Trade management visa at a glance
| Official name | Trade management (D-9) |
|---|---|
| Posting activities | Working on posting to a Korean public body or private organisation to install or maintain imported machinery, or to manufacture or supervise ships or industrial plant. The portal lists these as export equipment (D-9-2) and ship equipment (D-9-3). |
| Other activities | Essential professional staff who plan to set up and run a company, or carry on trade or other profit-making business, also fall under D-9. |
| Subtypes | Export equipment D-9-2 · Ship equipment D-9-3 · Trade under a trade business code D-9-1 · Management and profit-making business D-9-4 |
| Excluded by law | People hired in Korea, and people who qualify for corporate investment (D-8) |
| Where to apply | The immigration office with jurisdiction over the applicant's place of residence or place of business |
| What K-Biz Visa handles | Consultation on export equipment (D-9-2) and ship equipment (D-9-3) postings |
Subtypes
| Code | Name | How they differ |
|---|---|---|
| D-9-2 | Export equipment | Installing, operating or maintaining export equipment |
| D-9-3 | Ship equipment | Supervising shipbuilding or industrial plant manufacture |
| D-9-1 | Trade under a trade business code | Trade carried on under a trade business identification number |
| D-9-4 | Management and profit-making business | Running a company and profit-making business |
The list above sets out the activities defined by law. K-Biz Visa's consultations focus on export equipment (D-9-2) and ship equipment (D-9-3) postings. We tell you separately whether we can take on trade under a trade business code (D-9-1) or management and profit-making business (D-9-4).
Common points of confusion
- Posting or technical instruction
- A posting for installation, maintenance or manufacturing supervision differs from technical instruction (E-4), which requires an invitation, in its purpose, the posting or invitation relationship and the contract structure. We use the contract structure to tell which one applies.
- Posting or short business trip
- We do not assume that paid installation or supervision work falls within the non-profit scope of a short-term visit (C-3). For a posting made to earn income, we look at the route that fits the facts, such as trade management (D-9) or short-term employment (C-4).
- Investment or management
- People who qualify for corporate investment (D-8) are excluded from the legal scope of D-9. If you take part in management through an investment structure, we look first at corporate investment (D-8). If you set up and run a company or carry on trade or profit-making business, we look first at trade management (D-9).
- Hiring in Korea
- People hired in Korea are excluded from the legal scope of D-9. If there is an employment relationship with a Korean company, we look at the employment visa status that applies.
- Documents by activity
- Trade, export equipment, ship equipment and company management each have their own document categories. Business registration, contracts and posting or employment records, business funds and premises, and tax records vary with the activity and the application stage.
Before the consultation
For a first enquiry, tell us the Korean organisation you are posted to, and the contracts and activities relating to the equipment or ships. Once we set the scope of the review, we give you a list of the documents needed.
What to tell us first
- The activity and sector you plan in Korea
- How your overseas employer and the Korean host organisation are related
- Your place of business in Korea and the transaction structure
- Your current visa status and entry plans
Documents we ask for later
- Business registration documents
- Contracts and posting or employment records
- Records of bringing in business funds
- Copies of your passport and ID
We ask only for the sensitive documents the review needs, and keep and delete them under our privacy policy.
Frequently asked questions
It covers postings to a Korean public body or private organisation to install or maintain imported machinery, or to supervise shipbuilding or industrial plant manufacture. The portal lists these as export equipment (D-9-2) and ship equipment (D-9-3).
D-9 is the route for people posted to a Korean organisation to do installation, maintenance or supervision work. E-4 is the route for providing technology on the invitation of a Korean public body or private organisation. We tell them apart by the purpose of the activity, the posting or invitation relationship and the contract structure.
We do not assume that paid installation or supervision work falls within the non-profit scope of a short-term visit (C-3). Depending on the facts, we review a separate route such as D-9 or short-term employment (C-4).
D-8 is the route for taking part in management through a foreign investment structure. D-9 is the route for essential professional staff who plan to set up and run a company or carry on trade or profit-making business. People who qualify for corporate investment (D-8) are excluded from the legal scope of D-9.
The Korea Visa Portal lists export equipment (D-9-2), ship equipment (D-9-3), trade under a trade business code (D-9-1) and management and profit-making business (D-9-4). K-Biz Visa's consultations focus on export equipment and ship equipment postings. We tell you separately whether we can take on trade or company management work.
People hired in Korea are excluded from the legal scope of D-9. If there is an employment relationship, we look at the requirements of the employment visa status that applies.
Related agencies and laws
The procedures and criteria on this page follow the guidance of the agencies and the laws below. How they apply is checked case by case.
Agencies
- Ministry of Justice immigration offices
- Korea Visa Portal
- Korean embassies and consulates
Laws
- Immigration Act
- Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act
- Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act
Send an enquiryTell us the Korean organisation you are posted to and your activities relating to the equipment or ships, and we will reply with the documents to check for an export equipment or ship equipment posting.