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D-2 Visa Documents: The Complete Checklist
Every document you need, in the order you'll actually need it -- from your university application through your alien registration card.
SHORT ANSWER
You need 20 documents across 4 stages.
Eight for your university application, four to enroll once you're accepted, four for the visa itself, and four after you arrive in Korea. The order matters -- most delays happen when students try to skip ahead.
Checked on October 24, 2026 against the Ministry of Justice Stay Permit Manual (2026-10-19 edition) and Visa Issuance Manual (2026-10-19 edition).
STAGE 1
University Application
Application Form
Personal Statement
High School Diploma
If it was issued outside Korea, it needs an apostille or consular confirmation. Qualifications from mainland China need a CHSI (学信网) verification report instead.
High School Transcript
Passport Copy
Parents' Passport Copies
Universities use this to check that both parents are foreign nationals — an admission rule for international students, not a visa rule.
Proof of Family Relationship
Any one of: a birth certificate, a certificate of family relations, or a family register extract. For the visa itself, it is needed only if your parents' bank balance is your financial proof.
Language Test Score (TOPIK / TOEFL / IELTS)
Whether this is required depends on the major you apply for.
STAGE 2
Enrollment After Acceptance
Final Diploma
Proof of Financial Capacity (bank balance certificate)
The official standard is one year of tuition plus living costs (six months for language study); your university sets the exact amount. Avoid a large deposit just before you apply — universities and embassies can question where the money came from.
Tuition Payment Receipt
Standard Certificate of Admission
STAGE 3
Visa (D-2) Application
Visa Application Form + Photo
Tuberculosis Test Certificate
Only for nationals of Korea's 35 tuberculosis high-risk countries applying for a stay of more than 90 days. It must come from a hospital designated by the Korean embassy.
Criminal Record Certificate
Only if your university or the Korean embassy asks for it.
Proof of Financial Capacity (for the visa application)
Submitted again with your visa application — the embassy checks it separately from your university. It must be a bank balance certificate issued within the 30 days before you apply, in your own name or your parents' name (a brother's or sister's name only if your parents have died). Keep the balance in the account for your whole permitted stay.
STAGE 4
After Arrival · Alien Registration
Alien Registration Application
Certificate of Enrollment
Proof of Residence
A lease agreement or a dormitory confirmation letter.
Tuberculosis Test Certificate
Only in some cases: you entered on an e-visa, or entered on a multiple-entry visa more than 6 months after it was issued. At an extension it is also required if you spent 6 months or more in a row in a high-risk country during the past year.
Common questions
QHow many documents do I need for a D-2 visa?
AThis checklist has 20 documents in 4 stages, from your university application to your alien registration card. Each one is marked required, conditional or optional, and which ones apply to you depends on your situation.
QWhich documents do I submit for the visa itself?
AThe common documents are: the application form, a copy of your passport, one photo taken within the last 6 months, the school's business registration (or unique number) certificate, the standard certificate of admission, a TB certificate if it applies to you, proof of your final education, and proof of funds.
QDo documents from abroad need an apostille?
ADocuments issued abroad must carry an apostille from the issuing government or a consular confirmation from the Korean mission in that country. Education certificates earned in mainland China are the exception: you submit a verification report from the Chinese Ministry of Education's credential centre, usually from CHSI.
QHow much money must I show?
AYou must show funds equal to one year of tuition plus living costs. The manual describes the requirement this way and does not state a fixed amount in won or dollars.
QDo I need a TB certificate?
AOnly if you are a national of one of Korea's 35 tuberculosis high-risk countries and apply for a long-term visa (a stay of more than 90 days). Children under 6, pregnant women and people who cannot move because of age or illness are exempt.
Get this as a PDF
One page per stage, every document and note included. Useful to print, or to show an immigration officer who wants the full list at once.
The PDF is in English regardless of the language you're reading this page in -- that's the version embassies and universities actually accept.
Requirements can vary by nationality and by university or institute -- this list covers what applies to most students. If you're not sure your case is standard, call HiKorea (☎ 1345) or ask us directly.
Could you apply by e-visa?
If your university is top-certified, or you are a master's or doctoral student at a certified one, you can apply online without visiting an embassy. See who qualifies and how it works.