South Korean Citizenship

In 2024, there are a number of requirements for foreign citizens that applicants for South Korean citizenship must meet. The applicant must have lived in the country for more than 5 years, have an F-5 visa (equivalent to permanent residence status), and be officially employed at the time of filing the application. The candidate must be over the age of 19, have no criminal record and have no administrative fines.

If the foreigner meets the requirements, he can submit a request to take the citizenship exam. It is called the Immigration and Integration Test (KIIP). The test evaluates how well the candidate knows the culture of the country, and at what level he speaks Korean.

Ways to obtain citizenship

In practice, legal residence of a foreign citizen on the territory of the Republic is possible after obtaining an F-2 visa. To do this, you need to submit a request for an ARC card to the Migration Department. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the law on citizenship allows you to become a full-fledged citizen of the republic only after 5 years of permanent residence status.

Important

The time spent studying in the country will be taken into account when calculating the total period of residence.

General naturalization

Immigrants who have lived in South Korea for 5 years or more can obtain citizenship status in this way. The deadline is calculated from the date of registration at the migration center. The candidate must meet the following requirements:

• Be of legal age (according to Korean law, the applicant must be at least 19 years old).
• Have no criminal record.
• Be financially independent for self-sufficiency in the country.
• Successfully complete a special test and interview at the migration center or become a member of the KIIP program.

All applicant's documents must be translated into Korean. To obtain a Korean passport, it is mandatory to provide documents confirming financial viability.

Attention

You cannot be a holder of dual citizenship, provided that a person has become a citizen of South Korea by naturalization. According to the law, he will lose his residence in his native country immediately after the document comes into force. However, if Korean citizenship was obtained through marriage or through other simplified naturalization methods, the candidate will be able to retain dual citizenship at will.

Through marriage

This program can be used by foreigners who have entered into an official marriage with a South Korean citizen and have the status of a residence permit. The request review process takes from 1.5-2 years. The following requirements are imposed on the applicant:

• Residence in South Korea for at least 2 years (residence permit status).
• Providing documents confirming the conclusion of marriage with a Korean (cohabitation for at least 3 years). In some cases, they can give a positive answer, provided that the applicant has been in the country for 1 year, but at the same time the marriage with a Korean citizen was concluded much earlier.

By origin

Candidates who can prove their Korean roots are eligible for simplified naturalization. They must have lived in Korea for at least 3 years and meet one of the requirements:

• To be born (including abroad) from parents who are Korean citizens.
• To be born in Korea and have at least one Korean parent.
• The applicant may be adopted. The adoptive parents or the parent are Korean citizens. At the time of adoption, the candidate must have reached the age of 19.

Special naturalization

Applicants must meet one of the requirements:

• Special services to the state.
• Having a unique bloodline.
• An opportunity to demonstrate in-demand skills.

Important

When obtaining citizenship by special naturalization, conditions such as the status of a residence permit in South Korea, reaching the age of 19, and the financial independence of the applicant may not be taken into account.

The following categories of citizens can count on obtaining citizenship by this method:

• One of the parents has South Korean citizenship. Children can apply regardless of age, length of residence in the country and marital status.
• Unique abilities and talents. Applications of participants in sports competitions or people with achievements in the field of culture, science and art will be considered in the national interests of the state.
• To be the child of a war hero.

Any applicant must not be judged and must demonstrate knowledge of the language and culture.

Advantages of South Korean citizenship

Foreign citizens seek to obtain Korean citizenship because it has many advantages:

• Freedom of movement – visa-free travel to 140+ countries around the world.
• A high level of personal freedoms and a guarantee of protection of citizens in case of their violation.
• The opportunity to receive a high-quality education.
• Career development in various fields, including government positions.
• Business stability and investment security.
• Access to medical services involving the use of advanced technologies.

The absence of visa restrictions gives freedom of movement around the world. This is especially important for people who want to travel a lot or travel abroad on business trips. The country's economy has recently demonstrated stable development. Thanks to this, entrepreneurs and investors from all over the world come to South Korea. The state consistently holds a leading position in the field of technological innovation.

Dual citizenship

Under current legislation, dual citizenship is excluded if a person has received the status of a South Korean citizen by general naturalization. In this case, he will have to renounce the citizenship of his native country. This requirement is strictly observed and it is considered one of the disadvantages of obtaining Korean citizenship for foreigners.

However, when obtaining Korean citizenship by marriage or by special naturalization, the candidate may in some cases retain residence in another state. But in practice, the applicant will most often be given a reasoned refusal. Dual citizenship in South Korea is actually prohibited.

