D-8 visa — corporate investment in Korea: complete 2026 guide
The four sub-types (D-8-1/2/3/4), capital requirements, documents, extension, and the path to F-5 permanent residence.
The D-8 visa is a residence status for foreign investors who put capital into a Korean company under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act (FIPA) and engage directly in its management, administration, or specialized technical work. Because it ties the visa to an operating business rather than to employment, it is a key FDI gateway for investors who want to build a company in Korea and settle long-term, ultimately progressing toward permanent residence.
1. What D-8 is, and who it is for
D-8 is granted to foreigners who invest in and actively run a business in Korea — it does not apply to passive investment, meaning you cannot simply hold shares and stay uninvolved in operations. The visa is excluded for passive investors because it exists to attract genuine job-creating enterprise, not portfolio capital; someone who never participates in management is treated as having no real business reason to reside in Korea. It therefore suits business owners, startup founders, and executives or specialists dispatched by a foreign-invested company who will be on the ground directing the work.
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Fill D-8 forms →2. The four D-8 sub-types
- D-8-1 (corporate investment / incorporated) — the most common path: invest to set up a new Korean corporation and run it as an executive or specialist.
- D-8-2 (venture / technology transfer): for executives of certified venture firms or those operating under a technology-transfer arrangement.
- D-8-3 (investment in a private business): invest at least ₩100 million into an unincorporated private business (개인기업) run by a Korean national, converting it into a foreign-invested enterprise — typically a joint investment alongside a Korean partner rather than a company you incorporate yourself.
- D-8-4 (technology startup / OASIS): a points-based track for founders who hold a degree and intellectual property; it sets no minimum capital figure, but compensates with a stricter qualitative review of the venture's substance.
3. D-8-1 requirements (corporate investment)
- Invest at least ₩100 million (~USD 75,000) to establish a Korean corporation.
- Hold at least 10% of total shares, so that your stake is meaningful rather than nominal.
- Take part in actual management — passive investment does not qualify, and the immigration office expects to see you in a genuine directing role.
- The funds must be legally remitted from overseas, evidenced by a Foreign Currency Purchase Certificate (외국환매입증명서) issued by a Korean bank when the incoming currency is converted — the document that proves the capital truly originated abroad and entered Korea through proper banking channels.
4. D-8-4 technology startup (OASIS)
This sub-type is aimed at technology founders and is assessed through the OASIS points system rather than a fixed capital threshold:
- You must reach at least 80 points on the OASIS matrix, which scores factors such as qualifications, intellectual property, and training.
- You must satisfy at least one mandatory item — for example, a registered patent, or completion of OASIS training through the Global Startup Immigration Center.
- You need a bachelor's degree from any country, or an associate's degree from a Korean college.
- You must establish a new corporation — acquiring or buying into an existing company does not count toward this track.
5. Documents & process
The core file centres on proving the overseas origin and legal transfer of the investment funds via the Foreign Currency Purchase Certificate (외국환매입증명서), supported by a detailed business plan, your incorporation documents, and a lease for real office or business premises. That premises check matters: the immigration office wants an actual address where the business operates — a signed lease, a plausible fit for the stated activity, and signs of genuine occupancy — not a paper company registered to an empty room. Processing usually takes 60–180 days depending on nationality and how complete the file is. ⚠️ In 2026, consular scrutiny has tightened, with reviewers focusing closely on the authenticity of the investment and the true source of the funds.
6. Extension & rejection reasons
The initial period of stay is usually 1–2 years, and it can be extended up to 5 years — and renewed beyond that as long as the business keeps operating normally. At each extension you must show actual revenue, tax filings, and operating records, not merely that the original capital is still sitting untouched in an account — the authorities want a living business, not a dormant one.
The most common reasons for rejection are: (1) an unclear or unverifiable source of funds; (2) a business plan that looks unviable; (3) the absence of real business premises; (4) incomplete or fraudulent documents; and (5) a prior history of immigration violations.
7. Path to F-2 / F-5
- D-8 → F-5 (investor permanent residence): hold D-8 for 3 consecutive years, maintain an investment of ≥₩500 million (~USD 500,000), and employ at least 5 Korean nationals full-time. It is the direct route, but its hiring and capital thresholds are demanding.
- More commonly used: D-8 → F-2 (points-based residence) → F-5. The investment amount counts toward your F-2-7 points, so a larger investment improves your score, and the more achievable F-2 status acts as a stepping stone — often a gentler, more flexible way to reach F-5 than meeting the direct F-5 conditions all at once.