D-7 Visa Documents and Eligibility: What to Check Before Applying for an Intra-Company Transferee Visa
A D-7 visa application works when three things support each other: proof of employment at the head office, proof that the Korean branch was properly established, and proof that operating funds were brought into Korea. The visa covers two groups. The first is employees of a foreign head office who have worked there for at least one year and are being sent to a Korean branch. The second is foreign employees who work at an overseas branch of a Korean company and are moving to its head office in Korea. This guide covers eligibility, visa subtypes, the document list, the application process and the most common reasons applications are rejected.
D-7 Eligibility: Who Qualifies for an Intra-Company Transferee Visa?
The D-7 (Intra-Company Transferee) status is a long-term visa status. Its legal basis is Appended Table 1-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act. It looks simple, but not every employee a company sends to Korea qualifies. The first things to check are the type of company sending the employee and how long the applicant has worked there.
Three Basic Requirements
- The applicant works for the head office of a foreign public institution, organization or company, or for an overseas branch of a Korean company.
- The applicant has worked for that organization continuously for at least one year before the transfer.
- The applicant will work in Korea as an essential specialist at a branch, office or similar entity.
In practice, the second requirement causes the most trouble. Even if a year has passed since the hire date, a leave of absence or a gap between contracts can mean the employment no longer counts as continuous. If the dates on the payroll records and the certificate of employment don't match, immigration will ask for supplementary documents right away.
What "Essential Specialist" Means
The D-7 is not meant for general or routine staff. Examiners check whether the applicant is a branch manager, an executive, or a specialist bringing the head office's technology or know-how to Korea. A "Manager" title with only a vague description of the actual duties can raise suspicion instead of helping.
Types of Intra-Company Transferee Visas: D-7-1 vs. D-7-2
The D-7 subtype depends on the direction of the transfer. You need to know which one applies before you can settle the document list.
Comparison by Type
| Type | Who It Covers | Key Points Reviewed |
|---|---|---|
| D-7-1 (Korean branch of a foreign company) | Employees transferred from a foreign head office to a Korean branch | Branch establishment report, record of operating funds brought in |
| D-7-2 (Overseas branch of a Korean company) | Foreign employees moving from an overseas branch of a Korean company to its head office in Korea | Requirements for the Korean head office, work history at the overseas branch |
| Liaison office transfer | Staff at an office that does only liaison and research work, with no business activities | Whether the liaison office establishment was accepted, scope of work |
Common Mix-Ups When Choosing a Type
A common problem is a company that plans to do business but first set up a liaison office. Liaison offices can't earn revenue, so expanding the scope of work later may mean reconsidering how the entity was set up in the first place. For D-7-2, the Korean head office must meet certain requirements, such as being a listed company, and some of the detailed criteria have changed recently. We can review your company documents during a consultation and confirm whether you meet the current criteria.
D-7 Visa Documents Checklist: What You Need to Prepare
A large stack of documents means little if the documents don't support each other. Together, they need to show that this person has worked for this company for at least one year, the company properly established a branch in Korea, and funds were actually brought in.
Core Documents (D-7-1, Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance)
| Document | Issued By | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application for a Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance, passport copy, photo | Applicant | Check photo specifications |
| Transfer order or personnel assignment letter | Foreign head office | Must state the transfer period and position |
| Certificate of employment (proving at least one year of employment) | Foreign head office | Must state the hire date |
| Acceptance of branch establishment report | Foreign exchange bank | Report filed under the Foreign Exchange Transaction Regulations |
| Business registration certificate or unique identification number certificate | Local tax office | Issued in the branch's name |
| Certificate of corporate registry (branch registration) | Registry office | Required if a business office is established |
| Certificate of foreign currency purchase or remittance confirmation | Foreign exchange bank | Proof that operating funds were brought in |
| Head office registration or incorporation documents | Competent authority in the home country | Translation, notarization and apostille required |
Common Gaps in Documents Issued Abroad
Most head office documents need a translation, notarization, and either an apostille or consular legalization. If the company name in a translation differs from the registered name by even one character, immigration will ask for a correction. Submitting documents that have passed their validity period, counted from the issue date, is also common. Each immigration office may ask for slightly different additional documents, so check with your local office before you submit.
Note: The documents for a Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance differ in part from those for a change of status within Korea. If you're already in Korea on a different visa, first check the change-of-status requirements under Article 24 of the Immigration Act.
If you're not sure how complete your company's documents are, send us copies and we'll point out what's missing first. Book a free consultation now → +82-2-309-3107 / KakaoTalk: alexkorea
Proof of Operating Funds: Where Most Applications Get Stuck
This is the step where D-7-1 applications usually stall. A Korean branch of a foreign company must bring in at least a minimum amount of operating funds from its head office and provide proof that it has done so. The minimum amount and what counts toward it change with policy, so confirm the current criteria during a consultation.
Problems Caused by the Wrong Remittance Method
Even if the money is in the account, it may not count as operating funds if the remittance purpose is wrong. Typical examples are funds sent by a third party instead of the head office, or funds routed through a personal account. Another common mistake is submitting only a deposit record without a certificate of foreign currency purchase. Before sending the money, match the branch establishment report number and the remittance purpose with the bank. Fixing it afterward takes much longer.
