What Is Visa Issuance Number (사증발급인정번호)?

In cases where a Korean company, school, or sponsoring organization wants to bring a specific foreign national to Korea, they can apply to Korea's immigration authorities for a Visa Issuance Certificate (사증발급인정서). If approved, the immigration office issues a Visa Issuance Number that the foreign national can present at a Korean embassy or consulate worldwide to receive their visa. This process effectively pre-approves the visa application and is commonly used for skilled workers (), language teachers (), and students (, ). VINs are typically valid for 3 months. This separates the sponsoring organization's application (domestic) from the individual applicant's visa stamping (abroad).

For work and study visas, the VIN process is the most reliable path: your Korean employer or university files the core paperwork domestically, gets immigration approval, then you simply present the VIN at your local Korean embassy. This reduces the risk of rejection at the consulate and speeds up the overall process. It also means your sponsoring organization bears responsibility for verifying your qualifications before submitting.