D-8 Corporate Investment visa
South Korea’s D-8 (Corporate Investment) status is the primary residence track for foreigners who invest in and help operate a Korean corporation under foreign direct investment (FDI) rules. In practice, founders commonly plan around a minimum investment of about KRW 100 million as FDI from abroad under their own name — confirm the live threshold, shareholding, and office requirements on Hi Korea (hikorea.go.kr) and Invest KOREA (investkorea.org) because implementing details and exceptions can vary (verify-on-official-site). The usual sequence is: incorporate the Korean company, complete FDI registration, then file the D-8 application through Hi Korea / immigration channels.
Min. capital
Typically KRW 100 million (FDI from abroad under own name) — verify
Best for: Founders who will incorporate a Korean company, register qualifying FDI (typically ~KRW 100M from abroad under own name), and actively manage the business under D-8 conditions.
Widely applied planning figure: KRW 100 million minimum FDI from abroad in the applicant’s own name. Always confirm current D-8 investment and corporate requirements on hikorea.go.kr and investkorea.org before remitting — do not treat agent flyers as authoritative.
Investment options
- FDI into a Korean corporation — typically ≥ KRW 100 million from abroad under own name (verify-on-official-site)
- Company incorporation under Korean commercial law
- FDI registration with the competent authority / bank process as required
- D-8 application via Hi Korea after corporate and FDI steps
Eligibility
- Incorporate (or join) a qualifying Korean company as an investing executive/founder
- Register FDI meeting the applicable minimum (commonly KRW 100M from abroad under own name — verify)
- Prepare business plan, office lease, and corporate documents as Hi Korea lists
- Meet health, character, and passport requirements
- Apply for D-8 through Hi Korea / Korean mission processes as applicable
Process timeline
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1
Choose entity & location
Decide company type, address, and sector; review Invest KOREA FDI orientation.
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2
Incorporate the company
Complete Korean company registration with required capital documentation.
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3
Register FDI
Remit funds from abroad under own name and complete FDI registration formalities.
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4
Apply for D-8 on Hi Korea
Lodge D-8 with corporate, FDI, office, and identity evidence; collect status and residence card processes after approval.
Family
Dependents may apply under accompanying family categories when the D-8 holder qualifies — confirm F-3 / dependent rules and work restrictions on Hi Korea (verify-on-official-site).
Work rights
D-8 authorises activities tied to managing/investing in the sponsoring corporation. Separate employment outside that scope generally needs another status — verify Hi Korea.
Route to PR
Permanent residence (F-5 and related tracks) is a separate points/residence process after meeting Korean immigration criteria — not automatic with D-8. Verify current Hi Korea PR guidance (verify-on-official-site).
Route to citizenship
Naturalisation is discretionary and usually requires longer residence, language, and integration conditions under Korean nationality law. Dual nationality with Pakistan needs careful legal advice.
Pros
- Clear corporate + FDI + Hi Korea process narrative for serious founders
- Access to Korea’s advanced industrial and consumer markets
- Invest KOREA resources for foreign investors
- Typical KRW 100M planning floor is transparent relative to vague “case-by-case” markets — still verify live rules
Watch-outs
- KRW 100M is a typical figure — confirm live D-8 rules before wiring funds
- FDI must generally come from abroad under own name — structuring errors cause refusals
- Substance (office, real operations) matters; paper companies attract scrutiny
- Korean language and compliance burden are material day-to-day