D-8 Foreign Investment Visa Korea: Complete 2026 Guide

The D-8 visa (Corporate Investment) allows foreign nationals to reside in Korea as investors in, or essential professionals of, a foreign-invested company.

What is the D-8 Visa?

The D-8 visa is issued to foreign nationals who:

• Invest KRW 100 million or more in a Korean corporation and own 10% or more of its voting shares (or own shares and conclude an executive dispatch/appointment contract)
• Work as an essential professional in the management/administration or production/technology field of a foreign-invested company (persons recruited in Korea are excluded)
• Are dispatched by the investing foreign corporation to the foreign-invested company in Korea (the dispatch order must state the dispatch period)

Key Requirements

Minimum Investment Amount

• Standard: KRW 100 million or more (D-8-1 corporate investment, D-8-3 individual enterprise investment)
• Investment funds are in principle in the investor's own name; remittance in the name of a spouse or minor child is accepted as an exception

Eligible Applicants

1. Foreign investor who directly invested in a Korean company
2. Essential professional dispatched by the investing foreign corporation
3. Spouse and minor children of D-8 visa holders (eligible for F-3)

Required Documents

• Application form, passport, one standard photo and fee
• Foreign-invested company registration certificate (외국인투자기업등록증)
• Business registration certificate, corporate registry certificate and shareholder change statement
• For dispatched staff: dispatch order stating the dispatch period, and employment certificate
• Documents proving the inflow of investment funds (e.g., remittance confirmation, foreign exchange purchase certificate, customs declaration)
• For individual investors investing under KRW 300 million: documents showing the use of capital and the existence of the business place

Application Process

Step 1 — Foreign Investment Registration
Register your investment with KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency) or a bank authorized for foreign exchange.

Step 2 — Incorporate a Korean Company
Establish a limited liability company (유한회사) or joint-stock company (주식회사) in Korea.

Step 3 — D-8 Visa Application
Apply at the Korean embassy/consulate in your home country, or change status at a Korean immigration office if already in Korea (status change is not available from some statuses).

Step 4 — Alien Registration
If you will stay more than 90 days from the date of entry, register within 90 days of entry at the local immigration office (Immigration Control Act Art. 31(1)) to receive your Alien Registration Card (ARC).

How VISAS KOREA Can Help

Setting up a foreign-invested company and obtaining the D-8 visa involves complex regulatory requirements. Our team of certified administrative agents (행정사) provides:

• Company formation assistance
• Foreign investment registration with KOTRA
• D-8 visa application preparation and submission
• Ongoing compliance support

📞 Contact us: 02-363-2251 | Free Consultation →