D-9 Trade Management Visa: Issuance and Extension Requirements and Required Documents

Procedure

1. 1. Business registration and trade business identification number

   First complete incorporation of a company or registration as a sole proprietor. To engage in trade, you must obtain a trade business identification number from the Korea International Trade Association after business registration. For the company management and profit-making business types, apply with documents proving the introduction of business funds and documents proving the existence of the place of business, instead of the trade business identification number.

2. 2. Confirm that the place of business actually exists

   There must be actual office space at the location stated on the business registration certificate. Show that it exists with the lease agreement, office photos, the signboard and the like. An arrangement in which only an address is borrowed becomes a problem in the review.

3. 3. Apply for a visa or status of stay

   Nationals of countries whose citizens need a visa obtain the visa at a Korean diplomatic mission abroad and then enter Korea. If you are already staying in Korea, consider a change of status of stay, depending on the requirements. A points-based evaluation applies to trade management applications, and Korean language ability is a bonus-point item.

4. 4. Prepare for the extension review

   Apply for an extension before the period of stay first granted expires. At extension, export and import results, sales, tax payment and the source of funds are checked. Collecting proof of results on a regular basis is the surest preparation.

Required documents

• Visa application form (Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, Form No. 17), or the integrated application form (Form No. 34) for extension or change within Korea
• Passport, residence card (for those staying in Korea), photo
• Business registration certificate; certificate of all registered matters of the corporation (for corporations)
• Certificate of trade business identification number (trade type) or documents proving the introduction of business funds (company management and profit-making business types)
• Lease agreement for the place of business and photos of the place of business
• Proof of export and import results (export or import declaration certificates, transaction contracts, etc.)
• Materials explaining the investment and the source of funds
• Tax payment certificates (at extension)

Fees

Immigration fees are paid separately according to the type of application. Agency fees in the industry start from around several hundred thousand won and vary depending on whether it is a first application or an extension and how much material explaining business results has to be newly organized. We will inform you after consultation, based on the status of the business.

See fees and official charges for this service →

Legal basis and review date

• Enforcement Decree of the Immigration Act, attached Table 1-2
• Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, attached Table 1
• Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, attached Table 5
• Enforcement Rule of the Immigration Act, attached Table 5-2

Checked against the statutes on 2026-09-30

Statutes and public notices change, so each case needs to be checked individually. Statute titles are given in English for reference. The Korean statutes are the authoritative text.

Check these first

• If you move the place of business, or the representative or shareholding changes, make the related reports within the deadline so that there is no disadvantage at extension.
• A structure that only maintains capital without export or import results is at a disadvantage in the extension review.

Frequently asked questions