The D-10 visa: why to read this before graduation day
You graduated, job results are pending, and your D-2 is running out. The D-10 is the only track that makes that gap legal. But several score items can only be earned before you graduate: which makes this page most valuable in your final semester, whether you are finishing a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate.
26,559 D-10 job-seeker visa holders, 12,269 of them Vietnamese (MOJ monthly statistics, as of 2026-07-31)
The costliest misunderstanding: "students skip the points test" is only half true
Extensions require a written account of your job-seeking year (an activity plan, plus proof of funds if the points test applies). Save every application, interview date, and rejection email as you go: that folder decides your extension.
Based on the Ministry of Justice Stay-Permit Manual, August 2026 edition
The points system: a map, not a calculator
When the test applies, you need 20+ points on base items and 60+ total out of 190 (80 for nationals of designated countries changing from certain statuses). Structure: base max 50 (age + education) · optional max 70 (career, Korean study, language) · bonus max 70.
- Korean-degree points hit their maximum (30) only "within 3 years of graduation": the clock starts at your ceremony.
- Language points (TOPIK/KIIP) are tied to test schedules. Raising your level while enrolled is the cheapest option.
- Age points differ by bracket (20–24: 10 · 25–29: 15 · 30–34: 20 · 35–39: 15 · 40–49: 5, Aug 2026 table). Just know which bracket you are in.
Terms, fees, deductions: the numbers
Stay period
Granted 1 year at a time, up to 3 years in total (tiered by qualifications). Four groups get max 6 months per grant: care-worker training graduates, scores of 60–79, former E-1~E-7 professionals, and foreign-mission interns in Korea.
Stay permits are in principle granted only within your passport validity (since 2021-07-01). Even if you qualify for 1 year, a passport with 5 months left gets you 5 months.
Fees (Enforcement Rule Art. 72, 2026)
- Status change KRW 100,000 · extension KRW 60,000 · ARC KRW 35,000
- Activity-outside-status permit (part-time work) KRW 120,000: unlike D-2 days (free to 20,000)
- Online (e-application) filings of status change and extension get a 20% fee reduction (Enforcement Rule Art. 74(2))
Deductions vs. disqualification: different questions
Fines from your student years count as deductions (summed over the 5 years before application) and can even disqualify you depending on amount and type. Key distinction: administrative fees (e.g., late reporting) do NOT count toward deductions. Both "I paid, it is over" and "any record means rejection" are wrong: your office makes the call.
Based on the Ministry of Justice Stay-Permit Manual, August 2026 edition
Three practical notes
- Graduation day and your D-2 expiry run on different calendars. Put both dates side by side at the start of your final semester. → D-day tool
- Visits are by advance reservation on HiKorea: walking in without one can mean no service. E-applications: weekdays 07:00–22:00.
- The system is under review right now (MOJ student-visa reform council, final report due September 2026). This page reflects the Aug 2026 edition: confirm the latest rules via ☎1345 right before applying.
You applied and still have no result
Official sources give different processing times for a status change. HiKorea says "within 1 month of filing"; Gov24 says "not fixed (usually 3 weeks to 3 months)". So two or three weeks after filing is usually still within the normal range. Time spent waiting for extra documents you were asked for does not count toward the processing time.
First: did you actually file?
A change from D-2 to D-10 cannot be filed through HiKorea e-applications (online). You book a visit and file at the immigration office counter. HiKorea states that booking a visit only reserves a date and is not filing. If you only booked, you have not applied yet.
If you filed something online, it is most likely a D-10 extension (extensions can be filed online).
Check the status
Log in to HiKorea and open 정보조회 (Information) › 민원신청결과 (Application results). Choose 방문예약 (Visit reservation) if you filed at the counter, or 전자민원 (E-application) if you filed online. There is also a no-login menu, 방문예약 신청현황(비회원), for visit reservations.
Do not miss a request for more documents
The office may set a deadline and ask for more documents. If you miss it, your application may be refused. For online applications, you can ask for more time up to twice, giving the reason and how long you need.
After 30 days: ask for a progress update
You can ask for the progress and the expected completion date. The civil-petition rules say the office should tell you when processing is not finished 30 days after filing or when you ask (unless it announced in advance that progress is shown on its website). When you ask, have the office name and your filing date ready.
Who to ask
The immigration office where you filed knows best (find it with HiKorea's "jurisdiction office" search). The Immigration Contact Center ☎1345 runs weekdays 09:00 to 22:00; after 18:00 only Korean, English, and Chinese. It is a paid call. It covers 20 languages; Uzbek is not one of them, but Russian is. 1345 gives information only: it cannot speed up a review or decide a result.
If the application is refused
A refusal notice sets a departure deadline of no more than 14 days from the date it is issued. When a status change is refused, the office may let you stay on your current status instead. If you cannot leave in time for an unavoidable reason, such as no available flight or illness, you can apply to postpone the deadline.
Sources: HiKorea application and visit-reservation guides; Gov24 service guide (updated 2026-07-29); Civil Petitions Act Enforcement Decree Arts. 20 and 23; MOJ Notice on the e-application counter (No. 2025-112); Immigration Act Enforcement Decree Art. 33; MOJ Immigration Contact Center guide. Checked September 2026.