South KoreaBusiness residence permit

Visa for business investors in South Korea

A visa for a foreign investor who puts capital into a Korean company and personally works there as an executive, manager or specialist, and for the founder of a technology startup with patents or recognised technology. It suits those moving to Korea to run their own business rather than taking up employment at someone else's company.

Visa term

1 year initially, renewable

Processing time

Usually 2-4 weeks after registration

Work

Managing the investee company; a director on a salary

Residence

Residence in order to manage the business

Source: visa.go.kr — catalogue of Korean visas, Investment section (D-8-1, D-8-2)

Who can obtain one

The visa brings together several routes in — from investing capital in an existing company to technology startup status.

Who qualifies by role

Executive director of the company — sets the management strategy and receives only general supervision from the board and shareholders, without providing services directly
Senior manager — approves the goals and policy of the company or a department, hires and dismisses staff, and supervises other managers and specialists
Specialist — has the specialised experience and knowledge needed for the company's research, development, technology or service management
Founder of a venture business officially recognised as such under the act on support for venture enterprises, or the representative of a company with a high technology rating
Founder of a technology startup — with a college diploma in Korea or a bachelor's degree abroad, or with a recommendation from the relevant central government body, who owns intellectual property rights or equivalent technology

Official visa sub-categories

Incorporated Enterprise (D-8-1) — an investor in a registered company
Business Venture (D-8-2) — the founder of a venture business
Unincorporated Enterprise (D-8-3) — a sole proprietorship of a Korean national recognised as a foreign-invested company
Technology and Business Startup (D-8-4) — a technology startup
Intra-Company Transferee by FTA (D-8-91) — an employee transfer under a free trade agreement

What it costs

Minimum investment in the capital of a Korean company	100 000 000 KRW

Documents to gather

The package for filing at a Korean embassy or consulate; the list differs for investments in money and in kind.

Visa application form, passport, one standard-size photograph, payment of the fee
Secondment order and a certificate from the current place of work — for employees sent by a foreign parent company
A copy of the foreign-invested company registration certificate
A copy of the business registration certificate, an extract on the incorporation of the legal entity, and the original details of changes in the shareholder composition
Documents on the receipt of the investment funds: for cash investments — permission or declaration for the export of currency, a certificate of transfer or purchase of foreign currency, and a customs declaration; for investments in kind — a certificate of completion of the investment in kind and a copy of the import customs declaration
For private investors putting in less than three hundred million won — additionally documents on the use of the capital, proof that the office exists (tenancy agreement, photographs of the premises, signage) and a certificate of business experience in the investor's country

How the process runs

The route from registering a company in Korea to obtaining the visa and resident status.

1
Establish the company and transfer the investment
The foreign investor puts at least one hundred million won into the capital of a Korean company under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act and registers it as a foreign-invested enterprise; the funds are transferred through a bank with the purpose of the payment recorded as a foreign investment.
2
Gather the documents and file the visa application
The applicant submits the application form, passport, photograph and the package of documents on the company and the investment to the Korean diplomatic mission for their place of residence; in some cases a confirmation of visa issuance may first be obtained in Korea, valid for three months.
3
Receive the visa and enter Korea
The consulate issues a D-8 visa to work at a specific foreign-invested company. Within ninety days of entry you must complete alien registration and obtain a residence card — for D-8 holders no fee is charged for the card.

Who you can bring with you

A spouse and minor children accompany the D-8 holder on a separate status.

Spouse and minor children

They receive an F-3 visa as dependent family members; the status is valid until the main applicant's D-8 visa expires, or until the family member's passport expires if that comes first

Renewal and the grace period

The application to extend the period of stay is filed with the local immigration service from four months before the current period expires; filing after expiry attracts a fine. An investor managing the company confirms turnover, tax payments and the office lease; an employee sent by the parent company provides the secondment order and an employment certificate. D-8 holders are exempt from the fees for extending the period of stay, changing the status of stay, issuing a residence card and re-entry permission.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Visa for business investors	visa for remote workers	Work visa for specialists
Visa term	1 year initially, renewable	Around 1 year (one renewal possible); the rules are still taking shape	1-2 years initially, renewable
Grounds	Investors/founders	Remote income	Shortage occupations
Money	Minimum investment from ~100 million KRW; proof of the transfer and of the viability of the business	Proof of stable income above the threshold and of savings	No personal funds required; the employer pays the minimum salary under the standard
Work	Managing the investee company; a director on a salary	Remote work only for a foreign employer; local work is prohibited	Work for the sponsor; a change requires approval
Residence	Residence in order to manage the business	Stay within the permitted period; it does not count towards permanent residence	Mainly residence; absences are restricted for permanent residence

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

With a sustained investment — F-5 on investment grounds

Route to citizenship

Citizenship after F-5

Frequently asked questions about Visa for business investors

Who can obtain a D-8 visa?

An investor who has put at least one hundred million won into the capital of a Korean company and works there as an executive director, senior manager or specialist; or the founder of a venture business with intellectual property rights; or the founder of a technology startup with relevant education and a patent or recognised technology.

How much must be invested for a D-8 visa?

At least one hundred million won, paid into the capital of a Korean company and evidenced by a bank transfer or the import of property. Private investors putting in less than three hundred million won additionally need documents on the use of the capital and proof that the office exists.

What sub-categories does the D-8 visa have?

The Korean visa portal identifies five sub-categories: Incorporated Enterprise (D-8-1) for an investor in a registered company, Business Venture (D-8-2) for the founder of a venture business, Unincorporated Enterprise (D-8-3) for a sole proprietorship, Technology and Business Startup (D-8-4) for a technology startup, and Intra-Company Transferee by FTA (D-8-91) for an employee transfer under a free trade agreement.

Can the family come with the D-8 holder?

Yes. A spouse and minor children receive an F-3 visa as dependent family members. The status is valid until the main applicant's D-8 visa expires, or until the family member's passport expires if that comes first.

How is D-8 status extended?

The extension application is filed with the local immigration service from four months before the current period of stay expires. An investor managing the company confirms turnover, tax payments and the office lease; an employee sent by the parent company provides the secondment order and an employment certificate.

Are there fees for extending or changing D-8 status?

No. D-8 holders are exempt from the fees for issuing a residence card, extending the period of stay, changing the status of stay and re-entry permission — this is part of the preferential regime for foreign investors.

How does the D-8 visa differ from the E-7 work visa or the D-9 trade visa?

On the Korean visa portal D-8 falls under the "Investment" section — for those who invest in a company's capital and manage it. The "International Trade" section with the D-9 visa is for international traders and entrepreneurs running their own business without establishing an investment company. The "Professional" section with the E-7 visa is for specialists hired by a Korean company, with no requirement for personal investment by the applicant.

Other ways to move to South Korea

Every route in one list — migration programmes: South Korea.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 8 August 2026.