Student Visa, D-2/D-4 Visa
If you’ve gotten accepted by your Korean university, it’s time to apply for your students visa being either a D-2 or a D-4 visa. The D-2 being for regular students, and the D-4 being for language students attending a language program.
With your student visa you are eligible to work, though for D-4 you will have to ha been enrolled in your language program for 6 months before you are allowed to work.
You are allowed to have a part time job, though you are only allowed to work 20 hours a week.
To apply for the visa, you will have to visit the Korean embassy, or consulate in the country where you currently reside.
To apply for either visa, you will need the following items:
- Valid passport + one copy
- Visa application form
- Processing fee (30$ for single entry, 50$ for multiple entry)
- Admission letter from the school you will attend
- Most recent certificate of school record
- Finalcial statements to cover the cost of your tuition.
- One colour photo (3cm x 4cm)
After you have gotten your visa and have started your studies at your school, you will have to speak to your professor. As you will have to get permission from your professor to work, or you can can go to your faculty member in charge of immigration. You will have to visit the immigration office, in your jurisdiction. As you will need to get your ARC (Alien registration card), so you can live and work legally in Korea. Though some universities will let you apply there, so you don’t have to take the trip to the immigration office.
Though, you are not allowed to just get any job. Here are some jobs you are able to take.
Restaurant Staff
Sales assistant in a coffee shop
Sales assistant in a convenience store
Though, you are not allowed to privately tutor students. If you are caught, you can be fined and in worst case have your visa voided.
To start your job, you will need to submit some documents to immigration. As you are not allowed to work, without getting the proper permission from immigration.
You will need the following items:
- Application form
- Passport and Alien Registration Card
- Certificate of current enrollment
- Academic advisor’s recommendation for part-time work
- Owner’s business license, including registration number
- 10,000 KRW processing fee
After having your application accepted, you will be eligible to work your part time job in Korea.