D-3-12 (Trainee — Technology Export) Korea Visa Guide | 2026

1. What D-3-12 Is

D-3-12 is the technical training code tied to technology export rather than to overseas investment. The typical trainee is a production employee of a foreign company that has imported technology from a Korean firm under a technology-introduction or technology-tie-up contract above the prescribed value, and needs training to operate it.

2. Eligibility Checklist

• Meets current D-3-12 trainee-path criteria.
• Host/program records are complete and verifiable.
• Training timeline and support records are aligned.
• Funding/support evidence is sufficient.
• No unresolved compliance issues remain.

3. Criteria Summary

• Not points-based.
• Review centers on trainee-path legitimacy.
• Host evidence and plan detail are key.
• Employment-like scope descriptions are high-risk.

4. Salary and Contract Rules

• No ordinary employment salary-floor logic applies.
• Any allowance/support terms must match trainee records.
• Contract language should preserve trainee status framing.
• Compensation contradictions can trigger supplements.

5. Employer and Workplace Change Rules

• Host-linked trainee status.
• Site/host changes may need procedural handling.
• Out-of-scope work activity is prohibited.
• Keep attendance/progression records updated.

6. Required Documents

• Application form, passport, ARC (if applicable), photo, and fee proof.
• Host trainee acceptance and program-plan documents.
• Funding/support and residence records.
• Host legitimacy documents as requested.
• Additional office-requested verification materials.

7. Fees and Processing

• Fees follow current D-3 schedules.
• Processing depends on host verification depth.
• Supplements common for weak program specificity.
• Submit coherent trainee-path documentation.

8. Common Rejection Reasons

• Pathway criteria are not met.
• Host/program records are insufficient.
• Funding/support evidence is weak.
• Filing suggests out-of-scope employment.
• Core trainee facts cannot be verified.

9. FAQ