1. What Is the D-9-2 Visa?
D-9 (무역경영, Trade and Business Management) covers several activity groups. The group commonly labeled D-9-2 is for a technician who is dispatched or invited to a company that has introduced industrial equipment (machinery) to provide the technology needed to install, operate and maintain it. One grant may not exceed 2 years.
D-9 covers these activities:
| Activity group | Who it covers |
|---|---|
| Company management, trade, for-profit business | Trade operators given a trade business number by the Korea International Trade Association; a person who sets up a company in Korea and runs a business |
| Installation, operation and maintenance of export equipment (machinery), the group this page covers | A person dispatched or invited to a company that introduced industrial equipment, to provide the technology to install, operate and maintain it |
| Shipbuilding and industrial equipment fabrication supervision | Essential personnel dispatched to take part in shipbuilding or equipment fabrication, sent by the orderer or a specialist service company it designates (executives, senior managers, technical specialists and similar) |
This page uses D-9-2 for the equipment installation, operation and maintenance group. If your paperwork shows a different code, rely on the activity description and confirm with us or the immigration office.
2. Who Qualifies for D-9-2?
- A person dispatched or invited to a company that has introduced industrial equipment (machinery).
- The activity is providing the technology needed to install, operate and maintain that equipment.
- The application shows the equipment import (equipment import contract or proof of industrial equipment import), a dispatch order, and the inviting company's business registration or certified corporate registry, plus its annual tax payment certificate.
There is no salary threshold, GNI-based standard or job-title requirement for this group. Whether the documents are sufficient is decided by the consul or immigration office in each case.
Compared with D-7 and D-8: D-7 is for essential personnel of a foreign entity sent to its Korean affiliate, subsidiary, branch or office after 1 year or more of work abroad. D-8 is for investment. D-9-2 is tied to the imported equipment rather than to investment or to a corporate group relationship.
3. Required Documents
Consulate application:
| No. | Document | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visa application form (Form No. 17), passport, one standard-size photo, fee | |
| 2 | Equipment import contract, or proof of industrial equipment import | |
| 3 | Dispatch order | |
| 4 | Inviting company's business registration (copy) or certified corporate registry | |
| 5 | Annual tax payment certificate | Inviting company |
The consul may add or remove some documents to review the purpose of entry, the genuineness of the invitation and the qualifications of inviter and invitee.
Visa issuance confirmation route:
| No. | Document | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Visa issuance confirmation application (Form No. 21), passport copy, one standard-size photo | |
| 2 | Statement of reason for invitation | |
| 3 | Equipment import contract, or proof of industrial equipment import | |
| 4 | Dispatch order | |
| 5 | Inviting company's business registration (copy) or certified corporate registry | |
| 6 | Annual tax payment certificate | |
| 7 | If a proxy applies: power of attorney, proxy's employment certificate, proxy's ID | Added documents |
For shipbuilding or equipment fabrication supervisors, the order contract (copy) is required in place of the equipment import contract.
Change of status in Korea: available to a person who entered under visa exemption (B-1) or a short-term visa for unavoidable reasons and was dispatched or invited to an equipment-importing company. Listed documents: application (Form No. 34), passport, one standard-size photo, fee; statement of reason for the change; dispatch order or head office employment certificate; equipment import contract; business registration copy; tax payment proof (the company's may be used if the foreigner has no personal tax record).
4. Stay Limit and Extension
- Maximum stay per grant: 2 years.
- Extension for equipment installation, operation and maintenance work: application (Form No. 34), passport, alien registration card, fee; dispatch order or head office employment certificate; equipment import contract; business registration copy; personal tax payment proof; proof of residence.
- Workplace changes: D-9 holders are not subject to the workplace change or addition permit; a move is filed as a change report of alien registration. For a move within the same group (D-7 to D-9), the dispatch order or employment certificate issued by the head office and the equipment or order contract are submitted.
Personal tax payment proof can be a personal tax payment certificate, an earned income withholding receipt from a tax association, or an income amount certificate from the tax office.
5. Application Process
- Confirm the activity: the person provides installation, operation or maintenance technology for imported industrial equipment.
- Collect documents: equipment import contract, dispatch order, the inviting company's business registration or corporate registry and annual tax payment certificate.
- Apply: at the Korean consulate, or through a visa issuance confirmation at the immigration office (a proxy needs a power of attorney and ID).
- Answer requests from the consul or immigration office to add or remove documents.
- After arrival: complete alien registration, and extend when needed with the required documents.
There is no standard processing time, so timing depends on the case and the office in charge.
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