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Marriage report procedures between Korean citizens and foreigners
- In the case of a marriage between a Korean citizen and a foreigner in Korea, the marriage must be registered according to the procedure described in “Requirements for Formal Establishment of Marriage.”
- However, in order to confirm whether the foreign spouse legally meets the requirements for marriage establishment according to the laws of his or her home country, certain certification documents as described below must be additionally submitted.
* Requirements for establishing an international marriage:
https://www.easylaw.go.kr/CSP/CnpClsMain.laf?popMenu=ov&csmSeq=47&ccfNo=1&cciNo=1&cnpClsNo=2
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Place of Report |
Nearby city/gu/eup/myeon office nationwide ※Not possible at community centers |
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Required Documents
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- Marriage report application - Marriage consent - 1 copy each of basic certificate, marriage relations certificate, and family relations certificate from the family relationship register of both parties ※ If the contents can be verified electronically at the family relationship registration office, the attachment is omitted. |
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Other attached documents
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- In the case of marriage registration through a trial confirming the existence of a common-law relationship : A certified copy of the judgment and a certificate of confirmation (in case of establishment of mediation/reconciliation, one copy each of the mediation/reconciliation record and proof of service) - When a foreigner marries in Korean style : A certificate of meeting the requirements for marriage for foreigners (e.g., certificate of unmarried marriage for Chinese nationals), an original copy, and a copy of a document proving nationality (passport or alien registration card) - When a foreigner marries in a foreign style : 1 copy each of marriage certificate and document proving nationality (passport or alien registration card) - In case of an agreement to use the child's last name or birth name as the mother's last name or birth name : 1 copy of the agreement between the parties to the marriage certifying the fact of agreement |
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Identity verification
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[General marriage report] - If both spouses attend: Identification certificates of both parties - If one of the parties fails to appear: ID card or seal certificate of the party who failed to attend |
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[Marriage report by mail submission] - Notarized signatures or seal certificates of all reporting persons |
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[Marriage registration by certified copy of marriage certificate] - If the reporter is present: Identification card - If the submitter is present: Submitter's identification card - In case of submission by mail: A copy of the reporter's identification card * A certified marriage certificate refers to a case where marriage has already been registered in a foreign country and is reporting in Korea
* Fines for reporting after 3 months |
If you are married to a foreign spouse, process your family relations register
[When a Korean man marries a foreign woman]
When a Korean man marries a foreign woman, the foreign spouse does not acquire Korean nationality by registering the marriage with the Korean man, so the reason for the marriage is recorded only in the Korean spouse's family relations register. If the foreign spouse becomes naturalized and acquires Korean nationality later, a family relations register of the foreign spouse is prepared upon notification of nationality from the Minister of Justice. Once a naturalized person's family relations register is created, the naturalized person must report the existence of the family relations register to the head of the city (gu), eup, or myeon where the marriage with the Korean spouse is registered.
[When a Korean woman marries a foreign man]
If a Korean woman marries a foreign man, the spouse's information listed in the marriage report is recorded in the spouse-specific registration information section of the Korean woman's family relations register. If a foreign man naturalizes and acquires Korean nationality, he must create a family relations register. Once a naturalized person's family relations register is created, the naturalized person must report the existence of the family relations register to the head of the city (gu), eup, or myeon where the marriage with a Korean woman is registered.
* Source: Practical Law (https://easylaw.go.kr/CSP/CnpClsMain.laf?csmSeq=707&ccfNo=4&cciNo=1&cnpClsNo=1)
* This information is current as of October 30, 2023.