Last checked: August 2, 2026
Quick answer
Korea’s D-10 is not one uniform job-seeker visa. D-10-1 covers qualifying job-seeking and short internships before formal employment; D-10-2 covers qualifying technology-startup preparation; D-10-3 is a high-tech internship route; and D-10-T is for designated top-tier talent.
Your score threshold, allowed activity, documents and maximum stay depend on the exact route. Passing the general 60-point threshold does not give every applicant the same three-year stay or internship rights.
Step 1: choose the correct D-10 route
| Code | Main purpose | Important boundary |
|---|---|---|
| D-10-1 General job seeking | Seeking work in a field that can lead to E-1 through E-7 status, including an eligible short internship before formal employment. | Usually score-based unless a listed exemption applies. Internship and part-time activity have separate conditions. |
| D-10-2 Technology startup | Preparing an eligible technology startup, intellectual-property activity or recognized startup program. | This is not a general employment-internship route. |
| D-10-3 High-tech internship | An internship in an advanced-technology field at a qualifying Korean company or institution. | For qualifying overseas graduates under age 30, or under age 35 with a master’s degree or higher, subject to ranking, field, recency and host requirements. |
| D-10-T Top-tier talent | Job-seeking activity by applicants who meet the designated top-tier talent criteria. | Eligibility is a separate official route; do not substitute the ordinary D-10-1 score test. |
Step 2: check the D-10-1 score requirement
The ordinary D-10-1 test has 190 possible points. A score-based applicant normally needs:
- at least 20 points from the basic categories; and
- at least 60 total points.
The 80-point rule is not a universal D-10 minimum. The current residence guide applies an 80-total-point threshold to designated-country nationals making specified in-country changes from B-1, B-2, C-1, C-3, C-4, D-3, E-9, E-10 or G-1.
Who may be exempt from the D-10-1 score test?
The official guide provides several separate exemptions. They are not interchangeable, and each route can have its own evidence and stay limit.
- First change after graduating from a Korean university: qualifying associate degree or higher graduates changing from D-2 to D-10-1 for the first time.
- Recent Korean-university graduates with Korean proficiency: qualifying graduates within three years who meet the stated TOPIK or KIIP standard.
- Qualifying foreign youth who grew up in Korea.
- Promising talent: qualifying recent graduates or Korean-studies graduates under the official age, university-ranking and language conditions.
- Caregiver professional-training graduates.
- Former E-1 through E-7 workers: available only under the stated employment-ending and status-change conditions.
- Intern staff at a foreign embassy in Korea.
A score exemption does not mean an exemption from the application, documents, activity limits or extension review.
D-10-1 point system: current categories
Basic categories: up to 50 points
| Category | Official bands | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 20–24 / 25–29 / 30–34 / 35–39 / 40–49 | 10 / 15 / 20 / 15 / 5 |
| Final education | Korean associate degree / bachelor’s / master’s / doctorate | 15 / 15 / 20 / 30 |
Optional categories: up to 70 points
| Category | How the current guide treats it |
|---|---|
| Relevant work experience | Up to 15 points. Domestic and overseas experience use different year bands; only relevant post-degree experience is counted. |
| Study in Korea for at least two years | Up to 30 points. A Korean degree completed within the last three years receives the highest band; older degrees receive a lower degree-based score. |
| Other eligible training or education in Korea | Up to 5 points for eligible programs of at least one year, with the required institution and duration evidence. |
| Korean proficiency | TOPIK/KIIP-equivalent level 5: 20; level 4: 15; level 3: 10; level 2: 5. |
Bonus points: up to 70 points
- Recommendation from a relevant central government agency or overseas diplomatic mission: 20 points.
- Qualifying recent graduate of a listed world-leading university: 20 points.
- At least one year of recent experience at a Fortune Global 500 company: 20 points.
- Eligible science or engineering degree: 5 points.
- Qualifying high-income professional experience: 5 points.
Deductions: up to 60 points
The current table deducts points separately for qualifying Immigration Act violations and criminal fines. Depending on the monetary band, each group can deduct 5, 10 or 30 points. Recent serious cases can also make a person ineligible, so do not rely only on the arithmetic total.
Documents and financial proof
Common starting checklist
- application form, photo, passport and a copy of the identity page;
- Alien Registration Card when applying in Korea;
- applicable fee;
- job-seeking, startup or internship activity plan for the selected route;
- education and career evidence used for eligibility or points;
- proof of place of stay;
- financial proof unless an official exemption applies; and
- route-specific language, recommendation, host-company, intellectual-property or startup evidence.
Foreign-issued documents may require Korean or English translation and the applicable apostille or consular legalization. Use the current official checklist for your location and route.
Financial-proof formula
The official guide uses the annual one-person housing-benefit standard × the required number of stay months. It does not publish one universal flat monthly amount for every D-10 applicant.
Some routes have specific exemptions or substitutes. For example, certain first-time Korean graduates and other listed applicants can be exempt, while qualifying D-10-3 wage evidence can replace ordinary financial proof. Do not assume that employer-provided accommodation alone replaces the requirement.
