South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS) vs UK Innovator Founder Visa
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
- ›UK Innovator Founder Visa is faster: 2 months vs 3 months for South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS).
- ›Faster to citizenship: UK Innovator Founder Visa at ~4 years, vs 5 for South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS).
South Korea D-8-4 Technology Startup Visa (OASIS) South Korea · entrepreneur | UK Innovator Founder Visa United Kingdom · entrepreneur | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | South Korea | United Kingdom |
| Category | Entrepreneur | Entrepreneur |
| Application Fee | $50 | $1,490 |
| 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 partner and children may be included; each requires a separate application and fee |
| Path to PR | Yes — 5 years | Yes — 3 years |
| Path to Citizenship | Yes — 5 years | Yes — 4 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 not be absent from the UK for more than 180 days in any 12-month period; must actively develop the endorsed business |
| Dual Citizenship | Not allowed | 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. | Business income is subject to UK corporation tax and founders are liable for income tax on salaries or dividends drawn. The UK has no minimum investment requirement for this route, but tax residency applies from arrival. |
| Tax Residency Trigger | 183 days/yr | 183 days/yr |
| Worldwide Taxation | Yes | Yes |
| Renewal Cost | $50 | $1,490 |
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 UK Innovator Founder Visa
The UK Innovator Founder Visa, which replaced the Innovator Visa in April 2023, is for non-UK founders or co-founders of a business judged innovative, viable, and scalable by a Home Office-approved endorsing body — unlike its predecessor, it carries no minimum personal investment requirement. Applicants need that endorsement, £1,270 in savings held 28 consecutive days, and English at B2 level, and the business must be new to the UK market. Settlement (Indefinite Leave to Remain) can follow after 3 years if the endorsed business hits growth milestones checked at 12- and 24-month reviews — failing these can end the visa outright. Citizenship typically follows about a year after settlement, so total time to naturalisation is commonly quoted around 4 to 6 years, with absences capped at 180 days per year toward settlement. Dependant partners and children require separate applications, fees, and the ongoing Immigration Health Surcharge. Business income is taxed in the UK from arrival, though the Foreign Income and Gains regime can exempt foreign income/gains for up to 4 years for those not UK tax resident in the prior decade.
Full UK Innovator Founder Visa 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.
UK Innovator Founder Visa
- ⚠Minimum investment removed in April 2023 (was £50k) but business plan scrutiny intensified
- ⚠Endorsement body relationship ongoing — 12/24 month checks can end visa
- ⚠Business must be innovative AND viable AND scalable — all three
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.