D-10 Job Seeker Visa Subtypes in Korea — D-10-1, D-10-2, D-10-3, and D-10-T Explained
The D-10 visa is Korea's job seeker and startup preparation visa for foreigners who want to find work or start a business in Korea after graduating or completing a work assignment. Most people know D-10 as a generic 'job seeker visa,' but it actually has four distinct subtypes — each designed for a different situation.
Written by James Chae — Co-Founder, Expert Sapiens
Platform expertise: Immigration consulting & visa services · Reviewed July 2026
Review & source basis
Reviewed against
James Chae, 행정사 (Korean Licensed Administrative Attorney). License No. 220-06-06463 · 대한행정사회 (Korean Administrative Agents Association). Reviewed against the HiKorea 사증·체류업무 자격별 안내 매뉴얼 and cross-checked with Ministry of Justice issuances.
Last reviewed
July 14, 2026
Source references
Filing caution
Requirements can change by nationality, local immigration office, and filing channel. Confirm exact requirements with HiKorea, the responsible Korean consulate, or a licensed immigration specialist before filing.
D-10-1: General job seeker
The most common subtype. D-10-1 is for foreigners who have graduated from a Korean or overseas university (bachelor's or higher) or who have completed a work visa assignment in Korea and want to stay to look for new employment.
Eligibility: • Korean university graduate (bachelor's or higher) • OR overseas university graduate in a field relevant to an E-7-eligible occupation, with relevant work experience • OR former E-series work visa holder who has left their job and wants to search for new employment
Stay duration: 6 months (extendable once for 6 additional months, maximum 1 year total)
Work restriction: Cannot work commercially during D-10 without changing status. The visa is for job-seeking activities only — attending interviews, taking language courses, networking.
2025 D-10-1 scoring criteria update: As of 2025, immigration officers evaluate D-10-1 renewal applications using an updated criteria matrix that replaces the prior binary checklist. Key scoring dimensions:
| Criterion | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Educational qualification | High | Korean university grad scores highest; overseas grad requires field relevance |
| Prior Korea residency record | Medium | Prior E-series holders with clean record score higher |
| Language ability (Korean) | Medium | TOPIK score or KIIP enrollment improves evaluation |
| Active job-seeking evidence | High | Job interview records, employment agency registration, job fair attendance logs |
| Financial self-sufficiency | Medium | Bank balance covering living costs for extension period |
| Immigration compliance history | High | Any prior overstay or violation significantly lowers evaluation |
For the first-time extension (6 months → 1 year), officers focus heavily on active job-seeking evidence. Applicants should collect and bring job search records (면접확인서, 입사지원서, 헤드헌터 연락기록) to strengthen the renewal application.
D-10-2: Startup preparation (기술창업준비)
D-10-2 is for foreigners who want to start a tech-based business in Korea. Holders must be enrolled in or have completed a government-recognized startup support program.
Eligibility: • Must be enrolled in or have completed the OASIS program (Overseas Access to Startup & Investment in Korea) or an equivalent MOJ-approved startup accelerator • Must have a concrete business plan for a technology-based startup • Must demonstrate business founding capability (relevant education, experience, or funding)
Stay duration: 1 year (renewable while startup is actively progressing)
Pathway: D-10-2 is designed to transition holders into D-8-4 (startup visa) or D-8-1 (investment visa) once the business is incorporated and operational.
D-10-3: Advanced technology intern (첨단기술분야 인턴)
D-10-3 is a newer subtype for advanced technology sector interns — graduates of highly ranked universities who come to Korea for a structured internship in a strategic technology sector.
Eligibility: • Graduate of a top-ranked global university (specifically, universities listed in the QS World Rankings top 200 in relevant fields) • Internship offer from a Korean company in a designated advanced technology sector (semiconductors, AI, bio, aerospace, etc.) • Valid job offer or internship agreement
Stay duration: Up to 1 year
Key benefit: D-10-3 holders have an expedited pathway to E-7. The internship experience itself counts toward E-7 qualification after the period ends.
D-10-T: Preliminary Top-Tier job seeker (예비톱티어 구직)
D-10-T is the shared job-seeker entry point for Korea's Top-Tier talent program (restructured June 25, 2026, with a MOTIE-recommended advanced-industry track and a newer MSIT-recommended science/academia track — see the dedicated Top-Tier guide).
