Corporate Investment (D-8)
1. Essential professional personnel who intend to engage in the management, administration, or production/technical field of a South Korean corporation, a foreign investment company according to the "Foreign Investment Promotion Act" ['Investment in Corporation (D-8-1)' for distinction]
*Only applies to corporations that have completed establishment. * Those employed domestically are excluded.
2. Among those who established a venture company with excellent technological capabilities such as possessing intellectual property rights according to Article 2, Paragraph 2, Subparagraph 2 of the "Special Act on Promotion of Venture Companies", the representative of a company that received venture company confirmation according to Article 25 of the same Act, or a company with highly evaluated technology ['Venture Investment (D-8-2)' for distinction]
3. Essential professional personnel who intend to engage in the management, administration, or production/technical field of a company managed by a South Korean citizen (individual), a foreign investment company according to the "Foreign Investment Promotion Act" ['Investment in Individual Enterprises (D-8-3)' for distinction]
*Those employed domestically are excluded.
4. A corporation founder who has obtained a degree of at least a professional bachelor's degree in Korea, or a person who has obtained a bachelor's degree or higher abroad, or a person recommended by the head of the relevant central administrative agency, who possesses intellectual property rights or equivalent technological capabilities ['Technology Startup (D-8-4)' for distinction]
Maximum period of stay granted at one time
Investment in Corporation (D-8-1) and Investment in Individual Enterprises (D-8-3): 5 years
Venture Investment (D-8-2) and Technology Startup (D-8-4): 2 years
Permission requirements and targets
Investment in Corporation (D-8-1 Visa)
1. The investment target should be a corporation in South Korea
2. The investment amount should be 100 million won or more, owning more than 10% of the total number of shares with voting rights of the invested corporation (Enforcement Decree of the Foreign Investment Promotion Act Article 2, Paragraph 2, Subparagraph 1) or owning shares of the corporation and concluding an executive dispatch appointment contract (Enforcement Decree of the Foreign Investment Promotion Act Article 2, Paragraph 2, Subparagraph 2)
*The investment money should be in the name of the investor (however, bringing in the name of the spouse and minor children or proxy remittance is exceptionally recognized)
Venture Investment (D-8-2 Visa)
1. Among those who have established or are preparing to establish a venture company with excellent technology capabilities, such as owning intellectual property rights according to the "Special Act on Promotion of Venture Companies", Article 2, Paragraph 2, Subparagraph 2, the representative of a company who has received venture company confirmation (or preliminary venture company confirmation) or the representative of a company evaluated as having excellent technology
* Applies to companies guaranteed for technology evaluation and preliminary venture companies (companies preparing to establish a corporation or register a business operator of the venture company and companies within 6 months of the startup of the company)
* Confirmation of whether it is a venture company or a preliminary venture company is conducted by the Korea Technology Credit Guarantee Fund (Technology Credit Guarantee Fund Act), the Small and Medium Business Corporation (Small and Medium Business Promotion Act), or the Korea Venture Capital Association (Special Act on Promotion of Venture Companies)
* Evaluation refers to those received from the Korea Technology Credit Guarantee Fund (Technology Credit Guarantee Fund Act) or the Small and Medium Business Corporation (Small and Medium Business Promotion Act)
Investment in Private Business (D-8-3 Visa)
1. The investment target must be a business run by a South Korean citizen (individual).
2. The investment amount must be at least 100 million won, owning at least 10% of the total contribution of the invested business according to Article 2, Section 21 of the Foreign Investment Promotion Act Enforcement Rules, and must be listed as a joint representative with a Korean on the business registration certificate.
The principle is to use the investment amount in the investor's name (However, funds brought in or remitted on behalf of a spouse or minor child are exceptionally acknowledged).
3. The joint business partner, who is a citizen, must have a business fund of at least 100 million won.
Technical Startup (D-8-4 Visa)
1. Point System Applied Candidates
(1) Those who have acquired a degree higher than an associate degree in Korea, or a bachelor's degree or higher abroad, or a person recommended by the head of the relevant central administrative agency.
(2) Those who have scored at least 80 points out of a total of 448 points according to the point system
- At least one essential item must be satisfied.
(3) Those who have established a Korean corporation and have completed the corporate registration and business registration.
2. Point System Exempted Candidates (Technical Startup Special Case Targets)
(1) Participants in the Startup Grand Challenge who meet all of the following requirements:
-Those who have been selected to participate in the K-Startup Grand Challenge in the past two years and are receiving or have received business commercialization funds.
* Only short-term stay foreigners who entered the country at the invitation of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups to participate in the K-Startup Grand Challenge are eligible (those who registered technical capabilities during the K-Startup Grand Challenge and are representatives of overseas corporations that have or are commercializing those capabilities, or employees of those corporations are excluded from the special case).
