Get into Korea
D-10

Job Seeker Visa

Job Search & Startup Prep

The bridge visa between graduation and a work visa. It lets you stay in Korea to job-hunt, intern, or prepare a startup, then change to E-7 (or D-8) once you're hired. It is not a work visa itself.

Stay: 6 months–1 year per grant; up to 3 years total by pointsWork
Recent graduates of a Korean university (associate's/bachelor's+) — points-exempt if you apply within 1 year of graduating (or, with a Korean degree, if you scored TOPIK 4+ within 3 years)Degree holders scoring 60+ on the job-seeker points table (age, education, Korean ability)
How are you getting this visa?
0/4 stamped

Korean terms in ( ) are the exact words to show or say at the immigration counter.

01

If you graduated from a Korean university within the last year — or hold a Korean degree and scored TOPIK 4+ within 3 years of it — you're assessed on your degree alone, no points math. Otherwise you're scored on the job-seeker points table (구직 점수표): age, education level, and Korean ability, needing 60+ total (basic items 20+). Nationals of certain designated countries need 80+.

If you're under 30 with a master's and TOPIK 4, you'll pass easily — the table gives the most points for being young, holding a higher degree, and Korean ability.
02
03
04

Documents for your nationality

Some documents depend on your country. Pick it to see what changes for you.

Count your deadlines

Enter your dates to see how many days you have. The 90-day residence-card deadline is the one most people miss.

Fill in a date above to see your countdown.

Estimate only — confirm exact dates with HiKorea.

Want a reminder before each deadline?

Sign in and we'll save your dates and track every deadline on My page — no more mental math.

Sending money home from Korea

Banks vs licensed apps, the January 2026 rule changes, and how to stop losing money in the exchange rate.

Read the guide →

Exceptions worth knowing

  • New-graduate exemption: applying within 1 year of a Korean degree — or holding a Korean degree with TOPIK 4+ achieved within 3 years — skips the points table; you're assessed on graduation alone.
  • Nationals of ~21 Ministry-of-Justice-designated countries need 80 points to be eligible at all (not 60).
  • Duration scales with your score for everyone: 80+ points → up to 3 years (1-year extensions); 60–79 → 1 year total (6-month extensions). Extensions re-check your points.
  • D-10 is not a work visa — it's for job-search, internships (with permission), and startup prep. Once you're hired you must change to E-7 (or another work visa) before starting; tech-startup prep can move to D-8-4.

Unsure about your case?

Call 1345, the Immigration Contact Center (19 languages; +82-1345 from abroad), describe your situation, and ask for the document checklist for your case by email. Can't make calls? HiKorea's online inquiry answers in writing, and before you fly, your local Korean embassy's email works just as well.

This is a guide — confirm before you act

Get into Korea is an independent guide, not a government body and not legal or administrative advice. Requirements change often and depend on your nationality and situation, so details here may be outdated or not apply to you. We take no responsibility for any decision made from this page — always verify your exact case with the official sources below before you apply or pay any fee.

Official sources — verify here