D-8 Visa Requirements in Korea: Investment Threshold, Documents and Process

What the D-8 status is for

D-8 is the status for a foreign national who has made a registered investment in a Korean company and takes part in running it. The most common sub-category, D-8-1, applies to an investment in a corporation.

The key point is that D-8 is not a work visa attached to an employer. It is attached to your investment in a specific company. If that company stops operating, or your stake changes, your status is affected.

The investment threshold

The published minimum foreign investment for D-8-1 is KRW 100 million. Two things about that number are commonly misread.

First, it must be registered as foreign direct investment (FDI). Bringing money into Korea is not enough on its own — the investment is registered through a designated foreign exchange bank or through KOTRA, and you receive a foreign investment registration certificate. That certificate is what immigration looks at.

Second, meeting the minimum does not make an application straightforward. Immigration examines whether the company is a real operating business: office space, employees, contracts, and activity consistent with the stated purpose. Applications for companies that exist only on paper are a common refusal ground.

Typical sequence

The order matters, because several steps depend on the previous one being complete.

1. Report the foreign investment to a designated foreign exchange bank or KOTRA.
2. Remit the investment funds through the reported route.
3. Incorporate the company and complete court registration.
4. Obtain the foreign investment registration certificate.
5. Register the business with the tax office and obtain the business registration certificate.
6. Apply for the D-8 status — either a visa issuance certificate from outside Korea, or a change of status if you are already in Korea on an eligible status.

Doing step 3 before step 1 is the mistake that most often forces a restart, because the investment then may not qualify as registered FDI.

Documents commonly requested

Requirements differ by office, but applications generally include:

• Application form and passport
• Foreign investment registration certificate
• Business registration certificate
• Corporate register extract (deungibu deungbon, 등기부등본)
• Evidence that the investment funds were remitted
• Office lease agreement
• Business plan

Some offices additionally ask for photographs of the office, employment records or tax payment records. Ask your local office for its current checklist rather than relying on a list found online — including this one.

Extensions and what puts them at risk

D-8 is granted for a limited period and extended on review. At extension, immigration typically looks at whether the business is still operating, whether taxes and social insurance contributions have been paid, and whether the investment remains registered.

Situations that commonly cause problems at extension:

• The company has filed no revenue and has no employees
• Tax or national pension and health insurance payments are in arrears
• The registered investment was withdrawn or reduced
• The applicant’s actual work has drifted outside the scope of the status

Because extension is a review rather than a formality, keeping company filings current matters as much for your status as it does for the business.

Related statuses worth comparing

If the investment threshold is not realistic yet, two adjacent routes come up often:

• D-10 (job seeker) — a temporary status for job hunting or preparing a start-up, not for operating a funded business.
• E-7 (designated activities) — employment status where a Korean employer sponsors you for a specified occupation.

Which one fits depends on whether you are funding a company or being hired by one. Neither can be converted to D-8 without meeting the D-8 requirements in full.