WWorkmate

Korea D-8 Startup & Investment Visa Eligibility

A basic eligibility checklist for foreigners who want a D-8 visa by founding or investing in a company in Korea. Pick your type (D-8-1/3/4) and check the requirements — the OASIS score is unpublished and variable, so this tool guides rather than asserts a number.

Visa type

D-8 basic eligibility

Select your type and requirements, then check.

What this tool does

The D-8 is Korea's business-investment visa for foreigners who found or invest in a Korean company. It splits into three common types: D-8-1 (set up or invest in a corporation), D-8-3 (invest in a Korean-run company), and D-8-4 (technology startup — found a new company with your own intellectual property). This tool checks the verifiable core requirements for each type. For D-8-4 it deliberately does NOT compute an OASIS score: the official minimum is 60 of 300, but sources disagree (80–120) and the item-by-item table is an internal, unpublished Ministry of Justice manual that changes without notice.

Who uses this

  • Foreign founders deciding between the investment route (D-8-1) and the startup route (D-8-4)
  • Entrepreneurs with a patent checking the D-8-4 technology-startup requirements
  • Investors confirming the ₩100M / 10%-share rule before wiring funds
  • D-10-2 (startup-prep) holders mapping the jump to D-8-4
  • Anyone preparing documents before a hikorea or KOTRA consultation

How to use (4 steps)

  1. 1Pick your D-8 type: D-8-1 corporate investment, D-8-3 individual investment, or D-8-4 technology startup.
  2. 2Tick the core requirements shown for that type (investment & shares & corp registration, or degree & IP & new corp & an OASIS mandatory item).
  3. 3Add the common conduct requirement: no criminal record, fewer than 4 immigration violations, no unpaid taxes.
  4. 4See what's met and what's missing — then verify your exact eligibility (and, for D-8-4, your OASIS points) at hikorea.go.kr or the Global Startup Immigration Center.

How the OASIS points test works (informational)

OASIS (Overall Assistance for Startup Immigration System) scores D-8-4 applicants. Official pass mark: 60 of 300 — but unofficial sources cite 80–120 as the realistic bar. Mandatory items (need at least one): a registered/pending IP right, government startup funding or OASIS-6/9 participation, ₩100M+ investment raised, or 3+ years as a professor (E-1)/researcher (E-3). Optional items add points: OASIS coursework (OASIS-1/2/4/5/8), TOPIK level, and master's/PhD degrees. ⚠️ The full table is an internal, unpublished MOJ manual that changes yearly, so this tool checks the verifiable requirements only and does NOT assert a score.

Typical scenarios

Founder with a pending patent (D-8-4)

Has an overseas bachelor's, a pending patent, and is forming a new corp — three core items met. Still needs at least one OASIS mandatory item and a clean conduct record. Confirm the points at the Global Startup Immigration Center.

Investor setting up a Korean corp (D-8-1)

Wires ₩100M+, takes 10%+ of voting shares, and completes corp + foreign-investment-enterprise registration. Immigration still examines business substance and source of funds — small investors face closer scrutiny.

Investing in a Korean-run company (D-8-3)

Same ₩100M / 10% rule plus an executive contract. D-8-3 grants the longest single stay among D-8 types (up to 5 years), but the minimum investment is still ₩100M, not ₩300M.

Frequently asked questions

What is the D-8 visa?+

Korea's business-investment visa for foreigners who run or invest in a Korean company. D-8-1/D-8-3 are investment-based; D-8-4 is for technology startups founded on your own IP.

How much do I need to invest?+

For D-8-1 and D-8-3, the legal minimum is ₩100M (about US$73K) with 10%+ voting shares, under the Foreign Investment Promotion Act. D-8-4 has no fixed minimum capital in law, but immigration still expects realistic funding.

Why doesn't this tool calculate my OASIS score?+

The official minimum is 60, but unofficial sources say 80–120, and the detailed point table is an unpublished MOJ manual that changes yearly. Asserting a wrong score could mislead your application, so we check the verifiable requirements and send you to the official source.

Can I buy an existing company and get a D-8-4?+

No. D-8-4 requires founding a NEW corporation. Acquiring an existing company doesn't qualify for the technology-startup route.

Does a patent application (not yet granted) count?+

Yes — a pending patent, utility model, or design right counts for D-8-4. You don't have to wait for registration to be completed.

What's the recommended path for founders?+

Start on D-10-2 (startup-prep, 6 months up to 2 years), join the OASIS program and set up your corporation, then switch to D-8-4 (issued for 12 months at a time).

Cautions

  • •OASIS scores and the point table are unofficial/unpublished and change yearly — this is a requirements checklist, not a score calculator.
  • •Meeting the requirements does not guarantee approval; business substance and source of funds are examined at officer discretion.
  • •D-8-4 needs a NEW corporation; a virtual-office address is effectively not accepted — a real office is expected.
  • •The ₩100M minimum is set by law; the ₩300M figure some sources cite is a remittance-rule threshold, not a higher minimum.
  • •Always verify at hikorea.go.kr, the Immigration Contact Center (1345), or the KOTRA Foreign Investment Support Center.

Last reviewed: 2026-06-16

Korea D-8 Startup & Investment Visa Eligibility Checklist