long as you have a fake office and business registration, you can extend your investment or trade visa."
  • "If you have a D-10 visa, you can work full-time in factories or restaurants."
  • "Send government fees to a personal bank account or virtual assets."
  • "The company must keep your passport and Residence Card."

If you use an agency, check the qualifications, office, contract, receipt, and refund policy of the lawyer or certified administrative agent. Do not believe statements that guarantee approval, employment, or investment returns.

Questions to Check for Yourself Before Applying

  • Among studying, training, working, doing business, or seeking a job, what is your main activity in Korea?
  • Is your school or course subject to FIMS registration and certification?
  • If you receive money, with whom and what kind of contract do you sign, and what kind of work do you do?
  • Can you prove the legal relationship between the overseas head office and the Korean company with documents?
  • Is the investment money really your own, and can you prove all pathways of bringing it from abroad and using it?
  • What E, F, or D status do you plan to change to after graduation or contract termination?
  • Are your spouse and children coming with you? Does your spouse also plan to work?
  • Do you have past records of illegal employment, attendance shortage, or immigration, criminal, or tax violations?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a D visa a work visa?

D-7 through D-9 allow permitted corporate, investment, and trade activities, but the entire D series is not a status for free employment. D-1, D-2, D-3, D-4, and D-10 have particularly limited purposes and permission scopes.

When can D-2 students start doing part-time jobs?

D-2-1 through 4, D-2-6, and D-2-7 can apply immediately in principle, but you must first receive school confirmation and a part-time work permit from immigration. D-2-8 and D-4 language training can apply only after 6 months have passed.

Can students work as delivery riders?

No, you cannot. Special-type work such as delivery riders, parcel delivery, and substitute drivers are restricted fields for student part-time work.

What is the difference between D-3 training and E-9 employment?

D-3 is training for employees of overseas affiliated companies to learn approved technology and return. E-9 is actual non-professional employment under the Employment Permit System (EPS). Using D-3 to hire general production workers can become disguised training.

If an overseas company sends me to a Korean branch, is it automatically D-7?

No, it is not. You must fulfill the legal relationship between companies, 1 year of overseas work, a dispatch order, and an essential professional personnel role. If it is direct hiring by a Korean company, a status like E-7 may be appropriate.

If I invest 100,000,000 KRW, do I automatically get a D-8 visa?

No, you do not. D-8-1 reviews the invested corporation, equity and management relationships, lawful fund introduction, actual business operations, and the applicant's role together. D-8-3 and D-8-4 have separate requirements.

Can I do any part-time job on a D-10 visa?

No, you cannot. The part-time work special exception for general job seekers is possible only if you meet all requirements, such as less than 3 years after obtaining a Korean degree, TOPIK or KIIP, and past E status history, and have received prior permission.

Do I automatically get a D-10 visa when I graduate?

No, you do not. You must apply for a change of Status of Stay before expiration. For D-10-1 applied for the first time after graduating from a domestic Korean university, there is an exemption from the points system, but other evaluations and documents are still required.

In Closing

What matters in the D series is not the broad category number called "D". You must check the exact detailed status, original activity, permission method for paid activities, and the next status after graduation, training, or dispatch ends. The school's certification grade, documents for Korean diplomatic missions abroad, start-up recommendations, and university rankings may change at the time of submission. Right before submitting your documents, check again with your school, the diplomatic mission in charge, or 1345.

Official Sources

This document was written based on the following official sources.

Policies and schedules can change. Always confirm with the official sources before applying or departing.