Korea Business Registration for Foreigners: Visa Rules, Documents and the 20-Day Deadline

Visa first — registration second

The first test for a foreigner registering a business in Korea is not the paperwork; it is your status of stay. The tax office will not register a business for someone whose visa does not permit business activity.

Statuses that generally permit business registration:

• F-2 (Resident), F-5 (Permanent Resident), F-6 (Marriage Migrant) — register with no extra immigration step.
• F-4 (Overseas Korean) — eligible, but restricted in certain industries (such as simple manual labour); the permitted scope is set by the Immigration Act enforcement decree.
• D-8 (Corporate Investment), D-9 (Trade Management) — eligible, typically in corporate form.
• E-series work visas — limited; you generally need an out-of-status activity permit or a status change first.

A tourist visa (B-2) or short-term visitor status does not permit employment or business, so registering is not possible until you change status. If you are unsure whether your visa permits it, confirm with immigration before applying — registering on a visa that forbids it can surface as a violation at your next renewal.

The 20-day deadline

Business registration must be filed within 20 days of your business start date (saeop gaesi-il, 사업개시일). The start date is when you actually begin operating, not when you decide to register. Pre-registration before you start is also allowed.

Registering late has a concrete cost:

• For general taxpayers, a surcharge of 1% of your total supply value from the start date to the day before registration.
• For simplified taxpayers, late registration can trigger a penalty and the loss of input VAT credits on pre-registration expenses.

In practice the 20-day window is the single most missed rule, because the visa questions and premise paperwork take longer than expected. Start the process before you begin selling, not after.

How to apply — Hometax or a tax office

Registration is handled at Hometax (hometax.go.kr) or in person at any local tax office (semuseo, 세무서).

• Online (Hometax) — requires a foreign registration number (or, for F-4 holders, the domestic residence report number) and a Korean public authentication certificate. If you have neither number, online filing is not available.
• In person — the tax office accepts a passport, so applicants who have not yet completed alien registration often find this faster. You can use your passport number to register, but once alien registration is completed you must notify the tax office of the change so invoices and banking work correctly.

The business registration certificate (saeopja deungrokjeung, 사업자등록증) is typically issued within about two to three business days of a complete application; it can extend to a few more if the office inspects the premises.

Typical documents

• Alien registration card (or passport)
• Business premises proof — a lease agreement with the landlord’s signature, or ownership documents
• Industry-specific licence or permit, for regulated industries (food service, education, medical and others)
• A tax manager appointment form, if you will be abroad for six months or more

Foreign-language documents generally need a Korean translation, and documents from outside Korea may need notarisation or an apostille depending on your country — an unnotarised translation is a common rejection point.

What registration changes on your tax bill

Once registered, your business sits in one of two VAT regimes:

• Simplified taxpayer (gani gwaseja, 간이과세자) — if your annual supply value is below the threshold (₩104 million since July 2024, raised from ₩80 million). Simplified taxpayers pay VAT at a reduced effective rate (roughly 1.5% to 4% depending on industry) and file once a year, and those below a lower threshold owe no VAT but must still file.
• General taxpayer — above the threshold, you charge 10% VAT and file twice a year (July and January), but you can claim full input VAT credits on business expenses.

Alongside VAT, you owe comprehensive income tax on business profit each May, plus the 10% local income surtax. The tax consequences of freelancing and filing are covered in our freelance tax guide; this article is about the registration step itself.

Note — the registration deadline, the simplified-taxpayer threshold, surcharge rules and document requirements are set by the National Tax Service and tax law and are revised periodically. This article is general information as of August 2026 and is not tax or immigration advice — verify the current rules at Hometax, the National Tax Service, or a tax office, and confirm your visa’s permitted activity with immigration before applying.