Transfer within your multinational company to a Korean office or subsidiary.
Written by James Chae — Co-Founder, Expert Sapiens
Platform expertise: Immigration consulting & visa services · Reviewed July 2026
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.
Stay Duration
Up to 2 years per issuance (renewable up to 5 years total)
Processing
2–4 weeks
Visa Fee
$74.63 (status change) / $44.78 (extension)
Fees and processing times sourced from HiKorea & Ministry of Justice. Figures are updated periodically but may change — verify before submitting.
Readiness check
Use this quick self-check before you spend time on forms or book a consultation for Intracompany Transferee Visa.
Next focus
Eligibility fit
I meet the core D-7 requirements and understand any sponsor, degree, income, family, or experience conditions that apply.
The D-7 visa is issued to employees of multinational corporations who are being transferred to work at a Korean branch, affiliate, or subsidiary of their overseas employer. It is the standard visa for intracompany transferees and requires that the applicant has worked at the overseas entity for at least 1 year before the transfer.
Managers, executives, and specialists employed by a multinational company for at least 1 year who are being transferred to the company's Korean office, branch, or subsidiary. Common in global consulting firms, financial institutions, technology companies, and manufacturing conglomerates with Korean operations.
Employed by the overseas entity of the multinational for at least 1 year prior to transfer
The overseas employer and the Korean entity must have a qualifying corporate relationship (parent-subsidiary, branch, affiliate)
Position in Korea must be managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge-based
Bachelor's degree or higher, OR at least 5 years of relevant professional experience
No criminal record
Delay and refusal risks
Business-investor cases are document-heavy because immigration reviews both the legal investment route and the real business activity.
D-8 review can stall when the investment amount, sender, receiving company, bank trail, foreign-exchange documents, or investor identity do not line up cleanly.
Manual basis: The D-8 manual references investment funds, remittance/payment evidence, foreign-investment registration, and related supporting documents.
Company registration alone is not enough. Thin operating records, no real business activity, or weak continuity evidence can invite additional review.
Manual basis: The stay manual includes D-8 extension and business-continuity review points for investor status management.
Some industries or business structures are restricted or do not fit the claimed D-8 route. A filing built around the wrong route can be refused or redirected.
Manual basis: The D-8 sections refer to restricted industries and cases where the applicant is not considered essential management or production-technology personnel.
If relying on a technology startup pathway, OASIS, IP, corporate setup, and founder activity evidence must support the specific route claimed.
Manual basis: The manual separates investor and technology-startup founder pathways and lists different documentary expectations.
Source note
These are practical risk factors for Intracompany Transferee Visa, not a complete list of legal refusal grounds. Final review can vary by nationality, filing channel, consulate, immigration office, and case facts.
Valid passport + completed visa application form + passport photo
Employment transfer letter from the company (both overseas and Korean entities)
Proof of at least 1 year of employment with the overseas entity (payslips, employment certificate)
Korean entity's business registration documents
Evidence of the corporate relationship between overseas and Korean entities
Degree certificate or proof of professional experience
Criminal background check (apostilled, issued within 3 months)
Obtain a formal transfer letter
Get a signed transfer letter from your company that confirms your role, salary, and the corporate relationship between the overseas and Korean entities.
Gather employment history documents
Collect payslips, employment certificates, or HR records proving you have worked for the company for at least 1 year.
Apply at the Korean consulate
Submit your D-7 application at the Korean embassy or consulate in your country. Your company's Korean HR team will typically assist with this.
Register after arrival
Within 90 days of arrival, register at the local immigration office to obtain your Alien Registration Card (ARC).
Need help with your D-7 visa?
Connect with a verified specialist who handles D-7 applications.
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Unfamiliar with a term? Browse the full Korea Visa Glossary
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.
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