Eligibility: a single bar — a master's degree or higher, obtained within the last 5 years, from a university that placed in the top 100 on at least one of six named world rankings (QS World, QS by Subject: Engineering & Technology, THE World, THE by Subject: Engineering, US News Best Global, or US News Best Global for Engineering). No ministry recommendation is required for D-10-T itself.
Stay duration: issued as a 6-month single-entry visa at consular discretion; in-country status changes grant 1 year at a time, with up to 3 years total of free job-search/prep runway.
Family: only a spouse and minor children can join on F-3-10 — D-10-T holders cannot sponsor parents or a domestic helper (those are only available once you reach full Top-Tier status).
Key benefit: once employed, D-10-T holders transition directly into whichever Top-Tier tier they qualify for (E-7-T, or straight to F-2-T) rather than restarting through a standard work-visa process.
Choosing the right D-10 subtype
Summary comparison:
| D-10-1 | D-10-2 | D-10-3 | D-10-T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | General job seekers | Startup founders | Top-uni tech interns | World-top-100 master's+ holders |
| Stay | 6 months (1yr max) | 1 year | 1 year | 6mo visa, up to 3yr total |
| Work allowed? | No (job seeking only) | Startup prep only | Internship only | No (seeking only) |
| Pathway | E-series / F-2-7 | D-8-4 startup | E-7 | Top-Tier (E-7-T or straight to F-2-T) |
If you are a recent Korean university graduate, D-10-1 is your standard option. If you want to start a business, look at D-10-2 combined with OASIS enrollment. If you hold a master's or higher from a world-top-100 university, D-10-T gives you the most job-search runway and the fastest path into Top-Tier residency.
Tips from 행정사s
D-10-1 is only renewable once — after 1 year, you must either have a job offer and change to E-series, or depart Korea.
D-10-2 applicants: enroll in OASIS before applying — proof of enrollment is required for the application.
D-10-T applicants: gather all credentials (PhD certificate, publication list, award documentation) in apostilled form before applying.
While on D-10, you CAN take Korean language classes, attend startup events, and go to interviews — these are all permitted job-seeking activities.
Need help with this?
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Visa Process
Alien Registration Card (ARC)
The Alien Registration Card (ARC) is the official ID card issued to foreigners staying in South Korea for 91 days or longer. It is required to open a bank account, sign a phone contract, and access most public services.
Visa Process
HiKorea
How to use HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr) — Korea's official immigration portal for visa extensions, status changes, and ARC renewal. Processing time: 3-10 business days.
Visa Process
Visa Extension (Stay Period Extension)
A visa extension — officially called a 'stay period extension' (체류기간 연장) in Korean immigration law — allows a foreigner to legally remain in Korea beyond the expiry date on their current visa or ARC without leaving the country.
Visa Process
Status of Sojourn Change (체류자격 변경)
A status of sojourn change allows a foreigner already in South Korea to switch from one visa category to another without leaving the country — for example, from a D-2 student visa to an E-7 skilled worker visa upon graduation and employment.
Frequently asked questions
Can I extend D-10-1 beyond 1 year?
No. D-10-1 can be extended once for 6 months (total maximum 1 year). If you have not found employment after 1 year, you must depart Korea. If you are very close to receiving a job offer, an immigration officer may grant a brief extension at their discretion, but this is not guaranteed.
Can I work part-time while on D-10?
Generally no — D-10 is for job-seeking activities, not employment. Working commercially on D-10 without authorization is a violation. However, if you were previously authorized to work under a prior status and that authorization remains valid, check with an 행정사 about your specific situation.
What is the OASIS program for D-10-2?
OASIS (Overseas Access to Startup & Investment in Korea) is a government-run startup support program for foreign entrepreneurs. It includes business mentoring, co-working space access, visa support, and connections to Korean investors and accelerators. Enrollment in OASIS is a prerequisite for D-10-2. Visit the K-Startup website (kstartup.or.kr) for current application cycles.
I'm a PhD in AI — which D-10 should I apply for?
If you hold a PhD in a cutting-edge field (AI, biotech, semiconductors, etc.) with a research or publication record, D-10-T (Top Talent) is designed for you. It gives a 2-year stay and an expedited path to F-2-7 without a K-Point score test. Gather your PhD certificate, publication list, and a recommendation letter from a relevant Korean institution if possible.