D2 Metropolitan Visa (광역비자): Eligibility & Full Guide

Before You Read: A Note on Status and Sources

The metropolitan visa (광역형 비자, gwangyeok-hyeong bija) is a Ministry of Justice pilot program, and each participating region designs its own conditions. This guide is built from the Ministry's published notices, press coverage of the pilot, and region and university guidelines available as of October 2026. Some of those guidelines are drafts, and the program is being redesigned for 2027–2028. Where a detail comes from one region's published plan, the text says so. Always confirm the final conditions with your target university and the official notices before you pay a fee or make a decision.

Introduction: A New Kind of D-2 That Depends on Where You Study

Until recently, a D-2 student visa meant the same national rules wherever in Korea you studied. The metropolitan visa changes that. Regional governments can now propose easier visa conditions for international students who study in fields and places the region wants to grow, and the Ministry of Justice approves and issues the visa.

For Nepali students, this matters in two ways. A region's version can lower the financial proof you must show and raise the number of part-time hours you can work. But it is not open to everyone. It applies only to designated universities and departments, only to students the region recommends, and only within fixed quotas that may be limited by nationality. The program is also in transition, because the two-year pilot ends in 2026 and a redesigned program has been announced for 2027–2028.

This guide covers what the visa is, which regions and fields it covers, how it differs from a regular D-2, who is eligible, how the application works, how part-time work and career pathways are affected, and what is changing next.

What Is the 광역형 비자?

The Ministry of Justice describes the metropolitan visa as a system in which a metropolitan local government designs a visa scheme reflecting its own economic and social needs, while staying consistent with national immigration policy. In practice:

• The pilot covers two visa categories: D-2 (study) and E-7 (specified activities, meaning skilled and professional work).
• A selected local government recommends eligible foreign nationals, and the Ministry of Justice reviews and issues the visa.
• The pilot ran for two years, from 2025 through 2026, and began operating on April 2, 2025.
• A review committee, chaired by the Vice Minister of Justice and made up of ministry officials and outside experts, selected the participating governments.

It is not a separate visa category. A student on a metropolitan visa still holds D-2 status. What differs is the set of conditions under which that D-2 is issued, and the fact that a regional government must recommend the student.

Quick Facts

How the Program Came About

The Ministry said it would evaluate the pilot on several indicators: how fully each region fills its quota, participation in social integration programs, the illegal-stay rate, and the share of foreign residents in the region. It said it could adjust quotas or decide whether to continue a region's program based on the results.

Which Regions Offer the D-2 Metropolitan Visa?

Ten metropolitan governments were selected for the D-2 version of the pilot:

• Seoul
• Busan
• Incheon
• Gwangju
• Gangwon
• North Chungcheong (Chungbuk)
• South Chungcheong (Chungnam)
• North Jeolla (Jeonbuk)
• South Jeolla (Jeonnam)
• Jeju

Together these governments were allotted 4,420 D-2 places for the pilot. Separate E-7 plans were submitted by other governments, including Daegu, Daejeon, Ulsan, Gyeonggi, Gyeongbuk and Gyeongnam, but this guide focuses on the D-2 side.

What Each Region Focuses On

Press coverage of the launch described the regional focus areas this way:

These are general themes. The exact departments, universities and conditions are set region by region, and sometimes university by university, so a student's field of study decides whether the visa is available at all.

How It Differs From a Regular D-2

Converting at roughly one Nepali lakh per million won, KRW 16–20 million is about NPR 16–20 lakh, and the eased KRW 8 million is about NPR 8 lakh. Use the current exchange rate when you budget.

Region Spotlights: What Has Been Published

Only some regions have published detailed conditions, so these three show how much the visa can vary.

South Chungcheong (Chungnam)

Chungnam's announced design is one of the most concrete:

• It planned to issue the eased visa to 250 international students through 2026.
• Financial proof is lowered from the usual KRW 16 million-plus for non-capital universities to KRW 8 million.
• The weekly part-time ceiling is raised from the general 10–25 hours to 30 hours.
• It targets students in departments tied to the province's five strategic industries (auto parts, semiconductors, displays, petrochemicals and steel) and students entering universities in rural areas.
• Six universities were selected to begin from the second semester of 2025, with plans to link study to a provincial work-and-learn scheme and settlement support.

North Chungcheong (Chungbuk)

Press coverage reported that for students coming to Chungbuk under the program, the required financial guarantee dropped from KRW 16 million or more per year to KRW 8 million. The province also launched an online platform for international students covering admissions and visa information from 18 universities, daily-life services and job information.

