D-10-1 (Job Seeker) Korea Visa Guide | 2026

1. What D-10-1 Is

D-10-1 (일반구직) is the general job-seeking code, run on a POINTS SYSTEM since October 2018. It is a preparatory stay status for lawful job-seeking and related permitted preparation, not a work authorisation. Its siblings are D-10-2 기술창업준비 (technology startup preparation), D-10-3 첨단기술인턴 (advanced-technology internship) and D-10-T 최우수인재 (preliminary Top-Tier).

2. Eligibility Checklist

• Holds a bachelor's degree or above — a Korean associate degree counts — and is lawfully resident in Korea.
• Meets the job-seeking points table, which requires a minimum score on the BASIC items as well as a minimum overall total. Clearing the total alone is not enough.
• THE EXEMPTION WORTH KNOWING: if you graduated from a Korean university with an associate degree or higher as a D-2 student and are changing to D-10-1 for the FIRST time, the points system does not apply to you at all.
• That first D-10-1 grant carries a one-year stay — and the points system DOES apply when you come to extend it.
• The exemption also covers getting a D-10 visa within one year of graduating after leaving Korea, but it is not available to anyone who has held D-10 status before.
• Funds and stay plan are sufficient for the requested period.

3. Criteria Summary

• D-10-1 is not handled as a standard points-visa category.
• Review focuses on pathway plausibility, qualification history, and compliance.
• Past professional/academic records are important for transition credibility.
• Inconsistent job-seeking narrative and weak proof are high-risk factors.

4. Salary and Contract Rules

• D-10-1 does not require an active employer contract at filing.
• No fixed E-series salary floor applies at this stage.
• If offer letters are submitted, details should be consistent and realistic.
• Transition to work status later will require full contract/salary compliance under that category.

5. Employer and Workplace Change Rules

• D-10-1 is not employer-sponsored at core filing stage.
• Permitted activities are limited to job-seeking and authorized related preparation.
• Unauthorized employment while on D-10-1 can block later status change.
• Keep activity and reporting records clean for future transition review.

6. Required Documents

• Application form, passport, ARC (if applicable), photo, and fee proof.
• Education/career evidence supporting D-10-1 pathway logic.
• Financial support records for requested stay period.
• Status-history and any transition-supporting documents as requested.
• Additional office-requested case documents.

7. Fees and Processing

• Fees follow current issuance/change/extension schedules in manuals.
• Processing time varies by office load and file consistency.
• Supplements are common when pathway rationale is weak.
• Apply before expiry and keep extension timeline conservative.

8. Common Rejection Reasons

• Eligibility facts do not satisfy D-10-1 criteria.
• Pathway rationale is weak or inconsistent with evidence.
• Financial/stay-plan proof is insufficient.
• Prior compliance issues are unresolved.
• Core documents are missing or contradictory.

9. FAQ