Order of Branch Establishment and Registration
Setting up a branch starts with a report to a foreign exchange bank under the Foreign Exchange Transactions Act and the Foreign Exchange Transaction Regulations. Business office registration, business registration and the fund transfer follow in that order. If the order gets mixed up, the dates on your documents won't line up. In one recent case like this, the funds were sent before the registration, and the applicant had to explain again whether the funds qualified. The right order depends on how far along you are, so we'll go over your situation in detail during a consultation.
Practical tip: Lay out the acceptance of branch establishment report, the corporate registry, the business registration certificate and the certificate of foreign currency purchase side by side, then compare the company name, address and representative name on each. Any mismatch will show up immediately during the review.
D-7 Application Process and Processing Time
The process itself isn't complicated, but each step needs matching documents before you can move on to the next.
Step-by-Step Process
| Step | What Happens | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Branch establishment report and business office registration | Foreign exchange bank, registry office |
| Step 2 | Business registration and remittance of operating funds | Tax office, foreign exchange bank |
| Step 3 | Application for a Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance | Online via HiKorea or at the local immigration office |
| Step 4 | Visa issuance at a Korean embassy or consulate | Submit the confirmation number |
| Step 5 | Alien registration after arrival | Within 90 days of entry |
The Certificate for Confirmation of Visa Issuance is issued under Article 9 of the Immigration Act. Under Article 31 of the same Act, you must complete alien registration within 90 days of entering Korea.
What Affects Processing Time
Processing time depends on the workload of each office under the Korea Immigration Service. A single request for supplementary documents can push your timeline back significantly, so a complete first submission is the fastest route. If the transfer date is already set, work backward from it to decide what has to be done by when. Costs are made up of government fees and an administrative service fee. Because costs vary by case, we'll give you an exact figure during your free consultation.
D-7 Rejection Reasons: What Matters More Than Paperwork
More important than the documents is answering one question: is this branch actually operating? Examiners care more about whether the branch is real than about how the documents are formatted.
Common Reasons for Rejection or Supplementary Requests
- Employment at the head office is under one year or has gaps
- The remittance purpose or the sender of the operating funds doesn't match
- The branch office is a single desk in a coworking space, so it's hard to show a real operation
- The applicant's duties look like routine work, so the essential specialist requirement isn't met
- Names don't match across translated and notarized documents
Proving the Office Is Real
More and more often, examiners look at both the office lease and the space that's actually in use. If you submit a lease but no photos of the site or explanation of your operating plan, you may receive a request for more documents. How much proof is enough depends on the office and the case, so we'll advise you during a consultation based on real cases.
Pre-Application Checklist
- At least one year at the head office, with no gaps
- Branch establishment report accepted
- Business office registration and business registration completed
- Operating funds remitted and certificate of foreign currency purchase obtained
- Overseas documents translated, notarized and apostilled
- Company name and address identical across all documents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. If I've worked at the head office for less than a year, can I still apply for a D-7 visa?
As a rule, you need at least one year of continuous employment before the transfer. If you have less than a year, you may need to consider a different visa status. Which alternatives are available depends on your role and the type of company.
Q2. Can liaison office employees get a D-7 visa?
Yes, liaison office employees can be eligible for a D-7. However, liaison offices can't carry out business activities, so the applicant's described duties must stay within that limited scope.
Q3. I'm already in Korea on another visa. Can I switch to a D-7?
In some cases, you can apply for a change of status. Some visa types restrict a change of status, so first check which visa you currently hold.
Q4. How long is the period of stay on a D-7 visa?
D-7 is granted up to 3 years per grant (renewable; no cap on total stay). The actual period depends on the length of the transfer and the outcome of the review. When you extend, the branch's operating record is reviewed again.
Q5. Can my family come with me?
The spouse and minor children of a D-7 holder can apply for Dependent Family (F-3) status. Family relationship documents must be issued in your home country and then translated and certified, so prepare them early.
Q6. Can I apply on my own through HiKorea?
Yes, you can apply directly through HiKorea. When people apply on their own, the hard part usually isn't filling out the forms. It's proving the operating funds and showing that the branch is real.
Need Expert Advice?
A D-7 involves more than visa documents. Branch establishment, foreign exchange reporting, registration and the immigration review all happen in sequence. If something goes wrong at an earlier stage, it's hard to fix once you reach the visa stage. If your transfer date is already set, the fastest approach is to check how your documents fit together now.
A-One Administrative Agency Services
A-One Administrative Agency handles foreign investment, corporate and branch establishment, and visa status matters.
- Branch and liaison office establishment reports for foreign companies
- Preparing and filing applications for D-7 Certificates for Confirmation of Visa Issuance and changes of status
- Reviewing proof of operating funds and evidence that the branch is real
- Applications for Dependent Family (F-3) status
Costs vary by case, so we'll give you an exact figure during your free consultation.
A-One Administrative Agency
- Phone: +82-2-309-3107
- KakaoTalk: alexkorea
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 43, Cheonho-daero 101-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
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