Coming to Korea may be dreamy but the visa application process not so much. As a once attendee of a Korean Language School, I am sharing my experience with D4 Visa Korea.
What is D4 visa
Those planning to obtain a lower than University level education in South Korea will most likely apply for a D4 visa, also called General Training Visa or Korean Language Training Visa. You should get this visa if you want to attend Korean language courses hosted by South Korean universities or study technology or learn skills at a national or public research organization.
How to apply for D4 Visa Korea
Before applying for D4 visa you should:
- Be in your country and apply through the local Korean Embassy
- Check the visa requirements specific to your country but do not rely solely on the information listed on the embassy’s website – making a phone call to your local Korean embassy to secure the latest information about visa requirements prevents possible prolonging of the visa process
- Choose an institution in Korea where you wish to pursue your training and communicate your intent to them – from now on, you should maintain close contact with the institution as they will have to provide you with a few documents necessary for the visa application
D4 visa Korea requirements
Depending on your citizenship or whether you have already been provided with Visa Issuance Number, the following requirements may slightly differ.
- A visa fee in cash – D4 visa Korea cost changes with time, the cost for non-US citizens is converted from dollars into your country’s currency
- Visa application form (fill online and print out)
- A recent passport photo (white background)
- Passport (the Korean Embassy will hold onto your passport during the visa processing time)
- Photocopy of purchased plane ticket
- Proof of Highest Education or Certificate of Current School Attended
- Financial Statement (a six-month bank statement showing a balance of at least 5000USD that have been held in the account for more than one month)
- Some countries allow the submission of a Financial Statement of a parent or a Certificate of Loan covering expenses in Korea. In case of submitting a parent’s financial statement, additional documents must be submitted as well: a photocopy of the parent’s ID or passport; a birth certificate of the applicant and the parent; and a signed agreement letter confirming that the parent commits to supporting the applicant during their stay in Korea
- Embassies in some countries may have more flexible requirements regarding the amount of money necessary
- Proof of Accommodation – dormitory or apartment
- Most people will most likely choose dormitory as their first accommodation in Korea. In that case, the hosting institution will issue you Proof of Accommodation for the planned period
- Some people may opt to live in a private place from the beginning for which additional documents must be submitted to the embassy: a housing contract made under your name; or if you plan to live with a person who is already staying in Korea, a housing contract made under the person’s name; a photocopy of this person’s ID and an official statement confirming that you will stay in their accommodation during the planned period
The remaining documents cannot be submitted unless officially accepted to study at a Korean institution:
- Certificate of Admission
- Business Registration Certificate of the Korean University
- Proof of Enrollment
- Course/Training Schedule Outline
*All documents must be submitted in English or Korean, mostly in original form or as an official copy (check with your local embassy for these requirements)
D4 Visa Korea after arrival
- As with any other visa type, it is necessary to go to a local Immigration Office shortly after arrival to Korea, and apply for an ID card. Until then, it will likely be impossible to open a bank account or get a Korean phone number
- Those coming to Korea with D4 visas do not have to enroll in the mandatory Korean National Health Insurance for the first six months. After the initial six months, a prompt to start paying will come in the mail
- The options for a part-time job in Korea on a D4 visa are rather limited, moreover, part-time job is prohibited during the first six months
The visa requirements may slightly differ depending on a current sociopolitical situation in the world. Feel free to leave a comment under this article in case of any questions.
