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D-9 International Trade

South KoreaStarting a business

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Get your free results Read the five questions ↓

Is this for a founder, startup entrepreneur, self-employed person, freelancer, company owner or another business profile?

D-9 is for persons dispatched to work on the establishment and management of a company, trade, installation of imported machinery, production of industrial facilities, etc.

See recorded sources

What must actually exist or be demonstrated: business plan, company, innovation, clients, contracts, economic activity, job creation or other substance?

Substance depends on the profile: a trader issued a trade business number; installation, operation and repair of export facilities (machinery); supervision of ship building and equipment production; company management and commercial business; international students who become trade managers. The Trade Specific track requires meeting the trade visa point system.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The point thresholds and documentary evidence are not stated.

What investment, capital, income, revenue, funding or viability evidence is central to this pathway?

For the Study Abroad and Trade track, the person must have obtained (or expect) a master's degree or higher in Korea and have invested more than 100 million won to manage a company in Korea. The official source does not state a capital or viability requirement for the other profiles of this route.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • No capital or viability requirement is stated for other D-9 profiles.

What business/self-employed activity may the holder conduct? Are there important restrictions? What is the family position where clearly stated?

D-9 holders can invite a spouse and underage children as F-3, and parents can be invited as F-1 if annual income exceeds twice the previous year's GNI (GNI level for Korean-university graduates). The official source does not state the activity the holder may carry out or its restrictions.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Restrictions on business activity beyond the listed profiles are not stated.
  • https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration_eng/230/454085/download.do
    - (F-3, Dependent Family) Those staying on D-7(Intra-company Transferee) to D-9 (International Trade) status can invite their spouse and underage children as F-3 (Dependent Family) status
  • https://www.immigration.go.kr/bbs/immigration_eng/230/454085/download.do
    - (F-1, Parents of Foreign Talent, Investors and International Students) Those with D-7 (Intra- company Transferee) to D-9 (International Trade) status, whose annual income is more than twice the previous year's GNI can invite their parents (including parents of spouse) as F-1 status. However, for those who have acquired a bachelor's degree or higher from a domestic university and have changed to the above status, the requirements have been eased to an annual income equal to the GNI level or higher.

What approval/application sequence applies, how long is the status granted, how is it renewed, and what longer-term residence direction is officially stated?

The Visa Navigator lists D-9 with a 2-year period of stay, marked extendable. Its flow chart for D-7 to D-9 holders shows a path to Resident (F-2) as a long-term resident after more than 5 years in D-7 to D-9 status (with good conduct and ability to maintain a livelihood), and then to Permanent Resident (F-5) as a general permanent resident after more than 5 years in D-7 to D-10, E-1 to E-7 or F-2 status, subject to good conduct, ability to earn a living and basic knowledge.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The renewal (extension) procedure and criteria for D-9 itself are not described in the Navigator.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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