Research
- Holders · 2024-12
- 3,426
- Arrivals · 2026-06
- 629 +2.6% YoY
- Subtypes
- —
- Top nationality
- India 1,238
The E-3 (Research) visa covers: 연구. 3,426 foreign nationals held it as of the latest MOJ cross-tab (2024-12-31; all sojourners, including short-term), with India the largest group (1,238). Application and extension fees are listed with legal citations on the official fee table.
From the MOJ manual · as of 2026-07-31Who qualifies & how
Eligibility. Research in natural sciences, advanced industrial technology R&D, or social sciences/humanities/arts at designated institutions: government-funded and specific research institutes, defense research institutes, corporate-affiliated research institutes, industrial technology research cooperatives, universities and industry-academic cooperation foundations, public research bodies and science-technology non-profits. Qualification: doctorate (or confirmed doctorate-expected), or master's plus 3 years' research experience — experience waived for domestic master's graduates, master's from Times top-200/QS top-500 universities, and authors of SCIE/SSCI/A&HCI/SCI-indexed papers.
Work rights. Research at the contracted institution; mismatched field of work or abnormally low pay is ground to refuse issuance, status change or extension.
Duration. Up to 5 years per grant; doctorate-expected candidates can receive a conditional visa of up to 6 months.
Extension. Renewable while the research contract continues; low-wage or out-of-field employment is restricted at extension.
Pathways. E-3 → F-2-7 (professional category) → F-5; general F-5 after 5 years on D-7~E-7/F-2; E-3 → E-1 changes combine residence periods for F-2-7 points. E-3 is e-visa eligible.
ChecklistRequired documents
- Visa (or Confirmation of Visa Issuance) application form, passport, 1 standard photo, fee
- Employer establishment documents (business registration, corporate register or research-institute accreditation)
- Master's-or-higher degree certificate and career certificate (as applicable; waived where the ministry pre-verified via employment recommendation)
- Employment contract or appointment-confirmation letter
- Doctorate-expected certificate with confirmed award date (for conditional issuance)
- Evidence of indexed publications (for the experience waiver)
Fees: change of status ₩100,000. The full table with legal citations is on /fees.
Who holds itE-3 holders by nationality
| Nationality | Registered holders | Share |
|---|---|---|
| India 인도 | 1,238 | 36.1% |
| China 중국 | 354 | 10.3% |
| Vietnam 베트남 | 315 | 9.2% |
| Pakistan 파키스탄 | 226 | 6.6% |
| Japan 일본 | 154 | 4.5% |
| Iran 이란 | 121 | 3.5% |
| Bangladesh 방글라데시 | 91 | 2.7% |
| Indonesia 인도네시아 | 82 | 2.4% |
| Nepal 네팔 | 79 | 2.3% |
| United States 미국 | 57 | 1.7% |
TrendMonthly arrivals on the E-3
In 2026-06, 629 people entered Korea on an E-3 visa, up 2.6% from a year earlier.
| Month | Arrivals | Relative volume |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-07 | 617 | |
| 2025-08 | 670 | |
| 2025-09 | 567 | |
| 2025-10 | 992 | |
| 2025-11 | 622 | |
| 2025-12 | 617 | |
| 2026-01 | 707 | |
| 2026-02 | 852 | |
| 2026-03 | 601 | |
| 2026-04 | 484 | |
| 2026-05 | 722 | |
| 2026-06 | 629 |
Verified against source · 2026-08-17