Seoul

Seoul's draft management guideline (October 2025) describes a different approach:

• It targets the city's core industries: robotics, AI, bio, fintech and quantum.
• It covers regular degree programs (associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral) in designated universities and departments.
• It excludes distance universities, lifelong education institutions, vocational training courses at polytechnic colleges and night graduate programs. It also excludes universities in the lowest tier of the education internationalization certification system, those under intensive visa screening.
• Universities have discretion over whom to recommend but must set screening criteria and share them with the city.
• The city said it would consider a cap on any single nationality when issuing recommendations (30 percent was mentioned in the draft).
• Part-time hours are generally up to 30 per week on weekdays, with an extra 5 hours possible for students meeting certain conditions, and no limit on weekends, holidays and vacations.

Treat the Seoul figures as draft-stage. Other regions may differ, and final guidelines may change.

Who Is Eligible?

Because each region sets its own details, eligibility has several layers.

Layer 1: You Must Be a D-2 Degree Student

The pilot targets D-2 students in regular degree courses: associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs. Language training (D-4) is not the pilot's target. Seoul's draft excludes research-student status (D-2-5) from some provisions.

Layer 2: Your University and Department Must Be Designated

You need to enter a university and a department that the regional government has included. A university can participate in some departments and not others, so confirm the department, not just the institution.

Layer 3: The University Must Be in Good Standing

Korea's education internationalization certification system rates universities. Those that are visa-restricted or under enhanced screening may be excluded from regional programs, as Seoul's draft states. Choose a certified university where possible.

Layer 4: You Must Be Recommended

The local government issues a recommendation letter based on the university's nomination. You cannot apply directly for the visa under the pilot without this.

Layer 5: Standard D-2 Requirements Still Apply

You still need the usual academic qualification, a Certificate of Admission, financial proof at your region's level, and the other documents. For Nepali applicants that includes the TB test certificate and the document verification steps covered in Toddle's other guides.

Layer 6: Nationality Limits May Apply

The Ministry required regions to set quotas and limits on recommending people of the same nationality. Given the large number of Nepali applicants to Korea, this can affect competition for recommendations.

How the Application Works

The sequence below follows the process in Seoul's draft guideline, with Nepal-specific steps added. Details vary by region.

1. Choose a participating university and department in a region with a D-2 metropolitan visa. Ask the university's international office to confirm the department is covered.
2. Apply for admission and meet your program's language requirement.
3. The university nominates you to the local government, which issues a local government recommendation letter.
4. Apply for the visa. In Seoul's draft, the recommendation letter must be issued before you apply, whichever route you take:
   • Visa issuance confirmation route: submit the original letter with the application for the confirmation, then apply for the visa.
   • Direct visa route: submit a copy of the letter to the Korean mission when applying for the visa, and the original at foreigner registration after arrival.
   • Change of status: submit the original letter with the status-change application. In principle this lets someone already in Korea be recommended, but confirm eligibility with the university.
5. Complete the Nepal-side steps: MoFA attestation, the TB test at a designated facility, embassy document verification and submission through the Korea Visa Application Center. See Toddle's D-2 student visa counselling services and D-2 code student visa counselling services for how these fit together.
6. After arrival, register for the Residence Card within 90 days through HiKorea and enroll in National Health Insurance.

Published materials suggest the metropolitan visa adds a recommendation step and region-specific conditions on top of the normal D-2 framework. Confirm with your university and the Embassy whether any Nepal-specific step differs.

If you are still on a language-training visa, the route into a metropolitan D-2 may involve a status change, so ask your institution and review Toddle's D-4-1 code student visa counselling services to plan that transition.

The Financial Requirement in Detail

Even where the figure is lower, the same principles apply. Reviewers look at account history, not just the balance. A balance built steadily over months looks credible. A sum deposited days before applying draws questions. A lower threshold does not remove the need for genuine funds, since you still have to pay tuition and living costs. For budgeting, use the realistic first-year figures in Toddle's other cost guides.

Part-Time Work Under the Metropolitan Visa

Part-time work always needs a work permit before you start, with or without the metropolitan visa. The baseline rules that apply across D-2 students, as published by a major university's international office, include:

• Your previous semester's grade average must be at least C (2.0).
• Korean-language criteria generally require TOPIK 3 for bachelor's years 1–2 and TOPIK 4 for bachelor's years 3–4 and graduate students, or equivalent KIIP or Sejong Institute levels. English-track students can qualify with set test scores.
• At universities with education internationalization certification, the weekly cap is 30 hours for bachelor's and language students and 35 hours for master's and doctoral students, with no limit on weekends and vacations.

The pilot's contribution is mainly for students at universities that would otherwise have a lower cap. Chungnam, for example, raises the ceiling to 30 hours from the 10–25 baseline it cited. Seoul's draft sets a 30-hour weekday ceiling with extra hours for strong grades or Korean ability (such as TOPIK 5 or higher).

Restrictions still apply. Manufacturing, construction and adult-entertainment or nightlife establishments remain off-limits to student visa holders, and the weekly cap applies to your combined hours across all jobs. Toddle's guide on what not to do in Korea covers these legal limits in more detail.

From Study to Work: The Settlement Idea Behind the Visa

The visa's purpose is to attract students to regions and keep them there. The thinking is that a student who studies in a region's priority field and then finds a job in that region helps local industry and population.

For graduates, the usual pathway continues to apply: a D-10 job-seeking visa and then E-7 professional status once you have a qualifying employer. The 2027–2028 redesign, as reported, aims to link study more closely with employment in region-designated industries and to support settlement, including employment for spouses. Whether and how any of this applies to a specific student will depend on the final regional rules.

The 2027–2028 Redesign: What Has Been Announced

In August 2026, the Ministry of Justice announced a call for proposals for a formal program and a reworking of the rules. As reported:

These are announced directions. Final conditions will come with the formal call and each region's approved plan. If you are targeting March or September 2027, ask your university whether its regional program continues and on what terms.

What This Means for Nepali Applicants

1. Treat it as an option, not a plan. Quotas are limited and may be capped by nationality. Prepare a regular D-2 application in parallel.
2. Language matters even more. Higher TOPIK levels unlock more part-time hours, and the redesign emphasizes verified Korean ability for overseas candidates. Building proficiency through Toddle's basic Korean language class and TOPIK I class is a sensible first step.
3. Pick the field and region together. The visa favors students in a region's priority industries, such as semiconductors, robotics, bio, tourism or manufacturing, depending on the place.
4. Check university standing. Choose a certified university, since lower-rated ones can be excluded.
5. Ask for the written conditions. Request the region's current guideline, the recommendation process and the latest quota status before paying application or tuition fees.
6. Watch the timeline. The recommendation letter must be issued before you apply, so add that step to your schedule alongside attestation, verification and visa processing.

Pros and Cons

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Assuming every university in a region qualifies. Only designated universities and departments are covered.
• Treating the visa as guaranteed once admitted. A recommendation is also needed, and quotas are limited.
• Relying on social media summaries. Region-level details vary, and drafts get revised. Check official notices, including the Ministry of Justice's pilot announcement.
• Skipping the standard Nepal-side steps. Attestation, the TB test and embassy verification still need lead time.
• Budgeting only on the eased financial figure. Tuition and living costs remain, whatever the proof threshold.
• Ignoring work rules. A permit is required before any job, and the hour cap applies across all jobs combined.
• Choosing a university only for the visa. Pick a program that fits your goals first.

Questions to Ask Your University

1. Is my department designated under the regional visa, and for which intakes?
2. Does the university hold education internationalization certification?
3. How are students selected for recommendation, and what criteria apply?
4. Is there a nationality cap, and how does it affect Nepali applicants?
5. What financial proof does the region require?
6. What part-time hours apply to my program and Korean level?
7. When is the recommendation letter issued relative to my visa application?
8. What will change for the 2027–2028 program?

How Toddle Supports Your Planning

The metropolitan visa adds a layer of decisions to an already document-heavy process. Toddle, based in Hetauda, Makawanpur, helps Nepali students sort through those layers: matching academic background to a realistic university and visa pathway, preparing the standard D-2 file, and building the Korean-language proficiency that affects admission, work hours and daily life. Toddle cannot guarantee a recommendation or a visa, since those decisions rest with the regional government and the Korean authorities. It can help you ask the right questions and avoid avoidable delays.

For students building their Korean, the advance Korean language class supports the higher TOPIK levels that unlock more work hours, and the guide to Korean language classes in Nepal helps you compare options. To see what sets Toddle's instruction apart, read why choose Toddle. For scholarship and university information from the government, the Study in Korea portal is a useful companion.

