South Korea · Student
South Korea Student visa (D-2)
First stay: 2 yrs
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Student visa (D-2) is a student route for South Korea. Local work: with a permit. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- $60
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
Government fees$60
- $60Visa application fee for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer; the amount differs for some passport countries and multiple-entry visas cost more.
RenewalRenewable
D-2 is granted for up to 2 years at a time and can be extended.
Permanent residenceConditions
Student status is not among the statuses listed for the general 5-year permanent residence rule. Graduates usually move to a work status (E-1 to E-7), a start-up status or point-based F-2, and time in those statuses counts.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs a place at a school or university in South Korea
- Working needs a separate permit
What you'll need
Who can apply1
- The student is admitted to a Korean university or higher-education institution on a programme covered by D-2.
What you must show4
- There is no single national proof-of-funds amount: each Korean mission sets its own.
- Seattle consulate: students of non-accredited universities show bank statements for the last 3 months with at least USD 5,000.
- San Francisco consulate: bank balance of more than USD 1,000 for each month of stay.
- Chicago consulate: the minimum balance is the cost stated on the Certificate of Admission.
Documents2
- Documents are the Certificate of Admission, a passport, the e-form printed from the Visa Portal and proof of funds.
- Non-accredited universities add a recommendation letter and proof of enrolment or the highest diploma.
Steps1
- The university can request a visa issuance confirmation through the Korean Visa Portal.
After you arrive1
- Paid part-time work needs separate permission.
What happens at day 183
How South Korea decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
Up to 2 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in a continuous residence in KoreaA person with no domicile who has a residence in Korea for 183 days or more is a resident
- Foreign-source income
Remittance basis (5 years)
A foreign resident whose total period of domicile or residence in Korea is five years or less in the ten years before the end of the tax period is taxed on foreign-source income only to the extent it is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea.
- Special regime
Remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence · Tax relief
All tax rules for South Korea Tax records checked
Full official text
Student status for foreign nationals enrolled in degree programmes at Korean universities and other higher-education institutions. 1 2 3 4 5 6
What you must show and pay
- A fee of $60 · Visa application fee for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer; the amount differs for some passport countries and multiple-entry visas cost more. 6
Requirements
- The student is admitted to a Korean university or higher-education institution on a programme covered by D-2. 1
- There is no single national proof-of-funds amount: each Korean mission sets its own. 2 3 4
- Seattle consulate: students of non-accredited universities show bank statements for the last 3 months with at least USD 5,000. 2
- San Francisco consulate: bank balance of more than USD 1,000 for each month of stay. 3
- Chicago consulate: the minimum balance is the cost stated on the Certificate of Admission. 4
- Documents are the Certificate of Admission, a passport, the e-form printed from the Visa Portal and proof of funds. 2
- Non-accredited universities add a recommendation letter and proof of enrolment or the highest diploma. 2
- The university can request a visa issuance confirmation through the Korean Visa Portal. 1
- Paid part-time work needs separate permission. 5
Stay
- Up to 2 years per grant, extendable.
- First stay: up to 24 months, decided case by case.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
Work
Study only; paid work needs separate permission.
Family
Students who stay more than 6 months on a bachelor's or higher degree course can invite their spouse and minor children as F-3 dependants. Master's and doctoral students who stay more than 6 months can invite their parents and their spouse's parents on F-1 status with proof of financial support. Some students who have stayed less than 2 years cannot invite their spouse and children unless there are humanitarian reasons.
Official sources
- Korea Visa Portal: visa issuance confirmation eligible categories (E-7, D-2, F-3) · Korea Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10
- D-2 Student Visa & D-4 Language Trainee Visa · Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Seattle (MOFA) · checked 2026-10-10 · published 2026-01-02
- D-2 Student Visa and D-4 Language Trainee Visa application · Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in San Francisco, Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
- Student Visa (D-2) and Korean Language Program (D-4) · Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Chicago, Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
- Visa Navigator: Customized Stay Guide for Foreign Residents · Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-12
- Visa application fees for each visa type · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · checked 2026-10-11
Student visa (D-2) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student visa (D-2) | – | 2 yr, renewable | With a permit |
| D-4 language study | – | 2 yr, renewable | No |
| Study visa (ED) Thailand | – | 3 mo, renewable | No |
| Student visa Japan | – | 4.3 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Student visa · Non-formal Indonesia | – | 4 yr, renewable | No |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Student visa (D-2)?
A fee of $60. Visa application fee for a single-entry visa for a stay of 91 days or longer; the amount differs for some passport countries and multiple-entry visas cost more.
How long can I stay on the Student visa (D-2)?
Up to 2 years per grant, extendable.
Can I work on the Student visa (D-2)?
With a permit. Study only; paid work needs separate permission.
Can I bring my family on the Student visa (D-2)?
Students who stay more than 6 months on a bachelor's or higher degree course can invite their spouse and minor children as F-3 dependants.
Does the Student visa (D-2) lead to permanent residence in South Korea?
Student status is not among the statuses listed for the general 5-year permanent residence rule.
Is there a tax break for Student visa (D-2) holders in South Korea?
Korea: remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence: A foreign resident whose total period of domicile or residence in Korea is five years or less in the ten years before the end of the tax period is taxed on foreign-source income only to the extent it is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea. It's separate from the visa and has its own conditions.
Tax
Special regime
Korea: remittance basis for foreign-source income of foreigners with 5 years or less of residence
Tax relief
Details
- On: Foreign-source income that is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea
- Who: Foreign national (not a Korean citizen) who is a Korean tax resident
A foreign resident whose total period of domicile or residence in Korea is five years or less in the ten years before the end of the tax period is taxed on foreign-source income only to the extent it is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea.
Taxed on
Foreign-source income that is paid in Korea or remitted to Korea; Korean-source income and all other income is taxed in full under the progressive income tax.
Who it applies to
- Foreign national (not a Korean citizen) who is a Korean tax resident.
- Sum of periods with a domicile or residence in Korea over the 10 years before the end of the taxable period is 5 years or less.
- Resident means having a domicile in Korea or a residence of 183 days or more.
Exclusions
- After more than five years of domicile or residence within the ten-year look-back, foreign-source income is taxed on a worldwide basis as for Korean residents.
- Income not paid or remitted into Korea stays outside the Korean base for qualifying foreigners.
Days in the country
- At least 183 days in continuous residence in Korea · A person with no domicile who has a residence in Korea for 183 days or more is a resident
Tax residence
The five-year test is counted over the ten years before the end of the relevant taxable period; non-residents are taxed only on Korean-source income (article 3(2)).
Visas
Applies by tax residence status and nationality, not by visa category.
Other taxes
Local income tax, VAT and social insurance apply separately; see “Optional flat tax rate for foreign employees” and “Korea progressive comprehensive income tax rates” for employment tax rates.
Checked against official sources on Change log
More in South Korea
Study visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 6 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Korea Visa Portal: visa issuance confirmation eligible categories (E-7, D-2, F-3) · Korea Immigration Service · checked 2026-10-10
- D-2 Student Visa & D-4 Language Trainee Visa · Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Seattle (MOFA) · checked 2026-10-10
- D-2 Student Visa and D-4 Language Trainee Visa application · Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in San Francisco, Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
- Student Visa (D-2) and Korean Language Program (D-4) · Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Chicago, Ministry of Foreign Affairs · checked 2026-10-10
- Visa Navigator: Customized Stay Guide for Foreign Residents · Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-12
- Visa application fees for each visa type · Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the USA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · checked 2026-10-11
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.