South Korea: Separate Dependent Visa Applications Will No Longer Accepted by Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency

Effective August 1, 2024, the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) will no longer accept F-3 Dependent visa applications that are filed separately from a principal D-8 Corporate Investment Visa application. Currently, KOTRA allows for the separate filing of F-3 Dependent visa applications by a foreign national's qualified dependents, even if they are not submitted concurrently with the principal D-8 visa application. Under the current system, a foreign national can enter South Korea first file their D-8 Visa with KOTRA, and subsequently have their family members enter the country later to file for F-3 Dependent visas at the same office. This new policy will require that D-8 visa applicants and their eligible dependents submit their applications simultaneously if they wish to file at the KOTRA office and avail of its streamlined application process (e.g., walk-in filing option and legalized or apostilled marriage and birth certificates generally not required). Notably, regular district immigration offices will still accept separate F-3 visa applications, but this option could be less convenient as, unlike KOTRA, these offices may require legalized or apostilled marriage and birth certificates for dependent visa applications and do not allow walk-in filings.