-Those who have established a corporation that meets all of the following conditions
*(Representative) The participant in the business who has technical capabilities.
*(Business type) The business type is related to the technical capabilities that form the basis for business participation.
*(Establishment conditions) The corporation was newly established after the date of business participation.
-Those who have received a recommendation from the Minister of SMEs and Startups for a change of status to the technical startup (D-8-4) residency.
(2) Those who are recipients of government startup support projects (limited to high-tech-based businesses) according to the "Unified Announcement of Startup Support Projects" who meet all of the following conditions
- Recipients of a government startup support project according to the "Unified Announcement of Startup Support Projects" in the past two years who have received at least 30 million won in direct business expenses from the government for a high-tech-based business.
* The Ministry of SMEs and Startups issues a unified
announcement each year according to Article 5 of the "Act on Support for Small and Medium Enterprise Startups".
-The conditions for the establishment of a corporation and the issuance of a recommendation letter from the Minister of
SMEs and Startups are the same as those for participants in the K-Startup Grand Challenge mentioned above.
Documents Required for D-8 Visa Application
Documents to Submit for Corporate Investment (D-8-1) Change
1. The investment target should be a corporation in South Korea (only corporations that have completed establishment)
2. he investment amount should be at least 100 million KRW / own more than 10% of the total shares.
Documents to Prepare
1. Integrated application form - 1 photo
2. Passport / Family Register / Chinese ID Card / Alien Registration Card
3. Business Registration Certificate / Corporate Registry Certificate / Original Shareholder Change Statement
4. Foreign Investment Report / Copy of Company Registration Certificate
5. Documents proving the introduction of investment funds
- Approval (notification) for foreign currency outflow from the customs or bank (financial institution) of the home country
- Document of the introduction of investment funds (Remittance confirmation, Foreign currency purchase certificate, Customs declaration, etc.)
- If in-kind contribution: Confirmation of completion of in-kind contribution (Issued by the Customs Director)
- Copy of customs import declaration
6. Certificate of business performance (Export/import performance, etc.)
7. Document proving the use of capital (Purchase of goods, domestic bank deposit/withdrawal statement, other usage)
8. Business place verification documents - Lease agreement / View of the business place / Office space / Signboard photo, etc.
9. Residence verification documents
10. Corporation Tax payment certificate
11. Tax payment certificate
12. Value-added tax taxable standard certificate
13. Government revenue stamp 100,000 KRW
*The investment target should be a corporation in the Republic of Korea
*The amount of investment should be more than 100 million won, owning more than 10% of the total number of stocks with voting rights of the invested corporation (Enforcement Decree of the Foreign Investment Promotion Act, Article 2, Paragraph 2, Subparagraph 1) or owning stocks of the corporation and having a dispatch or appointment contract with the corporation's executives (Enforcement Decree of the Foreign Investment Promotion Act, Article 2, Paragraph 2, Subparagraph 2)
Documents to Submit for Venture Investment (D-8-2) Change
1.Representative of a venture company or a company evaluated as having excellent technology who established or is preparing to establish a venture company with excellent technology such as holding intellectual property rights in accordance with Article 2-2, Paragraph 1, Sub-Item 2, Sub-sub-item of the "Special Act on the Promotion of Venture Businesses."
* It also includes Technology Evaluation Guarantee Company and Pre-Venture Company (if preparing to establish a corporation or register a business, and within 6 months after the establishment of the company)
* Verification of whether it is a venture company or a pre-venture company is conducted by the Technology Credit Guarantee Fund (Technology Credit Guarantee Fund Act), Small and Medium Business Corporation (Act on the Promotion of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), or Korea Venture Capital Association (Special Act on the Promotion of Venture Businesses)
* Evaluation refers to those received from the Technology Credit Guarantee Fund (Technology Credit Guarantee Fund Act) or the Small and Medium Business Corporation (Act on the Promotion of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises)
Required Documents
1. Integrated application form - 1 photo
2. Passport / Alien Registration Card
3. Business registration certificate / Corporate registry certificate
4. Venture company confirmation certificate / Pre-venture company confirmation certificate
5. Documents proving excellent technical skills such as holding intellectual property rights
- Patent certificate (Patent Office)
-Utility model registration certificate (Patent Office)
- Design registration certificate (Patent Office)
-Trademark registration certificate (Patent Office)
- Copyright registration certificate (Korea Copyright Commission)
- 기Technology Credit Guarantee Fund or Small and Medium Business Corporation's Technology Excellence Evaluation Certificate
6. Business location proof documents - Lease contract / Business place overview / Office space / Signboard photos, etc.
7. Proof of business performance (proof of export and import performance)
8. Proof of residence documents
Documents to Submit for Change of Private Business Investment (D-8-3)
1. The investment target should be a company operated by a Korean citizen
2.The investment amount should be over 100 million won, owning more than 10% of the total stocks and being registered as a joint representative with a Korean on the business registration certificate
3. The business fund of the Korean joint businessman should be more than 100 million won
Required Documents
1. Integrated application form - 1 photo
2. Passport / Alien Registration Card (for the relevant person)
3. Copy of the joint business registration certificate / Original joint business agreement
4. Foreign investment report / Copy of the invested company registration certificate
5. Proof of introduction of investment funds
- Permission (declaration) for foreign currency exportation from the tax office or bank (financial institution) in the home country
- Statement of introduction of investment funds (remittance confirmation / foreign exchange purchase certificate / customs declaration
- In case of in-kind contribution: Confirmation of completion of in-kind contribution (issued by the head of the customs office)
- Copy of customs import declaration certificate
6. Documents proving capital usage (purchase of goods, domestic bank deposit and withdrawal statement)
7. Certificate of business performance (such as import and export performance)
8. Business place proof documents - lease contract / business place overview / office space / signboard photos etc.
9. Proof documents of the people's business funds (usage details) for co-business operators
10. Residence proof documents - rental contracts etc.
11. Government revenue stamp 100,000 KRW
Documents to be submitted when changing to technology startup (D-8-4)
1. A person who has earned a bachelor's degree or higher in Korea, or a person who has earned a bachelor's degree or higher abroad, or a person recommended by the head of a related central administrative agency
*Only those who have already earned a degree are recognized, not those who are expected to earn it.
2. Must have scored at least 80 out of a total of 368 points according to the scoring system
-At least one mandatory item must be met
3. Must have established a corporation in South Korea and completed corporate registration and business registration
* Refers to newly established corporations, not acquisitions of existing corporations etc.
Required documents
1. Integrated application form - 1 photo
2. Passport / Alien Registration Card
3. Business registration certificate / Corporate registration - Full registration certificate
4. Scoring system applicable proof documents
* Documents proving excellent technical capabilities, such as possessing intellectual property rights
- Patent applicants need a patent application proof certificate (Korean Intellectual Property Office)
- Utility model registration certificate (Korean Intellectual Property Office)
- Design registration certificate (Korean Intellectual Property Office)
*Certificate of completion of the required items from the startup immigration comprehensive support system issued by the head of the global startup immigration center, award confirmation, selection letter, etc.
-Other scoring system applicable proof documents
5. Copy of degree certificate or recommendation letter from the head of a related central administrative agency
6. Business place proof documents - Lease contract / business place overview / office space / signboard photos etc.
7. Certificate of business performance (such as import and export performance)
8. Residence proof documents
1. common document
(1) Application form, passport, standard size photo, residence proof documents (real estate lease contract etc.)
(2) Full registration certificate and copy of business registration certificate
* If the corporation establishment has not been completed, submission of full registration certificate and business registration certificate copy can be omitted and should be submitted within 6 months along with an extension of stay (only applicable for scoring system candidates)
(3) Copy of degree certificate or recommendation letter from the head of a related central administrative agency
2. Submission documents for those subject to the scoring system
(1) If you own (registered) intellectual property rights, you need a copy of the patent certificate, utility model registration certificate, design registration certificate
☞ For intellectual property rights possession search, refer to 'KIPRIS' of the Korean Intellectual Property Office (www.kipris.or.kr/khome/main.jsp)
(2) For those who own (registered) intellectual property rights in OECD countries, you need a copy of documents proving that fact (Apostille certification is the principle, but for non-member country nationals, it can be replaced with verification by the consul of the Republic of Korea residing in an OECD country)
(3) If you applied for a patent etc., you need an application proof certificate issued by the head of the Korean Intellectual Property Office
(4) Documents such as a certificate of completion (completion, graduation) of the relevant items of the Startup Comprehensive Support System (OASIS) issued by the head of the 'Global Startup Immigration Center' designated by the Minister of Justice, award confirmation, selection letter
(5) Other documents proving relevant items of the scoring system
3. Documents to be submitted by those exempt from the scoring system (special case candidates for technology startup)
(1)(Participants in the K-Startup Grand Challenge) Basic submission documents + K-Startup Grand Challenge participation confirmation letter issued by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, recommendation letter from the head of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (the confirmation and recommendation letters are only collected at the time of the initial change of residence status permission)
(2) (Recipients of the government startup support project) Basic submission documents + Recommendation letter from the head of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups.