Government of Canada services and information in Seoul, Republic of Korea
Services and information provided to Canadians by the Embassy of Canada to the Republic of Korea, in Seoul.
On this page
- Birth abroad
- Child abduction
- Citizenship services
- Criminal record checks
- Death abroad
- Divorce abroad
- Legal matters
- Marriage abroad
- Notarial services
- Passport services
- Pensions and retirement
- Same-sex marriage abroad
- Studying abroad
- Visa and immigration services
- Voting abroad
Birth abroad
Refer to .
Birth registration in Korea
The processing of citizenship applications is the responsibility of .
To register your child as a Canadian citizen, refer to .
The hospital birth certificate, the Canadian citizenship application, and the Family Relations certificate (i.e. Ga-jok-gwan-gye-Jeung-myeong-seo, 갶족관ѫ명서, if applicable) must bear the same name of the child.
The Supreme Court of the Korean government can issue the Certificate of Family Relations in English, only when the child was issued a Korean passport. The certificate can be obtained with a fee of KRW1,000 from a nearby community centre in Korea, and online at the free of charge.
Translations
Supporting documents that are in a language other than English or French must be accompanied by an official translation of the original document, or of a certified copy of the original document in English or French. That translation must be
- of the original document, or
- of the certified copy of the original document, and
- certified by a certified translator, or in the event that the translation cannot be provided by a certified translator, it must be accompanied by , and
- included with the application
If the other parent is a Korean citizen, the following additional documents will be required:
- Official hospital birth certificate indicating the child and both parents' names and their date of birth (must be accompanied with its certified translations into English or French.)
- Government issued birth certificate (i.e. Family Relations Certificate issued in English under the child’s name – Ga-jok-gwan-gye –Jeung-myeong-seo - ѫ이름으로 발급된 갶족관ѫ명서) indicating relationship of the child and both parents
- Proof of Canadian citizenship from the Canadian parent: Original Canadian birth certificate or Canadian citizenship certificate
- Canadian parent's passport
- Other parent’s identification document confirming his/her personal details and signature (i.e. passport)
If the other parent is not a Korean citizen, in addition to the requirements above, the following documents will be required:
- Official hospital birth certificate indicating the child and both parents' names and their date of birth (must be accompanied with its certified translations into English or French.)
- Proof of Canadian citizenship from the Canadian parent: Original Canadian birth certificate or Canadian citizenship certificate
- Canadian parent's passport
- Other parent’s identification document confirming his/her personal details and signature (i.e. passport)
.
To register your child as a Canadian citizen with the Korean Immigration Authorities, you will need a .
should be done within 90 days of their birth. Failure to register the child may result in paying a fine to the Korean Immigration Authorities.
Adoption and surrogacy
Refer to .
Adoption
Signed The Hague Convention of 1993 on Inter-Country Adoption in 2013, and has not yet been ratified.
Central authority:
- , Division of Child Welfare Policy
International adoption agencies:
Surrogacy
Illegal in Korea
Child abduction
The Hague Covention on International Child Abduction
The Repiblic of Korea joined the Convention on December 13, 2012 and its Act on Implementation of the Hague Child Abduction Convention entered into force on March 1, 2013.
More information available at the .
Citizenship services
Complete your .
and provide a copy of your online payment receipt with your application.
Citizenship applications can be submitted:
- In person at the Embassy: before visiting the Embassy in Seoul.
- Please cancel your appointment in the confirmation email if you are unable to make it.
- By mail: Send your application by traceable mail to:
Embassy of Canada to the Republic of Korea
Attention: Consular Section
21 Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, 04518
- Drop-off: Place your application in the drop-off box at the Embassy reception during business hours.
Payment method
Details | Fee (CAD) | Fee (KRW) |
---|---|---|
Application for a Citizenship Certificate for adults and minors (Proof of Citizenship) | 75.00 | 72750.00 |
Application to Renounce Canadian Citizenship | 100.00 | 97000.00 |
Replacement / Update of proof of Canadian citizenship | 75.00 | 72750.00 |
Application for a Search of Citizenship Records | 75.00 | 72750.00 |
Criminal record checks
For RCMP criminal record check, refer to .
For Korean criminal record check, application for background check (criminal records) certificate is available at .
Death abroad
You may refer to the information on Death abroad and Death Abroad factsheet at .
The Embassy also can provide a list of local undertakers. Please contact the consular section at seoul-cs@international.gc.ca for more information.
Divorce abroad
Please refer to the information on Divorce Porceeding guidlines on the .
List of lawyers are available upon request.
Legal matters
List of lawyers are available upon request.
Marriage abroad
Refer to .
Getting married in Korea
If you wish to get married while in Korea, you can obtain a civil marriage under Korean law. Marriage is a civil procedure in Korea, and performing only a religious ceremony does not constitute a legal marriage. For your marriage to be legally recognized in Korea and legally recognized in Canada, you and your fiancé(e) must be free to marry, and must report and register your marriage to the appropriate civil authorities.
Procedures
You must take the following steps to get married in Korea.
- Make an appointment to appear in person at the Embassy of Canada in Seoul or the Consulate of Canada in Busan.
- Complete one copy of the Affidavit of Eligibility of Marriage. You should also provide a piece of identification (i.e. passport and/or birth certificate).
