Hello, I’m Attorney Kyusung Lee from WeOn Law.

I graduated with honors in Economics from Brown University in the U.S. and have extensive overseas experience, including working at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in securities research. My fluency in English allows me to provide comfortable consultations for clients without the need for an interpreter.

I offer a variety of legal services for foreign clients interested in investing in Korea, from establishing foreign-invested companies to visa issuance.

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[Types of Korean Investment Visas for Foreigners and Application Procedures]

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Today, I’d like to provide information on the issuance and residency procedures for the D-8 Foreign Investor Visa.

The D-8 visa is issued to essential professionals engaged in the management, administration, production, or technical sectors of foreign-invested companies, as well as individuals with intellectual property or industrial property rights who establish venture businesses with recognized technological excellence.

However, the following cases are not eligible for a change of residency status to corporate investment within Korea:

- Those who entered for group or individual tourism purposes

- Individuals from certain countries holding a C-3 short-term visit visa who entered as part of a group or solely for tourism

- Trainees on a D-3 visa

- Non-professional employment (E-9)

- Seafarer employment (E-10)

- Working visitors (H-2)

- Other (G-1) residency holders

- Working holiday (H-1) visa holders from certain countries (France, Ireland, United Kingdom)

Furthermore, foreign residents who meet the eligibility requirements for D-8 status as essential professionals in management, production, or technology sectors of foreign-invested companies may apply for a change in residency status. Upon receiving a D-8 visa or obtaining residency status, foreigner registration becomes possible.

When extending the D-8 visa, it’s necessary to prepare and submit the required documents, although these may vary based on the performance of the foreign-invested company.

Additionally, spouses and minor children of D-8 visa holders are granted an accompanying F-3 visa, which aligns with the D-8 holder's residency duration.

If an accompanying family member’s passport expires before the end of the D-8 visa holder's residency period, the residency is only granted until the passport expiration date. It’s advisable to renew passports in advance to avoid issues.

For visa applications, documents issued domestically should be submitted within three months of the issue date unless otherwise specified. The head of the regional Immigration and Foreign Affairs Office may adjust the required documents if deemed necessary for the visa or residency review process.