Acquisition of Korean Nationality by Ethnic Koreans of Foreign Nationality
Acquisition of Korean Nationality by Recovery of Nationality or Naturalization- Ethnic Koreans of foreign nationality can acquire Korean nationality by recovery of nationality or naturalization in accordance with the laws on nationality (see Article 1 of Guidelines on the Processing of Activities in the Recovery of Korean Nationality by Ethnic Koreans of Foreign Nationality, Etc.).
※ Range of Ethnic Koreans of Foreign Nationality
The Guidelines on the Processing of Activities in the Recovery of Korean Nationality by Ethnic Koreans of Foreign Nationality, Etc. apply to ethnic Koreans of foreign nationality who fall into any of the following categories (Article 2 of Guidelines on the Processing of Activities in the Recovery of Korean Nationality by Ethnic Koreans of Foreign Nationality, Etc.).
1. An ethnic Korean who migrated to China from the Korean peninsula or its adjacent islands, or who was born in China before October 1, 1949
2. A direct descendant of the individual described in 1 above.
- An individual applying for recovery of nationality must prove that he or she used to be a Korean national using one of the following documents (Paragraph 1 of Article 5 of the Guidelines on the Processing of Activities in the Recovery of Korean Nationality by Ethnic Koreans of Foreign Nationality, Etc.).
1. Certificate of records of family relations or deleted family census register of the applicant
2. Certificate of records of family relations of the applicant's father or mother, deleted family register, and documents that prove the applicant's relation to his or her parents (birth certificate or an official document or certificate issued in a foreign country)
3. Certificate of records of family relations of a blood relative, certificate of records of family relations which can prove the applicant's relation to said blood relative, deleted family census register, official document or certificate issued in a foreign country, certificate of genealogy or family relations, report on DNA profiling by an official medical institution
4. Other corroborative material fitting the descriptions of 1 to 3 above
- An individual applying for naturalization must provide the following documents to prove that one of his or her parents was a Korean national (Paragraph 2 of Article 5 of the Guidelines on the Processing of Activities in the Recovery of Korean Nationality by Ethnic Koreans of Foreign Nationality, Etc.).
1. Certificate of record of family relations or deleted family census register of the applicant's mother or father
2. Certificate of record of family relations of a blood relative of the father or mother, certificate of record of family relations which can prove the father or mother's relation to said blood relative, deleted family census register, official document or certificate issued in a foreign country, certificate of genealogy or family relations, report on DNA profiling by an official medical institution
3. Other corroborative material fitting the descriptions of 1 to 2 above
- If the names and dates of birth shown in the certificate of records of family relations of the applicant or the applicant's father or mother differ from those shown in passports or other forms of identification issued in a foreign country, certification of identity by such appropriate means as the verification of family relation is required (Paragraph 3 of Article 5 of the Guidelines on the Processing of Activities in the Recovery of Korean Nationality by Ethnic Koreans of Foreign Nationality, Etc.).
Exception of Contributors to National Independence, Etc.- When an ethnic Korean of foreign nationality who is a contributor to national independence, a veteran, or a relative of such an individual seeks to acquire Korean nationality, the Minister of Justice can, to the extent that it does not violate the laws on nationality, accept an application and authorize a recovery of nationality or naturalization following a consultation with the Patriot and Veterans Administration Agency (Article 7 of the Guidelines on the Processing of Activities in the Recovery of Korean Nationality by Ethnic Koreans of Foreign Nationality, Etc.).