Extensions and maximum stay
A D-10 extension is not automatically issued for one year. The current residence guide separates applicants by route and score or exemption category.
| Route or category | Maximum total stay | Maximum per grant |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying D-10-1 applicants scoring 80 or more and specified high-talent groups | Up to 3 years | Up to 1 year |
| D-10-1 applicants scoring 60–79 | Up to 1 year | Up to 6 months |
| Selected score-exempt recent graduates, Korea-grown youth and promising talent | Up to 3 years | Up to 1 year |
| Caregiver professional-training route | Up to 3 years | Up to 6 months |
| Former E-1 through E-7 worker exemption | Up to 1 year | Up to 6 months |
| Qualifying D-10-2 startup routes | Up to 3 years or 1 year, depending on the sub-route | Up to 1 year or 6 months |
| D-10-3 high-tech internship | Up to 3 years | Up to 1 year |
| D-10-T top-tier talent | Up to 3 years | Up to 1 year |
Time previously spent in D-10 can affect the calculation. The guide also lists limited exclusions from aggregation, including certain re-entry situations and qualifying changes by former E-1 through E-7 holders. Confirm your own history before relying on the maximum.
Internships, part-time work and reporting
Who can use the D-10-1 internship route?
An eligible registered D-10-1 holder may start an internship in a field corresponding to E-1 through E-7 activity while job seeking. The official guide excludes D-10-2 holders and former E-1 through E-7 workers who changed to D-10-1 under the professional-experience exemption from this internship route.
- Report the internship start or host change within 15 days of the event.
- Internship at the same company is allowed once for up to one year.
- The host and position must meet the employment and field requirements.
- A host can be rejected for repeated internship use without hiring. The current guide uses a one-year non-conversion threshold of 10% of regular workers, or 20% for businesses with fewer than 10 employees, subject to the stated exception for people later hired through the internship process.
- The usual filing packet includes the change-report form, internship agreement, host registration evidence and employment-insurance list.
Part-time work is not automatic
The residence guide has a special permission route for certain recent Korean-degree holders with the required Korean proficiency and no prior E-1 through E-7 stay. Manufacturing has an additional KIIP condition. Working hours, eligible workplaces and permission documents can change, so use our D-10 part-time work and internship guide for the maintained details.
Fax reporting from June 1, 2026
HiKorea added D-10 internship-start and internship-institution-change reports to its fax civil-service scope from June 1, 2026. This does not mean that every D-10 application or extension can be filed by fax. Check the current fax number, cover sheet and document list in our Korea immigration fax-reporting guide and the official notice before sending personal documents.
Practical extension checklist
- Identify your exact D-10 route, score band or exemption.
- Check the maximum total stay and per-grant period for that route.
- Prepare an updated activity plan and evidence of eligible job-seeking, startup or internship activity.
- Update financial proof using the official formula unless your route has a documented exemption or substitute.
- Include housing, identity and route-specific evidence.
- Confirm the current filing method and any office-specific document request through HiKorea or 1345.
Moving from D-10 to E-7
D-10 is a preparation or job-seeking status; it does not itself authorize permanent work in an E-7 job. Before starting formal E-7 employment, confirm that the occupation, duties, your qualifications, the employer and the current salary rule all fit the intended E-7 route.
Use the E-7 complete guide for the occupation framework and the E-7 salary source of truth for current salary rules. When a route uses GNI, check the maintained Korea GNI reference. This D-10 guide intentionally does not copy changing E-7 occupation counts, salary figures, employer ratios, fees or processing times.
Frequently asked questions
Is 60 points always enough for D-10-1?
No. It is the ordinary total threshold when the basic-point minimum is also met. A conditional 80-point threshold applies to specified in-country changes by designated-country nationals, and disqualifications can still apply.
Can a master’s graduate use D-10-3 after turning 30?
Possibly. The current guide sets the D-10-3 age ceiling below 30, or below 35 for a master’s degree or higher. The university ranking, advanced-technology field, graduation timing and Korean host requirements must also be met.
Can every D-10 holder do an internship?
No. The official D-10-1 internship route has applicant, field and host conditions, and specifically excludes D-10-2 holders and certain former E-1 through E-7 workers who changed to D-10-1.
How quickly will immigration decide my D-10 application?
The reviewed official guides do not provide one universal processing-time promise. Timing can vary by filing channel, office, evidence and case complexity.
Where should I confirm a case-specific requirement?
Use HiKorea, contact the Immigration Contact Center at 1345, or ask the immigration office responsible for your place of stay before filing.
Related guides
- D-10 part-time work and internship guide
- Korea immigration fax-reporting guide
- E-7 Visa Korea complete guide
- E-7 salary requirements source of truth
- Korea GNI and visa income reference
Disclaimer: This is general information, not individual legal advice. Immigration decides whether your exact education, experience, activity, host, score and documents satisfy the applicable route.