D-9 Visa Trade Requirement: The Export Numbers That Decide…

Getting the trade number was the easy part.

The hard part comes about a year later. You sit down to extend your D-9-1 visa, and the whole file comes down to one question. How much did you actually trade?

Maybe your first shipments were small. Maybe a buyer backed out. Maybe you spent the year building samples and a website. None of that shows up on a customs record. And the customs record is what the officer reads.

This guide explains the D-9 visa trade requirement the way the Ministry of Justice scores it. You’ll see what the points system asks for at the start, which trade numbers count, and why the rules get stricter at renewal. D-8 investor visa

What does the D-9 visa trade requirement actually mean?

The D-9 (Trade Management) visa covers foreigners who run trade or business activity in Korea. The trade requirement applies mainly to D-9-1, the points-based trade visa. To get it, you need 60 of 160 points, including at least 10 points in mandatory items. You can enter with no trade history. To stay, you need real trade.

The five D-9 subtypes

The Korea Immigration Service splits D-9 into five codes. Each one has its own entry test.

Only D-9-1 is scored on trade volume. D-9-4 and D-9-5 are judged on investment and on whether the business is real. D-9-2 and D-9-3 are tied to a specific project or contract.

Want to run a trading business without a large investment? Then D-9-1 is the code to study.

So how does someone with zero exports reach 60 points? This is where most people misread the system.

Why people think they can’t qualify without trade history

Many applicants assume they need a trade record before applying. They don’t. The Ministry of Justice designed D-9-1 so new traders can start from scratch. You qualify with a mix of mandatory trade items and optional items. The catch is the 10-point floor on mandatory items. A high total still fails if the trade side is too thin.

How the points system is built

Here’s the structure, per the Ministry of Justice sojourn criteria published on HiKorea:

• Total available: 160 points
• Pass mark: 60 points
• Mandatory items: at least 10 points required
• Joint owners: if you share the business with another D-9-1 holder as joint representatives, your points are divided by the number of owners (1/N)

The mandatory items focus on trade itself. Past trade performance and trade-related intellectual property, such as patents, sit here. Other items, including Korean language ability and education, add to your total. Many new applicants also earn points through trade startup training under the OASIS (Overall Assistance for Startup Immigration System) program.

That 1/N rule surprises people. Two friends who each hold D-9-1 and co-run one company don’t both get full credit. Each gets half. Plan your ownership structure before you apply, not after.

The basics you need before any points count

Points only matter once the business exists on paper. You need three things first:

1. A muyeogeop gobeonho (trade business number) from the Korea International Trade Association (KITA).
2. A saeopja deungnokjeung (business registration certificate) from the National Tax Service. Most people apply through the Hometax system.
3. A business address you can prove with a lease contract.

Application eligibility depends on your current visa

Many applicants switch from D-2 (student) or D-10 (job seeker) status after graduation. Whether you can change status inside Korea, or must apply for a visa abroad, depends on the visa you hold now. Call the 1345 Immigration Contact Center before you file. It’s free, and it has English-speaking staff. D-2 to D-10 status change

So you pass on points and get your first permit. Now the trade volume starts to count.

The minimum trade volume that actually earns points

Trade performance is your average annual trade over the two years before your application date. Exports score higher than imports. Under the current criteria, USD 300,000 in average annual exports earns 30 points, the maximum for this item. The same USD 300,000 in total trade (exports plus imports combined) earns only 10 points.

Look at the gap. A company that imports USD 500,000 a year scores 15 points. A company that exports USD 100,000 scores 20. One-fifth of the volume earns more points. The table plainly rewards exports.

The manual also lists lower bands below these figures. Those small bands matter at renewal, as you’ll see next. The Ministry revises its sojourn manual from time to time, so download the current version from HiKorea before you calculate your score.

What counts as a trade record

Here’s the catch. A sale only counts if trade documents prove it. Officers look for records like these:

• Export declaration certificates issued through the Korea Customs Service UNI-PASS system
• Export/import performance certificates issued by KITA
• Bank records showing foreign currency received for your exports
• VAT returns filed with the National Tax Service that match your sales

Cash deals, favors for friends, and goods carried in a suitcase leave no customs trail. If a shipment wasn’t declared, it can’t lift your score.

