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Q&A on Visas and Everyday Living

What types of visa are issued by the Korean government and what is the general procedure required to obtain them?

In order to do business in Korea, foreign citizens must obtain an appropriate visa. For long-term stay as residents , they must also obtain Certificate of Alien Registration from the Exit-Entry Control Office of the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), and should carry it with them as identification.

All applications for visas can be made within Korea or at Korean embassies and legations abroad. Foreign investors who fail to obtain D-8 visas (for employment by a foreign invested company) before entry into Korea can get a permit to change their visa status to a long-term stay from a competent Exit-Entry Control Office or from the Korea Investment Service Center (KISC).

A foreign individual residing in Korea may be permitted to change his/ her visa status to D-8 visa from another type of visa without leaving the country, but the foreign company must be involved in investment in Korea at the time.

Generally, applications are submitted abroad by embassies or consulates of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MOFAT). If the visa is for tourism or short-term business purposes (usually 90 days or less), a visa can usually be issued by a Korean embassy or consulate abroad within a few days. D-8 visas must be extended every year. The visa renewal process for residents has been simplified. Now residents can simply apply for an extension of sojourn. For help with all matters pertaining to Korean visas, contact a competent Exit-Entry Control Office. The MOJ can be contacted at Tel: (82-2) 503-7097.

Are there any regulations regarding visas that are important for foreigners to bear in mind?

A resident foreigner who temporarily leaves Korea with the intention of returning must obtain a re-entry permit before departure unless he/she holds a valid multiple entry visa . Such a re-entry permit should be obtained when the initial alien registration is made and renewed as necessary. The permit can also be obtained before departure from the Immigration Office in Gimpo Airport. If a person enters Korea for tourism (C-3), study (D-2) or training (D-3), but wishes to stay on for purposes of business (D-7) or investment, they should obtain a permit to adjust their visa status or acquire a new visa.

How long is the permitted length of stay on a foreign investment (D-8) visa?

An individual investor establishing or managing foreign investment and highly specialized personnel who are invited by the individual investor, or is transferred to a foreign invested company from its foreign head company, are required to acquire a foreign investment (D-8) visa.

The Minister of Justice has entrusted the right of issuing a single foreign investment (D-8) visa for a duration of less than one year to ambassadors and diplomatic ministers. Therefore the length of stay granted to a foreigner applying for a visa at embassies or consulates abroad shall not exceed one year. But in cases when hosts in Korea obtain an authorized visa permit from the Immigration Office or an agency and send it to their guests for the purpose of visa issuance at embassies or consulates abroad, the visas issued can be effective up to two years as detailed in the authorized visa permit. A visa can be extended continuously if foreign visa holders have not been involved in illegal activities during their stay, and the reason for their stay in Korea remains the same  

What type of schooling is available for foreign children residing in Korea?

There are nearly 30 international schools in major cities of Korea that provide education for children of all ages from other nations. Seoul Foreign School (SFS) and Seoul International School (SIS) are two of the most well-known .

Most of the international schools in Korea teach in English and follow the American curriculum, but there also are a few schools with other curriculums designed for French, German , Japanese, or Chinese students. Still, all classes are designed to meet the needs of an international population. In most cases, students attend the schools from Monday to Friday from 8:20 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Class sizes usually do not exceed 25. A diverse range of after-school activities can be found in each school, and nearly all schools have buses that serve most of the foreign residential areas.

What official procedures are necessary following the birth of children to foreign parents during a tenure of employment in Korea?

All children born to foreign parents during a tenure of employment in Korea should be registered at the embassy/ legation of the concerned foreigner's nationality. Furthermore, passports for all such children should be acquired.

The parents must then apply for temporary residence approval of for their newborn at the immigration office or KISC (Korea Investment Service Center) within 30 days of birth. Should a newborn be taken out of the country within 30 days of birth, exit is allowed without a permit of residence being obtained.