Seafarer Employment (E-10) Visa — Eligibility, Period of Stay, Extensions, and Workplace Change Documents

Apply for a Confirmation of Visa Issuance and Obtain a Visa

• Application for Confirmation of Visa Issuance (사증발급인정신청서), passport, business registration certificate, and one standard-size photograph
• Copy of the Standard Labor Contract (표준근로계약서) and Letter of Guarantee (신원보증서)
• Certificate of Acceptance of the Foreign Seafarer Employment Report (외국인선원고용신고수리서)
• Criminal Record Certificate issued by a competent authority in the country of nationality
• Health Status Confirmation Form completed by the applicant
• Additional documents by status: for coastal vessel crew, licenses, registration certificates, etc.; for fishing vessel crew, licenses or permits and vessel inspection certificates, etc.; for cruise passenger ship crew, a copy of the cruise passenger transport business license, etc.

An E-10 visa is issued only on the basis of a Confirmation of Visa Issuance issued by the head of an Immigration Office, Immigration Branch Office, or Immigration Office/Branch. Apply to the office with jurisdiction over the company’s location or principal place of business. The designated agency for coastal vessels and cruise passenger ships is the Korea Shipping Association (한국해운조합); for fishing vessels, it is the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives (수협중앙회).

Alien Registration

• Application form, original passport, and one standard-size photograph
• Coastal Passenger Transport Business License or Coastal Freight Transport Registration Certificate
• Medical examination certificate
• Drug test confirmation
• Certificate of enrollment in industrial accident compensation insurance or accident insurance
• Proof of place of residence

The medical examination certificate and drug test confirmation must be submitted sealed in an envelope and must not be opened. The alien registration card issuance fee is KRW 35,000 under the general guidance.

Extension of Period of Stay

• Application form, passport, and alien registration card
• Employment contract and copy of the business registration certificate
• Letter of Guarantee
• Employment Recommendation for a Foreign Seafarer or Recommendation for Extension of the Seafarer Employment Activity Period
• Proof of place of residence

Under the general guidance on screening fees, an extension of stay costs KRW 60,000. If you are seeking a job after termination of employment, you may apply for an extension of up to 3 months from the date your employment was terminated if you meet the requirements. The fee is waived in this case.

Change or Addition of Workplace

• Application form, passport, and alien registration card
• Employment Recommendation for a Foreign National issued by the Korea Shipping Association or the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives (수산업협동조합중앙회)
• Employment contract and business registration certificate
• Industrial accident documents or medical certificate, if required
• Letter of Guarantee

If it is difficult to continue a normal employment relationship due to the temporary or permanent closure of a business, etc., you may apply with a recommendation from the head of the Regional Office of Oceans and Fisheries. Permission must be obtained in advance even when moving between vessels owned by the same shipowner; the fee is waived in this case.

Report of Employment Changes

• Report of Changes in Circumstances Concerning Foreign Nationals in Employment or Training (고용·연수 외국인 변동사유 발생신고서)
• Copy of the alien registration card and copy of the business registration certificate
• Handover Confirmation for a Departing Foreign Seafarer (퇴직 외국인선원 인수·인계확인서)
• If the employer does not submit the report in person: power of attorney, certificate of employment, and the representative’s identification

Employers must report dismissal, resignation, or changes to an employment contract within 15 days from the date the reason arises, and must report a death or unknown whereabouts within 15 days from the date they become aware of the reason. Reports may be made by visiting the office with jurisdiction over the place of stay, by fax, or through Hi Korea’s electronic civil service system.

Q. Can I obtain an E-10 visa directly from an overseas diplomatic mission?

No. An E-10 visa is issued only on the basis of a Confirmation of Visa Issuance (사증발급인정서) issued by the head of an Immigration Office, Immigration Branch Office, or Immigration Office/Branch (출입국·외국인청(사무소·출장소)장).

Q. How long can I stay on an E-10 visa?

A stay period of up to 3 years may be granted at a time. If you receive permission to extend your employment activity period through reemployment, you may stay for a total of up to 4 years and 10 months from your initial date of entry.

Q. Can an E-10-2 fishing vessel crew member also package or dry the catch?

If you obtain permission for activities outside your status of stay, you may perform work related to the production of the catch, such as drying and packaging the catch. The original employer and the employer at the relevant workplace must be the same, and there are also limits on the number of workers and the period of activity.

Q. Do I need permission to move to another vessel owned by the same shipowner?

Yes. You must obtain permission in advance to change your workplace, even when moving to another vessel owned by the same shipping company or shipowner. The fee is waived in this case.

Q. Can I extend my stay if I leave my job before my employment contract ends?

If you are seeking a job due to termination of employment or a similar reason, you may apply for an extension of stay for up to 3 months from the date your employment was terminated. At least 4 months must remain in your total permitted stay period, calculated against the 3-year limit, and the extension fee is waived.

Q. When should I apply for an extension through reemployment?

Unless there are special circumstances, apply between 2 months before your period of stay expires and the expiration date. Even after an extension through reemployment, your total period of stay from your initial date of entry cannot exceed 4 years and 10 months.

Q. Should I apply for E-10 to work on a fishing vessel under 20 tons?

The manual states that foreign nationals working in coastal and offshore fisheries on fishing vessels under 20 tons fall under status E-9-4. E-10-2 applies to fishing vessel crew members on vessels of 20 tons or more.

Q. Do I need a Criminal Record Certificate and a Health Status Confirmation Form when applying for an E-10 visa?

Yes. In principle, the Criminal Record Certificate must be issued by a competent authority in your country of nationality and must have been issued within 3 months of the visa application date. The applicant must complete the Health Status Confirmation Form in their own handwriting.

Q. Does the employer have to report the resignation of a foreign seafarer?

Dismissal or resignation before the end of the contract must be reported within 15 days from the date the reason arises. However, resignation due to the expiration of the contract period does not need to be reported.