Citizenship by Investment Program

Foreign citizens who have made investments in the economy can receive benefits in obtaining a visa, permanent residence and citizenship of South Korea. The D-8 investor visa is issued for a period of 2 years with the possibility of extension upon request. An F-2 visa will be issued to the candidate if he provides evidence of an investment of up to 700 million rubles. KRW in real estate.

An important condition is the inclusion of a real estate object by the Ministry of Justice in a special list, which entitles its owner to apply for permanent residence under the F-5. When the status is received, the investor can give up the purchased property. If he has lived in the country for 5 years with the status of a permanent resident, he receives the right to issue a national passport.

Investing in the South Korean economy is beneficial for the following reasons:

• Granting permanent residence status on simplified terms.
• Freedom to choose a place of residence. Despite the fact that the investment zones are strictly defined, the investor and his family members can choose a place to stay.
• The opportunity to use the services of free education and health insurance.
• After receiving permanent residence, the investor has the right to give up real estate.
• Spouses of investors in the country can engage in any type of commercial activity.

Important

The Ministry of Justice of South Korea has designated the places where real estate for investment should be located: Gangwon-do Jeollanam-do Gyeonggi-do zone, Jeju-do-Yosu, Pyeongchang-Incheon, Busan-Paju.

Recent reforms of the citizenship program

From 2023, citizens immigrating to Korea who have received academic degrees in this country will be able to obtain a residence permit and citizenship in an accelerated mode. The mandatory period of stay for them has been reduced from 5 to 3 years.

Among the latest innovations, it should be noted the creation of a quota for 400 citizens of other countries who want to move to South Korea for permanent residence. Candidates must be qualified workers who work in the shipbuilding industry.

Step-by-step application process

Citizens who have received a residence permit can arrange for close relatives to move to Korea. However, each family member will have to go through all the stages of obtaining citizenship independently. Together with their documents, a foreign parent can apply for a child who has not reached the age of majority. Children cannot naturalize on their own.

After passing the language and cultural proficiency test, the candidate is invited to be interviewed at the Migration Department.

Depending on the candidate's personal circumstances and procedural requirements, the scheme of actions may be different. But in the standard case, the process looks like this:

Collecting documents and submitting an application

If a foreigner has no grounds for accelerated registration of residency, then he will have to undergo the naturalization process. The applicant needs to collect information about employment or individual entrepreneurial activity. You will also need documents confirming ownership of real estate, securities and bank accounts. This will be a confirmation of the candidate's financial independence.

After collecting the documents, the applicant goes through the standard citizenship registration process:

• Choosing the basis for the request.
• Moving and obtaining permanent residence status.
• Collecting dossiers.
• Registration of the request.
• Assigning the status to the application.
• Status assignment.

Attention

The appeal is accepted in person, correspondence (online) submission is not possible. The candidate must submit the application in person.

List of documents

To start the process, you must provide:

• The application for naturalization can be downloaded on the official website of the Office for Foreigners or requested in person.
• Certificates and extracts confirming the financial independence of the candidate.
• The original and a photocopy of the passport and the birth certificate of the minor child.
• A document confirming the absence of a criminal record.
• A marriage certificate.
• Receipt of payment of the state fee for consideration of the application for citizenship.

Important

All documents must be translated into Korean and notarized. The authorities may request a diploma of education confirming the applicant's value as a specialist in a particular field.

Consideration and decision

If all the requirements and rules are met, the average time for reviewing an application is from 8 to 24 months. The cost of reviewing the application will be 300,000 Won (equivalent to $250). If the applicant wants to restore the status of a citizen, then he will need to pay 200,000 Won.

If violations in filling out the application or falsified documents are detected, the applicant will be refused. It is also unacceptable to hide personal information necessary for making a decision.

The applicant can file an appeal or re-apply for Korean citizenship. However, in practice, such requests rarely receive approval.

Disadvantages of South Korean citizenship

Despite its attractiveness, the status of a South Korean citizen has several disadvantages. One of the limitations is the inability to maintain residency in your home country. At the same time, the registration process is associated with a number of difficulties. In addition, naturalized foreign citizens may be deprived of the opportunity to hold certain positions, and the procedure may take at least 5 years.

Permission to vote in elections and to stand for public office is granted only to the indigenous population. Despite the difficulties in obtaining citizenship and a number of restrictions that foreigners may face, it does not lose popularity among immigrants.