South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS) vs Singapore EntrePass
A factual side-by-side comparison of two residency programmes. All figures are drawn from the canonical program pages — follow either link in the table header for sources and the full profile.
Key Differences at a Glance
- ›Singapore EntrePass is faster: 2 months vs 3 months for South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS).
- ›Faster to citizenship: South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS) at ~5 years, vs 8 for Singapore EntrePass.
- ›Singapore EntrePass uses territorial taxation; South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS) taxes worldwide income.
South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS) South Korea · entrepreneur | Singapore EntrePass Singapore · entrepreneur | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | South Korea | Singapore |
| Category | Entrepreneur | Entrepreneur |
| Application Fee | $50 | $150 |
| Minimum Income | — | — |
| Minimum Investment | — | — |
| Processing Time | 3 months | 2 months |
| Family Included | Spouse and minor children may apply for F-3 dependent visas; F-3 dependents generally cannot work in Korea without separately qualifying for their own status. | Dependant's Pass available for spouse and children under 21; Long-Term Visit Pass available for parents and parents-in-law. |
| Path to PR | Yes — 5 years | Yes — 2 years |
| Path to Citizenship | Yes — 5 years | Yes — 8 years |
| Physical Presence | No statutory day-count is published for D-8-4 specifically; holders are expected to remain actively, operationally involved in running the registered Korean startup, and prolonged absence can jeopardise renewal. | Must actively manage the business in Singapore; substantial physical presence required for renewal. |
| Dual Citizenship | Not allowed | Not allowed |
| Tax Impact | Holders residing in South Korea for 183+ days per year are subject to Korean income tax on worldwide income at progressive rates up to 45%. Corporate tax applies separately to the startup's business profits. | Singapore taxes income sourced in Singapore; foreign-sourced income remitted to Singapore may also be taxable. No capital gains tax. |
| Tax Residency Trigger | 183 days/yr | 183 days/yr |
| Worldwide Taxation | Yes | Territorial |
| Renewal Cost | $50 | $150 |
About South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS)
South Korea's D-8-4 visa is a dedicated route for foreign founders launching technology-based startups in Korea, administered through the OASIS framework run jointly by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups via the Global Startup Immigration Center. Unlike the standard D-8 corporate-investor visa, which typically requires paid-in capital of roughly KRW 100 million (about $75,000), the D-8-4 has no minimum capital requirement — eligibility instead rests on a points-based evaluation crediting academic background, intellectual-property ownership, completed OASIS coursework, and business-plan strength. Applicants generally need at least 60 points to qualify. The visa suits IP-driven founders — engineers, researchers, and technical specialists — who want to incorporate and personally operate a Korean startup rather than invest passively. It is issued initially for up to 12 months, extendable while the business operates, with a nominal track toward permanent residency and Korean citizenship for founders who remain resident and build a genuine operating company.
Full South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS) profile →About Singapore EntrePass
The Singapore EntrePass is an entrepreneur route for founders launching innovative, scalable Singapore companies. Its defining eligibility: the business must be venture-backed (by a MOM-recognised, MAS-licensed investor), incubator-supported, or IP-driven, and the applicant must incorporate a private limited company and hold at least 30% shareholding; hawker, food-court, and employment-agency businesses are excluded. There is no minimum salary, though personal financial viability is assessed. The application fee is about SGD 105 (~USD 150), with realistic first-year costs of SGD 10,000–20,000, and MOM targets eight-week processing. Spouse and children under 21 receive Dependant's Passes and may work. Permanent residency can be sought after two years and citizenship around eight years—but PR is discretionary, and Singapore does NOT allow dual citizenship, so naturalisation requires full renunciation. Renewal is not automatic and demands demonstrable business progress. Singapore taxes on a territorial basis (no capital gains tax), and a Startup Tax Exemption gives 75% relief on the first SGD 100,000 of income for three years.
Full Singapore EntrePass profile →Gotchas to Watch For
South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS)
- ⚠No minimum capital doesn't mean no cost — company registration, legal support, and OASIS coursework fees add up before the visa is even filed.
- ⚠OASIS points evaluation criteria and exact scoring weights are not fully published in English; work with a Korean-language advisor or the Global Startup Immigration Center directly to model your score before committing.
- ⚠The visa is tied to actively operating the specific registered company — substantially pivoting the business can jeopardise renewal.
- ⚠Korea does not generally allow dual citizenship for naturalised citizens; expect to renounce your prior citizenship if you pursue Korean citizenship long-term (narrow exceptions exist for limited categories).
- ⚠F-3 dependent status for spouse/children generally does not include independent work rights.
Singapore EntrePass
- ⚠The "VC funding" qualifier must be from a MOM-recognised, MAS-licensed investor — a term sheet from an unrecognised angel or family investment will be rejected
- ⚠EntrePass renewal is NOT automatic — MOM expects demonstrable business progress at each renewal. No progress = no pass
- ⚠Singapore does NOT allow dual citizenship — naturalisation requires full renunciation
- ⚠There is no minimum salary requirement for EntrePass (unlike Employment Pass) — but personal financial viability is assessed
- ⚠EntrePass holders do NOT qualify for CPF contributions (personal) — no CPF for your own retirement unless hiring Singapore citizens/PRs
- ⚠Business plan must show Singapore-specific operations; companies that simply "relocate" without local activity are rejected
- ⚠Spouse/children on Dependant's Pass can work in Singapore (spouse may apply for Letter of Consent to work without separate EP)
Neutral reference — we don't recommend one programme over another. Programmes change: always verify each detail against the official source linked on the individual program pages.