Korea's D-4-3 Student Visa for Minors (Elementary, Middle, High School)

Not all Korean schools are eligible for D-4-3 enrollment. The school must be one of:

1. Public or private elementary, middle, or high schools under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (Grades 1–12) — excluding: broadcast-correspondence middle/high schools and technical high schools (고등기술학교)
2. Foreign schools or alternative schools (각종학교) recognized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act — must have annual tuition of KRW 5 million or more AND be a Ministry of Education-approved degree-granting institution
3. Foreign educational institutions established under the Special Act on Foreign Educational Institutions in Free Economic Zones and Jeju International City
4. Science-gifted schools (과학영재학교) under the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Act

Important: schools that provide free/mandatory education (무상교육 / 의무교육) do not qualify for D-4-3 visa purposes — the student must be paying tuition.

Every D-4-3 student must have a designated guardian (후견인) in Korea. The guardian must be:

• A Korean citizen or registered foreign national currently living in Korea
• Related to the student (family relation) OR able to demonstrate a personal connection with the student's parents (e.g., close family friends)
• Note: academy operators, language school staff, and homestay coordinators are NOT eligible as guardians

Financial requirement for guardians from high-risk overstay countries: If the student is from a country designated as having high overstay rates (법무부 지정 불법체류 다발국), the guardian must demonstrate:

• Annual income ≥ the previous year's Bank of Korea per capita GNI, OR
• Assets above the national median livelihood standard

One guardian can serve as guardian for a maximum of 3 students.

Guardian exemption: High school students (not middle/elementary) who reside in the school's official dormitory are exempt from the guardian requirement — submit the school principal's dormitory admission certificate instead.

The student must demonstrate ability to cover:

1. All school fees (tuition, dormitory, admission fee) — show paid receipts or payment confirmation
2. Living expenses during their Korea stay — typically a bank balance certificate showing at least the immigration minimum (specific amount varies; currently linked to KRW 3–5 million+ in accessible funds, depending on immigration guidelines at time of application)

For students from high-risk overstay countries, additional family relationship documents and parental financial capacity documents are required.

The initial D-4-3 grant is typically 1 year. Extensions follow the school enrollment period and are applied for with:

• Application form (Form 34)
• Passport and Alien Registration Card
• Proof of continued enrollment (school enrollment certificate)
• Tuition payment records for the extension period
• Guardian documentation (if changed or if guardian requirements have evolved)
• Proof of financial sufficiency
• Address verification

Students who graduate from their Korean school can apply to change status to D-2 (university student) if they gain university admission, or D-4-1 (language study) for language programs, without leaving Korea.

Families planning to send their child to study in Korea should:

1. Identify an eligible school and apply for admission
2. Receive the admission letter (학교장 발행 입학허가서)
3. Identify and confirm a guardian in Korea
4. Apply at the Korean consulate in their home country with: visa application form, passport, admission letter, proof of school fee payment, proof of financial sufficiency, guardian confirmation letter, and relevant family documents

Note: if the family is relocating to Korea together, the parents' visa type will determine whether the child can accompany on F-3 (dependent) status instead of needing a separate D-4-3.