What if your numbers are thin when renewal comes? That’s when the rules turn against you.

The renewal step where most D-9-1 holders get stuck

Your first D-9-1 permit lasts 1 year. At the first extension, your mandatory trade-performance score must be at least 5 points. From the second extension on, the cutoff gets stricter, and a low trade score means refusal. The criteria allow an extension only when you have an actual trade record.

Why entry and renewal feel like two different visas

At entry, points from training, language, and education can carry you. At renewal, the weight shifts to trade. The extension scoring uses a 50-point scale, and trade performance is the mandatory item worth up to 30 of those points.

Your score also shapes how long you get. At the first extension, low scorers can receive as little as 6 months. Strong scorers can receive up to 2 years. A short permit means you face the same test again soon.

But it gets worse. Scoring the minimum is not a guarantee. The legal basis for every extension is Article 25 of the Immigration Act, available in English through MOLEG:

“Where a foreigner intends to continue to sojourn in the Republic of Korea beyond the permitted period of sojourn, he/she shall obtain permission for extension of the period of sojourn from the Minister of Justice, as prescribed by Presidential Decree, before such period expires.” (Immigration Act, Article 25)

The key word is permission. Immigration officers have discretion. A passing score gets your file considered. It does not force an approval.

Renewal conditions officers check

Beyond the score, a renewal file usually has to show:

• Trade activity during your permitted stay, backed by customs or KITA records
• An active business registration (not closed or suspended)
• No unpaid national or local taxes
• A working business address that matches your records
• Activity that stays inside D-9 status (Article 20 of the Immigration Act restricts activities outside your status)

Notice what’s missing from that list: effort. Market research, trade fairs, and sample orders show you’re trying. The score only counts completed, documented trade.

So what paperwork proves all of this? The list is long, and one missing page can stall the whole file.

Required documents: the paper trail officers read first

For both change of status and extension, you file the Integrated Application Form with your passport, ARC, one photo, and the fee. D-9-1 adds trade-specific proof: your KITA trade business number certificate, business registration certificate, points evidence, and trade records. The fee is KRW 100,000 for a change of status and KRW 60,000 for an extension.

Core documents for every applicant

1. Integrated Application Form (the standard immigration application form)
2. Passport and Alien Registration Card (ARC)
3. One color photo (3.5 x 4.5 cm)
4. Permit fee
5. Proof of residence, such as your housing lease contract

Business documents

1. Trade business number certificate from KITA
2. Business registration certificate
3. Lease contract for your business premises
4. Tax payment certificates showing no arrears (available through Hometax or Government24)

Trade and points evidence

1. Export declaration certificates or KITA export/import performance certificates
2. Evidence for each points item you claim (language scores, degree certificates, training certificates, patent registrations)
3. Korean translations of any foreign-language documents

One practical tip. Build a single spreadsheet that lists every shipment with its declaration number, date, and USD value. When the officer asks about a number, you can point to the source document in seconds. visa extension documents Korea

You have the documents. Now timing decides whether you stay legal while you wait.

Processing time and how to avoid a costly gap

Immigration does not publish a fixed processing time for D-9 applications. Timing depends on your immigration office and how complete your file is. D-9 cases can include a check of your business premises, which adds time. File before your permitted stay expires. If you do, you are not overstaying while the decision is pending.

A realistic timeline

1. Two to three months before expiry: pull your KITA and customs records. Calculate your trade score against the current table.
2. Next: request tax payment certificates and gather points evidence.
3. Book a visit through HiKorea, or use e-application if your case type is offered online.
4. Submission day: keep your receipt. It proves you applied on time.
5. Decision: collect your ARC with the new expiry date, or respond to any request for extra documents.

Why start so early? Because a short fall in trade volume can’t be fixed in a week. If your score looks weak three months out, you still have time to close and declare a real export deal.

Filing late is a separate problem. Staying past your permitted period without applying breaks the Immigration Act and leads to fines. ARC renewal grace period

Your next move

Start with the numbers, not the forms. Pull your last two years of export declarations. Compare the average against the points table on HiKorea. If you’re below the renewal floor, you know exactly what to fix: a documented export, declared through customs, before you file.