South Korea · Business / Startup
South Korea D-9 trade (after study)
Investment needed: ₩100M+ ≈ $75k
International Trade Visa (D-9), study-abroad-and-trade track
First checked against official sources on , some details partly verifiedChange log
Key facts
D-9 trade (after study) is a business / startup route for South Korea. Applicants need an investment of ₩100M+ ≈ $75k. You can stay 2 yrs, renewable. Local work: limited. Checked 2026-10-11 against the official source.
- Money needed
- ₩100M+ ≈ $75k
- Government fees
- $60
- First stay
- 2 yrs
Cost, time and long term
To apply: government fee $60; investment ₩100M+ ≈ $75k. No lawyer or agent fee is included.
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.
Invested and held₩100M+ ≈ $75k
- KRW 100,000,000 (≈ $75,000)Investment to manage a company in Korea; separate from the D-8 tech start-up points route.
RenewalRenewable
D-9 is granted for up to 2 years at a time and can be extended.
Permanent residenceAfter 5 years of residence
General rule: more than 5 years in D-7 to D-10, E-1 to E-7 or F-2 status, plus good conduct, ability to earn a living and basic knowledge of Korea (Korean language and society). .
CitizenshipGeneral rule: 5 years of residence
General naturalization needs 5 consecutive years of domicile in Korea and qualification for permanent residence, plus good conduct, self-support and basic knowledge of Korea.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs earlier residence or an existing status in South Korea
- Work rights are limited
What you'll need
Who can apply2
- The applicant holds, or expects to obtain, a master's degree or higher in Korea.
- The related D-9 trade-specific route uses a separate trade-visa points system with extra points for Social Integration Programme level 3 or higher.
What you must show1
- The applicant invests more than KRW 100 million (≈ $75,000) to manage a company in Korea.
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
For international students who hold or expect a Korean master's degree or higher and invest more than KRW 100 million (≈ $75,000) to manage a company in Korea. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- An investment of over KRW 100,000,000 (≈ $75,000) · Investment to manage a company in Korea; separate from the D-8 tech start-up points route. 1
- 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. 2
Requirements
- The applicant holds, or expects to obtain, a master's degree or higher in Korea. 1
- The related D-9 trade-specific route uses a separate trade-visa points system with extra points for Social Integration Programme level 3 or higher. 1
- The applicant invests more than KRW 100 million (≈ $75,000) to manage a company in Korea. 1
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
Work is limited to the trade and company-management activities of the D-9 status; other activities need prior permission.
Family
Spouse and underage children can be invited as F-3 dependents; parents can be invited as F-1 where the holder's annual income is more than twice the previous year's GNI. Your spouse or partner needs their own work permit to work in South Korea: permission for activities outside their status, limited to approved occupations.
Official sources
- 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
- Visa Navigator customised stay guide for foreign residents (Korean-language edition) · Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-10
- Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Annex 1-2: long-term stay statuses (amended 27 May 2025) · National Law Information Center, Korea (law.go.kr) · checked 2026-10-12 · published 2025-05-27
- Nationality Act (Articles 5 and 6, English translation) · Korea Legislation Research Institute (Ministry of Government Legislation) · checked 2026-10-11
D-9 trade (after study) and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| D-9 trade (after study) | Needs an investment of ₩100M+ ≈ $75k | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Startup Korea Special (D-8-4) | – | 5 yr | With a permit |
| D-8 Tech Start-up | – | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
| SMART Visa S · 2 years Thailand | Needs savings of ฿600k+ ≈ $18k | 2 yr, renewable | Limited |
| Business Manager Japan | Needs an investment of ¥30M+ ≈ $189k | 5 yr, renewable | Limited |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the D-9 trade (after study)?
An investment of over KRW 100,000,000 (≈ $75,000). Investment to manage a company in Korea; separate from the D-8 tech start-up points route. 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 D-9 trade (after study)?
Up to 2 years per grant, extendable.
Can I work on the D-9 trade (after study)?
Limited. Work is limited to the trade and company-management activities of the D-9 status; other activities need prior permission.
Can I bring my family on the D-9 trade (after study)?
Spouse and underage children can be invited as F-3 dependents; parents can be invited as F-1 where the holder's annual income is more than twice the previous year's GNI.
Does the D-9 trade (after study) lead to permanent residence in South Korea?
Time on the D-9 trade (after study) counts toward permanent residence in South Korea, which the rules allow after 5 years of residence. The general rule for citizenship is 5 years of residence.
Is there a tax break for D-9 trade (after study) 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
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≈ 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 2026-10-11 against 5 official sources. Status: partly verified; the page marks the facts an official source does not fully confirm.
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.
- 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
- Visa Navigator customised stay guide for foreign residents (Korean-language edition) · Korea Immigration Service, Ministry of Justice · checked 2026-10-10
- Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, Annex 1-2: long-term stay statuses (amended 27 May 2025) · National Law Information Center, Korea (law.go.kr) · checked 2026-10-12
- Nationality Act (Articles 5 and 6, English translation) · Korea Legislation Research Institute (Ministry of Government Legislation) · 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.