- Bring the notarized copy of the Affidavit of Eligibility of Marriage to your local district office (Gu Cheong) to report and register your marriage.
- You will need to provide information on yours and your wife’s witnesses such as their names, date of birth, ID numbers and addresses, and their personal seals or signatures.
The Korean district office will issue the following:
- a filing receipt on the day of report;
- a verification certificate, which has similar effect as the Korean marriage certificate (3~5 days required); or
- marriage certificate (family register), issued when the marriage is between a Korean citizen and a foreign resident alien (7 days required).
Note: For a marriage between two foreigners, the verification certificate will be issued on the same day.
Required documents
- Affidavit of Eligibility of Marriage (1 copy)
- Canadian passport
- Proof of termination of any prior marriage(s) such as an original or certified divorce certificate, annulment or death certificate of your previous spouse (when applicable)
Note: If your fiancé(e) is not Korean they should contact their embassy in Korea and seek advice on requirements on getting married in Korea.
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.
Notarial services
The office provides the following notarial services, , to Canadian citizens and, in limited cases, to non-Canadian citizens if the documents are intended for use in Canada. Note: Documents must be in English or French, or accompanied by an official translation in English or French.
Authentication/Attestation (certify the document signature, the position of an official and the seal are genuine):
- Documents issued in Canada must be authenticated by Ƶ in Ottawa before the office will certify the documents (fees apply).
- Witness a signature on a Statement in lieu of certificate of non-impediment to marriage abroad form (fees apply).
- Clients requiring information about authenticating documents while outside of Canada, refer to Authentication of documents.
Certified copy (certify the document is a true copy of the original):
- Documents presented by a Canadian citizen or a non-Canadian citizen for use in Canada; exceptions apply (fees apply).
- Government-issued identification requiring a certified true copy (fees apply).
Witness a signature (consular officer witnesses a signature):
- Documents presented by a Canadian citizen or a non-Canadian citizen for use in Canada; exceptions apply (fees apply).
- Government-issued identification requiring a witnessed signature (fees apply).
Note: Complete all documents before booking an appointment. Sign all documents in front of the consular officer.
Payment method
Credit card accepted. Use the . You must have a valid ID.
Details | Fee (CAD) | Fee (KRW) |
---|---|---|
Administering an oath or receiving a statutory declaration or affirmation. The fee shown is per document. | 50.00 | 48500.00 |
Attesting any document bearing a signature (affidavit, declaration, affirmation, etc.). The fee shown is per document. | 50.00 | 48500.00 |
Authenticating (witnessing) a signature. The fee shown is per document. | 50.00 | 48500.00 |
Authenticating the signature and seal of a foreign authority. The fee shown is per document. | 50.00 | 48500.00 |
Authenticating signatures of Canadian authorities or notaries. | 50.00 | 48500.00 |
Certifying a true copy of a document. The fee shown is per copy. | 20.00 | 19400.00 |
Uniting documents and sealing their fastening. The fee shown is per document. | 30.00 | |
Issuing a Statement in lieu of Certificate of Non-impediment to Marriage Abroad. The fee shown is a minimum, per document. | 30.00 |
Passport services
Complete your by selecting an appropriate application:
- (PPTC482)
- (PPTC040)
- (PPTC042)
and provide a copy of your online payment receipt with your application.
Passport applications can be submitted:
- In person at the Embassy: before visiting the Embassy in Seoul.
- Please cancel your appointment in the confirmation email if you are unable to make it.
- By mail: Send your application by traceable mail to:
Embassy of Canada to the Republic of Korea
Attention: Consular Section
21 Jeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, 04518
- Drop-off: Place your application in the drop-off box at the Embassy reception during business hours.
: 20 business days from the completed application date with all required supporting documentation.
Do not contact the Embassy during the 20 business days of processing time. Unnecessary enquiries may delay processing. Please make sure your phone number, email address and mailing address are accurate. We will contact you if any additional information or document is required.
Payment method
Details | Fee (CAD) | Fee (KRW) |
---|---|---|
10-year adult passport (age 16 or over) | 260.00 | 252200.00 |
5-year adult passport (age 16 or over) | 190.00 | 184300.00 |
5-year Child passport (0-15 years of age) | 100.00 | 97000.00 |
Additional fee for replacing a valid lost or stolen passport | 45.00 | 43650.00 |
Pensions and retirement
Refer to and .
Same-sex marriage abroad
Same-sex marriage is illegal in Korea.
Studying abroad
Refer to and .
Korean organisations sometimes require that foreign documents be authenticated before they will accept them. Having a document authenticated is a two step process:
- Document authentication by Ƶ
- If required, you should then have your document authenticated by a .
Related sites
- - Represents Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities and university-degree level colleges
- - Represents colleges and institutes to government, business and industry, both in Canada and internationally
- - An International Referral Gateway for information on studying and working in Canada, and foreign academic credentials assessment and recognition. CICIC is a unit of the .
- - Offers information on English and French language programs and schools
Visa and immigration services
Refer to .
- .
- Find a to book an appointment to give your biometrics (fingerprints and photo).
- Submit an enquiry using the to contact a visa office.
Permanent residents of Canada: Find out how to apply .
Voting abroad
Refer to .
- Date modified: