Supporting Global Entrepreneurs in Korea
Empowering foreign entrepreneurs to establish and grow their businesses.
Providing expert guidance, resources, and visa support for a successful launch.
D-8-4 Technology & Business Startup Visa
1. Requirements
- A person who has an associate’s degree or higher in Korea.
- A person who has a bachelor’s degree or higher abroad.
- A person recommended by the relevant central administrative agency, who holds intellectual property rights or equivalent technological skills and is a founder of a corporation.
2. Permit Requirements
- A person must have obtained the required degree or a recommendation from the relevant agency.
- Only those who have already received the degree are accepted.
- The applicant must score at least 60 points out of 300 in the points-based system.
- At least one mandatory requirement must be met.
- The applicant must directly establish a corporation in Korea and complete all necessary registrations.
- * Refers to a corporation in the field related to the ‘mandatory requirements’ of the points-based system, such as intellectual property rights that the applicant owns (registered), invented, or applied for.
- ** Refers to the establishment of a new corporation, and does not include the acquisition of an existing corporation.
- ※ (Note) If all other requirements are met but the corporation has not been established, it will be Acknowledged on the condition that the corporation is established within 6 months (6 months of stay period granted, with an extension after corporation registration and business registration are completed).
3. Legal Basis
- Article 10 of the Immigration Control Act
- Article 12 and Appendix 1-2 (11. ‘d’ section) of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Control Act
- Guidelines for Issuance of Visa and Stay Management for Business Investment (D-8) (Revised on 10.28.2024)
4. Eligibility
- Foreign nationals legally residing in Korea who wish to start a technology business
5. Technology Startup (D-8-4) Visa Point System: Total 300 Points
6. Mandatory Items and Points (180 points): At least one is required
| ITEM | Holder (or Registrant) of Intellectual Property Rights | Co-inventor of Intellectual Property Rights | Applicant for Intellectual Property Rights (up to 10 points) | Beneficiary of Government Startup Support Program or OASIS 6 or OASIS 9 | Stayed for 3+ Years with Professor (E1) or Researcher (E3) Status | Person who Secured an Investment of 100 Million KRW or More | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patent | Utility Model or Design | Patent | Utility Model or Design | Patent | Utility Model or Design | ||||
| Score Allocation | 60 | 30 | 30 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 30 | 30 | 60 |
Note:
- If there are multiple intellectual property rights (IPR) holdings (registrations), inventions, or application achievements, duplication is allowed within a maximum of 60 points. However, for IPR applications, a maximum of 10 points will be acknowledged regardless of the number of applications.
- If the intellectual property rights are held (registered), invented, or applied for jointly (with nationals, foreigners, organizations, corporations, etc.), or if the individual has benefited from the OASIS-6 or OASIS-9 program, or government startup support programs, or has secured an investment of over 100 million KRW, the points will be divided by the number of joint participants and awarded accordingly.
7. Selectable Items and Scores (120 points): Duplicate Inclusion Allowed
| 구분 | OASIS 1, OASIS 2, OASIS 4 | OASIS 5, OASIS 7, OASIS 8 | Korean Language Proficiency | Holds a Master’s Degree or Higher | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOPIK Level 5 or KIIP Level 5 | TOPIK Level 3 or KIIP Level 3 | ||||
| Score Allocation | Each 10 | Each 15 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
Legend:
- 1) Individuals who received direct business funding of 30 million KRW or more from central government agencies but do not meet the requirements for exemption from the point system, such as obtaining a recommendation from the Minister of SMEs and Startups and the recognition period (2 years).
- 2) Regardless of the current visa status, past stay history is also acknowledged. If an individual changes status from Researcher (E-3) to Professor (E-1), the total duration of stay in Korea for each status is combined, and if the total stay period exceeds 2 years, points are acknowledged.
- 3) Individuals who have received an investment of 100 million KRW or more for startup purposes from AC, VC, etc., and have been recommended by the Global Startup Immigration Center.
- 4) If an individual holds intellectual property rights registered in an OECD country, they are exempt from OASIS-2 training and points are acknowledged.