National Court Administration, Family Register Office for Overseas Koreans

  • KOREAN
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Report of Marriage

Reporting a Marriage by a Certified Copy of a Deed of Marriage

  1. Formation of a marriage

    Korean nationals residing abroad may marry according to the practice of the foreign country in which they live.
    When a marriage is duly formed following the country's legal procedures, the marriage is also recognized in the Republic of Korea.
    Even when a marriage is established in a foreign country, it is necessary to record such changes in status in the Family Relations Register of the Republic of Korea.
    In this regard, Article 35 of the “Registration of Family Relations Act” stipulates that a certificate of marriage shall be submitted to the head of a diplomatic mission abroad with jurisdiction over the region within three months.
    The date of marriage appearing on the foreign marriage certificate is recorded in the Family Relations Register of the Republic of Korea as it is.

  2. A Certified copy of a deed of marriage

    The form of certificates of marriage differs and varies from country to country.
    However, it is recognized regardless of the document's title as long as it proves that changing one's status has been duly established by a governmental authority or a person with specific authority.
    However, a photocopy is not accepted as a valid document.

    Whether or not a Marriage License is Recognizable as a Certified Copy of a Deed of Marriage

    In the United States of America, a ‘Marriage license’ is generally issued before the wedding ceremony, and a ‘Certificate of marriage’ can be issued after the wedding ceremony performed within the period specified in the license.
    Exceptionally, the State of Texas issues a ‘Marriage license’ with the stated date of marriage.
    In this case, the ‘Marriage license’ can be recognized as a certified copy of the marriage certificate.

    However, no family relation registrar can research all foreign laws and all forms of issued certificates. Therefore, the reporting person must submit materials proving such circumstances if required by the registrar.

  3. Reporting person

    A national of the Republic of Korea who is a party to a marriage is obliged to report the marriage. In contrast, a foreigner who is a party to a marriage is considered qualified to file the report.
    A report filed by anyone other than the person obliged or qualified to report is not accepted.

  4. Reporting period

    The report should be filed within three months.
    It may be filed even after the reporting period, but an administrative fine will be imposed if a person obliged to report the marriage fails to file a report within the period without good cause.

  5. Reporting place

    An overseas Korean national who marries according to the procedure of a foreign country shall submit a certified copy of the deed to the head of the overseas Korean diplomatic mission with jurisdiction over the area within three months.
    If the area where a Korean national resides is not within the jurisdiction of an overseas Korean diplomatic mission, the person shall send the certified copy of the deed to the head of the Si/Eup/Myeon (registration offices) with jurisdiction over their place of registration or a family relation registrar of the Family Register Office for Overseas Koreans via mail.
    The marriage report by a certified copy of the deed can be filed only from the country where the marriage is formed. Therefore, you cannot report a marriage to an overseas Korean diplomatic mission in the USA with a certificate of marriage issued in Japan. In this case, you shall submit the report to the Korean diplomatic mission in Japan. You can also send the report to the head of the registration office with jurisdiction over the place of registration of the Korean wife/husband or to the registrar of the Family Register Office for Overseas Koreans via mail.
    A person who has returned to the Republic of Korea may file the report of marriage in person with the registration office with jurisdiction over the reporting person’s domicile or current address.