Frequently Asked Questions about D2 Metropolitan Visa

1. What is the D2 metropolitan visa?
It is a D-2 student visa issued under region-specific conditions designed by a metropolitan government and approved by the Ministry of Justice. Its Korean name is 광역형 비자.

2. Is it a new visa category?
No. Holders still have D-2 status. What differs is the conditions of issue and the local government's recommendation.

3. Who issues the visa?
The Ministry of Justice reviews and issues it after a selected local government recommends the student.

4. When did the pilot start and end?
It began operating on April 2, 2025, and the pilot runs through 2026.

5. Which regions offer the D-2 version?
Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Gwangju, Gangwon, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, North Jeolla, South Jeolla and Jeju.

6. How many places were allocated for D-2?
4,420 places across the ten governments in the pilot.

7. Does it apply to language-training (D-4) students?
The pilot targets D-2 degree students. Ask your institution whether a later status change into the metropolitan D-2 is possible.

8. What fields does it cover?
It varies by region. High-tech fields such as semiconductors, robotics, AI, secondary batteries and biotechnology are common in some regions, while others focus on manufacturing and tourism.

9. Does the visa lower the financial proof required?
In some regions, yes. Chungbuk and Chungnam lowered it from KRW 16 million to KRW 8 million per year, against a KRW 20 million baseline in the capital area.

10. Can I work more hours with this visa?
In some regions. Chungnam raised the ceiling to 30 hours from a general 10–25 hours, and Seoul's draft sets a 30-hour weekday ceiling. A work permit is still required.

11. Do I need a recommendation letter?
Yes. The local government issues it based on the university's nomination, and it must be issued before you apply.

12. Can I apply directly without my university?
Under the pilot, no. The university nominates students and the region recommends them.

13. Are there nationality limits?
The Ministry required regions to set quotas and limits on recommending people of the same nationality. Seoul's draft considered a 30 percent cap on a single nationality.

14. Are all universities in a participating region included?
No. Only designated universities and departments are covered, and lower-rated universities may be excluded.

15. Does it replace the standard Nepal-side steps?
Published materials suggest it adds to the normal D-2 process. Confirm any Nepal-specific differences with your university and the Embassy.

16. What happens after 2026?
The Ministry announced a formal program for 2027–2028 with a smaller total quota of up to about 3,000 and per-region quotas of roughly 50–200.

17. Will overseas applicants still be accepted?
The announced direction gives priority to students already in Korea and limits overseas candidates, with pre-entry verification of skills or Korean ability. Final rules will follow the formal call.

18. Can I apply for both a regular D-2 and the metropolitan version?
Prepare a regular D-2 file in parallel. Ask your university which route applies to you.

19. Does the visa help with jobs after graduation?
It is designed to link study to regional industries. Graduates still use the D-10 job-seeking visa and E-7 for professional work, subject to the usual rules.

20. What Korean level should I aim for?
Part-time work criteria generally need TOPIK 3 for early bachelor's years and TOPIK 4 for later years and graduate study, and higher levels can unlock extra hours.

21. Where can I check official information?
The Ministry of Justice immigration notices, HiKorea, your university's international office and the Embassy's notice board.

22. Can a consultancy guarantee the metropolitan visa?
No. Recommendation and issuance rest with the regional government and the Ministry of Justice.

Conclusion on D2 Metropolitan Visa

The metropolitan visa reflects a shift in Korea's immigration policy: instead of one national D-2 standard, regions can shape visa conditions around the fields they want to grow. For the right student, in the right department and region, that can mean lower financial proof, more part-time hours and a clearer link from study to a regional career. For others, it will be unavailable, capped or still undefined, particularly as the pilot gives way to a smaller, more selective formal program in 2027–2028.

The practical approach is to plan on two tracks. Prepare a strong regular D-2 application, and in parallel ask your target university whether its department is covered, what the recommendation process looks like, and what will change next. Build your Korean-language ability early, because it affects admission, work hours and the new program's selection logic. Rely on official sources, and treat any promise of a guaranteed regional visa with caution.

Ready to Plan Your Korea Study Route?

If you are weighing a regional university, deciding between a regular D-2 and a metropolitan option, or building the Korean-language and document preparation that every route needs, Toddle's counsellors can review your situation and help you plan realistically.

Contact Toddle through the contact page, or visit us at School Road, Hetauda-4, Makawanpur, to start your D-2 planning with current information and structured Korean-language preparation.