D-7 Visa Eligibility Checker

✓ Immigration Act Enforcement Decree, Table 1-2 · Korea Insider Pro

D-7 (Intra-Company Transferee) has no fixed capital requirement like D-8 — but the "essential professional personnel" bar is judged case by case. Answer a few questions to see where you likely stand and what to prepare.

Only 1,115 people nationwide hold D-7 status (May 2026) — versus 8,490 for D-8. It's one of Korea's rarest long-term visas. Source: Ministry of Justice monthly statistics, via Hi Korea.

1. Which situation applies to you?

D-7-1I work for a foreign company and will be dispatched to its Korea branch, subsidiary, or liaison office. D-7-2I work at the overseas branch/local subsidiary of a Korean listed company or public institution and will be dispatched to its Korea HQ.

2. Work history at your current employer

Continuous employment at the sending entity

The Enforcement Decree requires at least 1 year of continuous work at the sending organization before dispatch.

Is the Korea parent a listed company (KOSPI/KOSDAQ) or a public institution?

D-7-2 is only available when the Korea HQ is a listed corporation or a public institution. Otherwise D-7-1 (if a Korea entity already exists) or D-8/E-7 may fit better.

3. "Essential professional personnel" self-check

Immigration officers assess this case by case — there's no fixed point system like F-2-7. Check what applies to you; more checks generally strengthen your case.

5+ years of relevant professional experience in this field Specialized knowledge, technology, or a license that is hard to source locally in Korea Managerial or executive-level title (e.g., branch manager, department head) Master's degree or higher, or a professional qualification in the relevant field

Korea entity status (for D-7-1)

Documents typically required

How D-7 compares

Visa	Registered (May 2026)	Core requirement	Max stay/grant
D-7 (Intra-company transferee)	1,115	1yr+ prior service, essential personnel, dispatch only	3 yrs
D-8 (Corporate investor)	8,490	₩100M+ personal capital investment	5 yrs
E-7 (Specific activity)	85,030	Job offer matching a listed occupation code	3 yrs

D-7 has no minimum-investment rule — the trade-off is that "essential professional personnel" status is discretionary, decided by the consular/immigration officer reviewing your file.

Registered counts are Ministry of Justice long-term foreign resident statistics (excludes short-term stays), May 2026 snapshot, via Hi Korea's immigration big-data dashboard.

Sources: Immigration Act Enforcement Decree (출입국관리법 시행령), Attached Table 1-2 (별표 1의2), current as of 2025.6.1 (Presidential Decree No. 35540) · Ministry of Justice Immigration & Foreign Policy Headquarters monthly statistics (통계월보), via Hi Korea. This tool is a self-assessment guide, not a legal determination — Hi Korea (1345) or a licensed visa agent makes the final call.

Get Korea business & visa updates

Rates, visa rules, and new calculators — straight to your inbox.