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MARRIAGE IN KOREA

If you wish to marry a Korean citizen in the Korea, these are the documents you must submit to Korean authorities in order to get married in Korea. Immigroup can guide you through this process by helping you obtain, prepare, and submit all the documentation required by the Korean government. Our fees start at 400 + disbursement fees.

These are the documents required by the government of Korea in order to get married in Korea to a Korean citizen:

1. Valid passport
2. Birth certificate
3. Affidavit of single status for both parties
4. If applicable, proof of dissolution of any previous marriage(s)

Please note that your Korean partner will have to present documents to officials in Korea. It is advisable that if you start the procedure in Canada, you legalize and translate all the documents into Korean.

How Immigroup can help:

Immigroup can help you obtain required identity documents before you travel to Korea: Long Form Birth Certificate, Divorce or Marriage Certificate, Statutory Declaration, Affidavit, Canadian Citizenship Card, Permanent Resident Card, Passport, and Visitor Visa Application to Canada.

Service for a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who wishes to sponsor their spouse:

If you recently got married to a non-Canadian resident and would like to bring your spouse to Canada, Immigroup can help you submit a sponsorship application to allow your spouse to immigrate to Canada. Our fees for this service are $3000 + government fees.

The following information is provided by the Canadian Embassy in Seoul, South Korea.

Getting Married in Korea

Introduction

The following information is intended as a guide for you as a Canadian citizen intending to marry a Korean citizen in Korea. It is based on our understanding of current Korean laws and procedures related to such marriages and is therefore not definitive and may be subject to change without notice. Should you require a more thorough opinion of Korean marriage laws and procedures involving non-nationals you should seek the services of a local lawyer. For your marriage to be legally recognized in Korea and hence, legally recognized in Canada, you and your fiance(e) must be free to marry, must report and register your marriage to the appropriate civil authorities.

Step 1. AT THE EMBASSY

In order to prove that you are free to marry, both you and your fiancé(e) must be present at the Embassy and complete three copies of “Affidavit of Eligibility of Marriage”. An affidavit will be attested before a consular representative at the Embassy. You will need your Canadian passport and/or your Canadian birth certificate or Canadian citizenship certificate. A divorce or death certificate is required, if applicable (for Koreans, a copy of Family Census Register showing divorce or death). One copy of the affidavit is retained at the Embassy and two copies are returned to you.

Your fiance(e) must obtain two copies of his or her Family Census Register from their respective district office and include these documents at the time the affidavit is submitted for attestation, along with your fiance(e)'s identity card. All documents will be returned to you once the affidavit has been attested. The Canadian Embassy will keep one copy of all documents.

To report and register your marriage you must first complete three copies of the "Report and Certificate of Marriage" form (copies attached) at the same time your affidavit is completed. The forms look similar but serve very different purposes as we describe in the following steps.

Step 2. AT THE MUNICIPAL WARD OFFICE

You and your fiance(e) must then proceed to the appropriate Ku District office of his or her permanent address (in case that his or her permanent address is outside of Seoul, he or she should go to the Ku Office of his or her present address), to report and document your intentions to marry with the local civil authorities.

The Ku office will require you to show your passport, your fiance(e)'s identity card, and to submit two copies of the affidavit completed and attested at the Embassy and two copies of your Korean fiance(e)'s Family Census Register, and three copies of "Report and Certificate of Marriage" forms. You must also bring with you two witnesses's seals and identity cards in order to complete the appropriate Ku District office own forms. (Note: witness is to be anyone over 20 years old and family members are acceptable.)

They will then return to you one copy of their own marriage report form duly certified, one copy of affidavit, two copies of "Report" forms which you will be required to present to the Canadian Embassy.

Step 3. AT THE EMBASSY

You must then return to the Embassy to have the Ku-Officer's signature attested by a consular representative of the Embassy on the two remaining copies of the "Report and Certificate of Marriage". The forms will then be returned to you.

Step 4. CANADIAN IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP REGULATIONS

Marriage to a Canadian citizen does not automatically confer permanent resident or citizenship status on the Korean spouse. To obtain permanent resident status, the Canadian partner must complete an undertaking to sponsor his/her spouse at a Canadian Immigration Centre in Canada. The Korean national must then meet all civil and medical requirements before a visa can be issued. Processing times vary according to individual circumstances, and the applicant is normally required to remain in Korea until such time as the Visa can be issued.

Revised : November 10, 2003