D-8 Visa Minimum Investment of KRW 100 Million — How to Remit Your Investment Funds and What to Watch Out For
The minimum investment amount for a D-8 visa is KRW 100 million or more, and the funds must come from overseas, in the investor's own name, through official remittance channels to be recognized as investment capital. This guide is for foreign investors planning to establish a Korean corporation and obtain a D-8 (Corporate Investment) visa, as well as those already preparing to transfer funds. Below, we cover the legal basis for the KRW 100 million threshold, which remittance methods are accepted, and the points where applications actually get stuck during the source-of-funds review.
The Legal Basis for the KRW 100 Million D-8 Visa Minimum Investment
The Standard Set by the Foreign Investment Promotion Act
The investment threshold for the D-8 visa originates not from immigration regulations but from the Foreign Investment Promotion Act. Article 2 of the Act's Enforcement Decree sets the minimum amount recognized as foreign investment at KRW 100 million or more. On top of that, the investor must hold at least 10% of the voting shares. In other words, KRW 100 million is, before being a visa requirement, the minimum threshold for a valid foreign investment notification. Without this notification, neither the subsequent incorporation nor the visa application can move forward.
Is KRW 100 Million Automatically Enough?
In actual screening, immigration officers look first at how the money came in, not just whether you hit KRW 100 million. Even if the amount is correct, funds that arrived through the wrong channel may be excluded from the investment calculation entirely. There are also cases where, depending on the exchange rate applied at the time of conversion, the total falls short of KRW 100 million by a small margin and is ruled insufficient. Which date's exchange rate applies, and how much of a buffer you should send, varies case by case — so confirm through a consultation.
How to Remit Investment Funds — Accepted and Rejected Channels
The Two Accepted Methods
Here is the core principle: The investment funds must be the investor's own money held overseas, entering Korea through an official channel.
| Method | Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bank wire transfer | Wire from the investor's overseas account to a Korean bank | State the remittance purpose as investment capital |
| Carrying cash in person | Bring cash upon entry and declare it at customs | Obtaining the foreign exchange declaration certificate is critical |
A bank wire transfer is the safest option and leaves clear documentation. Carrying cash is often discouraged in practice, because missing the customs declaration makes the funds impossible to document.
Methods That Are Not Recognized
This is usually where applications run into trouble.
- Using money already earned within Korea as investment capital
- Funds remitted under a third party's name, such as a friend or family member
- Money brought in through informal channels such as unofficial money transfer networks (hawala-style remittance)
- Splitting the funds across multiple people's accounts and combining them inside Korea
It may look straightforward on the surface, but if the sender's name differs from the investor's, that money will not count as investment capital. This is exactly where entire applications fall apart.
The Process Before Remitting — Get the Order Wrong and You Start Over
The Foreign Investment Notification Comes First
You do not send the money first — you file the notification first.
| Step | Details | Handling Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foreign investment notification | A foreign exchange bank or KOTRA |
| 2 | Remittance of investment funds | Investor's overseas account → Korean bank |
| 3 | Corporate registration | The competent registry office |
| 4 | Registration as a foreign-invested company | The same foreign exchange bank where you filed the notification |
| 5 | D-8 visa application | The competent immigration office, following the guidance on HiKorea |
What to Write on the Remittance Form
The remittance form must state the investor's name (spelled exactly as in the passport) and the correct purpose of the transfer. Even a single-letter spelling difference can block the bank's identity verification and delay processing. The field people most often get wrong is the remittance purpose. Money that arrives labeled as living expenses or a general transfer is very difficult to reclassify later.
Request a free consultation now → 02-363-2251 / KakaoTalk: alexkorea
The Source-of-Funds Review — Where Applications Most Often Get Stuck
Money in the Account Isn't Enough If You Can't Explain the Flow
For the D-8, explaining your funds matters more than the sheer number of documents. The immigration office wants to know where the KRW 100 million came from. The required evidence differs by source — salary, business income, sale of real estate, inheritance, and so on.
- Salary income: certificate of employment, salary deposit records
- Business income: business registration, tax filing records
- Sale of assets: sales contract, records of payment received
- Gift or inheritance: proof of relationship, gift agreement and filing documents
Caution: A large sum suddenly appearing in your account just before the remittance will trigger a request to explain its source. If that explanation falls short, the review can drag on or end in denial even when the amount itself is sufficient.
Cases That Commonly Go Wrong
In a recent similar case, funds received from family in the home country were briefly parked in the applicant's own account before being remitted — and the application received a supplementation request due to insufficient gift documentation. Sending borrowed money as investment capital also surfaces as a problem in actual screening, on the grounds that it is not the investor's own funds. Which documents you need and how far you must go to substantiate the source depends on your nationality and financial history, so a judgment tailored to your situation requires professional review.
After the Remittance — Easily Overlooked Points
How You Spend the Investment Is Also Reviewed
The remittance is not the finish line. If you withdraw the paid-in capital from the corporate account right away or spend it for personal purposes, it will show up plainly in the visa review and in later extension reviews.
- Use the capital for business purposes: office lease, equipment, operating expenses
- Keep expenditure records (tax invoices, contracts) on an ongoing basis
- The review goes smoothly when the account balance and cash flow match your business plan
Practical tip: Always pay the lease deposit and initial expenses by transfer from the corporate account. Cash payments are hard to document and become a weakness in extension reviews.
Split Remittances and Timing
If sending KRW 100 million in a single transfer is difficult, you can split it into installments. However, the full amount must be tied to the same investment notification, and the transfers must fit the timeline for incorporation and the visa application. How split remittances are recognized and how the time window is handled is an area where bank practice and immigration practice diverge, so it is safer to confirm before proceeding. Processing times vary by immigration office, and we will identify and pursue the fastest available route for you.
FAQ — Common Questions About the D-8 Visa Minimum Investment
Q1. Does the KRW 100 million D-8 visa minimum investment include incorporation costs? No. The KRW 100 million refers to the amount paid in as capital after the foreign investment notification. Registration fees and similar costs are separate, and since costs vary case by case, we provide exact guidance during a free consultation.
Q2. Can I invest money I saved while studying in Korea? As a rule, the funds must come from overseas. Money acquired within Korea is recognized only in narrow circumstances, and the exceptions are difficult to assess — a preliminary review should come first.
Q3. Can the remittance come from a family member's account? The rule is that the remittance must be in the investor's own name. If the money belongs to family, the correct sequence is to first receive it as a gift into your own account, prepare the gift documentation, and then remit it.
Q4. Will the KRW 100 million be recognized if I send it in two or three installments? It may be, as long as the transfers are linked to the same investment notification. However, timing and processing practices differ from bank to bank, so confirming in advance is the safe approach.
Q5. I wrote the wrong remittance purpose — do I have to send the money again? In some cases the bank can process a correction; in others, returning the funds and remitting again is the only option. Which applies can only be determined by examining the remittance records.
Need Expert Guidance?
With D-8 investment remittances, one misstep in the sequence can cost months in returns and re-remittances. Vision Administrative Law Office handles the entire process as one continuous flow — from the foreign investment notification to remittance planning, incorporation, and the D-8 visa application. The fastest path is to have your source of funds and remittance route reviewed before you send anything.
- Phone: 02-363-2251
- KakaoTalk: alexkorea
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 3rd Floor (Sungwoo Building), 324 Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul 04614, South Korea
Confirm exact costs and procedures through a professional consultation. Relevant laws and screening standards are subject to change, so verify with the competent authorities, including HiKorea and the Korean Law Information Center.
Need Expert Consultation?
Don't navigate complex procedures alone. Our professional consultants will guide you.