International Marriage, Divorce

International Marriage

International marriages, between Korean and foreign nationals, that have taken place abroad must be reported to the District Office if it is to be legalized in Korea.

  • Procedure
    • Reporting Location : Gu (District) Office
    • Office Required documents :
      • 1. Proof of marriage and translation
      • 2. Certificate of nationality: Family Relations Certificate, Birth Certificate and a copy of passport certified copy of status resister
      • 3. A copy of the declaration of marriage, signed or stamped (Marriage Certificate) by both parties and 2 adult witnesses
      • 4. Identification card / Alien Registration Card (ARC)

Divorce

There are two types of divorce in Korea. One is divorce by agreement, the other is judicial divorce.

Divorce by Agreement

The parties seeking a divorce by agreement should mutually agree to divorce. The couple is notified by the Family Court of a date when a meeting with a judge is arranged. After meeting the judge and discussing the surrounding circumstance, the judge will issue his or her ruling. The divorced couple will each be given a copy of all the documents, and one party must report it to the Gu (District) office to validate the divorce in three months.

  • After 3months delay, the ruling by the Family Court becomes invalid.

Judicial Divorce

According to Civil Act, Article 217, divorces between a Korean national and a foreign national that have taken place abroad are legitimate in Korea, and shall have the same jurisdiction. A report of the divorce must be translated and reported for it to be valid. The divorced couple will each be given a copy of all the documents, and must report it to the Gu (District) office to validate the divorce.