Requirements for naturalization
What is “naturalization”?
- “Naturalization” means that a foreign national who has not previously acquired the nationality of the Republic of Korea obtains Korean nationality by receiving permission for naturalization from the Minister of Justice (Article 4(1) of 「Nationality Act」).
Naturalization types and requirements
- Depending on the requirements, naturalization is categorized as general naturalization, facilitated naturalization, and special naturalization, and the respective requirements are as follows (Articles 5 to 7 of 「Nationality Act」; Article 6 of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」).
|
Type
|
Requirements
|
|
General naturalization
|
1. Must have a residence in the Republic of Korea for at least five years 2. Must possess a status of stay that allows permanent residence in the Republic of Korea 3. Must be an adult (age 19 or older) 4. Must meet the requirement of good conduct, including compliance with laws and regulations ※ For details on the good conduct requirement, see Article 5-2 of 「Enforcement Rule of the Nationality Act」). 5. Must be able to sustain a livelihood either through personal assets/skills or through shared family support 6. Must possess basic qualifications as a Korean national, such as Korean language proficiency and understanding of Korean customs 7. Must be recognized by the Minister of Justice as not a threat to national security, public order, or public welfare
|
|
Facilitated naturali-zation
|
General
|
1. Must have a residence in the Republic of Korea for at least three years 2. A person whose father or mother is/was a national of the Republic of Korea 3. A person born in the Republic of Korea whose father or mother was also born in the Republic of Korea 4. A person who, as an adult at the time of adoption, was adopted as an adoptee of a national of the Republic of Korea
|
|
Marriage
|
1. A person who, while remaining married to the spouse, has had a residence in the Republic of Korea for at least two years 2. A person who has been married for at least three years, and while remaining married, has had a residence in the Republic of Korea for at least one year 3. A person who, although not meeting the periods of 1 or 2, was residing in the Republic of Korea while married to the spouse, but could not maintain a normal marital life due to the spouse’s death, disappearance, or other reasons not attributable to the person, and who has completed the remaining period of 1 or 2, and is deemed appropriate by the Minister of Justice 4. A person who, although not meeting the requirements of 1 or 2, is raising or must raise a minor child born of the marriage with the spouse, and who has completed the period in 1 or 2 and is deemed appropriate by the Minister of Justice
|
|
Special naturalization
|
1. A person whose father or mother is a national of the Republic of Korea (provided that a person adopted as an adult is excluded) 2. A person who has rendered special merit to the Republic of Korea 3. A person who possesses outstanding abilities in specific fields such as science, economy, culture, or sports and is recognized, following deliberation by the Nationality Deliberation Committee, by the Minister of Justice as likely to contribute to the national interest of the Republic of Korea ※ Detailed criteria and procedures for persons falling under 2 and 3 above are provided in Article 6 of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」.
|
Domestic residence requirement for naturalization applicants
- For general or facilitated naturalization, the domestic residence period is the period during which the foreign national has lawfully resided in the Republic of Korea after lawful entry and completion of alien registration; however, in any of the following cases, the person is deemed to have continuously resided domestically and the periods of stay before and after are combined (Subparagraph 1 of Article 5 and Article 6 of 「Nationality Act」; Article 5 of 「Enforcement Rule of the Nationality Act」):
1. Where, while staying in the Republic of Korea, the person departs after obtaining a re-entry permit before the stay period ends and re-enters within the permitted period;
2. Where, while staying in the Republic of Korea, the person temporarily departs due to reasons such as impossibility of extension of stay and then re-enters within one month after obtaining an entry visa;
3. Where, for reasons analogous to 1 or 2, the Minister of Justice deems it reasonable to combine the periods of stay before and after.
Accompanying acquisition
- A minor (under 19 years of age) who is a child of a foreign national may apply to acquire nationality together when the father or mother applies for permission for naturalization, and acquires Korean nationality together when the father or mother acquires the nationality of the Republic of Korea (Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Article 8 of 「Nationality Act」).
Acquisition of nationality by restoration of nationality
- A foreign national who was previously a national of the Republic of Korea may acquire Korean nationality by obtaining permission for restoration of nationality from the Minister of Justice (Article 9(1) of 「Nationality Act」).
- Upon receipt of an application for permission for restoration of nationality, the Minister of Justice shall examine the application and shall not grant permission to any person falling under any of the following (Article 9(2) of 「Nationality Act」):
1. A person who has harmed the nation or society;
2. A person whose conduct is not upright;
3. A person who lost or renounced Korean nationality to evade military service; and
4. A person for whom the Minister of Justice finds it inappropriate, for reasons of national security, maintenance of order, or public welfare, to grant permission for restoration of nationality.
Application procedure for naturalization
Submission of application and supporting documents
- A person seeking permission for naturalization must submit a naturalization permission application, attaching the documents prescribed in Article 3(2) of 「Enforcement Rule of the Nationality Act」, to the commissioner of the Korea Immigration Service, or the head of a local branch or office of the Korea Immigration Service (Article 3 of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」).
Comprehensive assessment for naturalization and interviews
- To examine the requirements for naturalization, the Minister of Justice conducts a Comprehensive Assessment for Naturalization (hereinafter “comprehensive assessment”) and an Interview for applicants for permission for naturalization (main sentence of Article 4-2(1) of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」).
- However, considering factors such as the applicant’s age, applicants falling under the following criteria may be exempted from the comprehensive assessment or interview (proviso to Article 4-2(1) of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」; Article 4 of 「Enforcement Rule of the Nationality Act」).
|
Category
|
Exemption criteria
|
|
Comprehensive assessment
|
Applicable to any of the following: 1. A minor 2. A person aged 60 or older 3. A person who has rendered special merit to the Republic of Korea or a person recognized as likely to contribute to the national interest of the Republic of Korea by virtue of very outstanding abilities in specific fields such as science, economy, culture, or sports 4. A person who has completed the social integration program under Article 39(1) of 「Immigration Act」 5. A person who has scored 60 points or more (out of 100) on the comprehensive assessment within the last three years as of the date of the naturalization application 6. Any other person recognized by the Minister of Justice for special reasons
|
|
Interview
|
Applicable to any of the following: 1. A spouse of a person who has restored nationality, where the spouse is aged 60 or older 2. A person under age 15 at the time of application for permission for naturalization 3. A person who has completed the social integration program and scored 60 points or more (out of 100) on the comprehensive assessment 4. Any other person recognized by the Minister of Justice for special reasons ※ In the interview, the basic requirements to be possessed as a national of the Republic of Korea (e.g., Korean language ability, attitude as a national of the Republic of Korea, belief in the basic order of liberal democracy) are examined (Article 4(4) of 「Enforcement Rule of the Nationality Act」).
|
Q1. Is there a limit on the number of times one may take the comprehensive assessment?
A. As of January 2, 2023, the restriction of three attempts for the comprehensive assessment for naturalization has been abolished. An applicant for naturalization may take the comprehensive assessment without limitation until passing it within one year from the date of application for naturalization. However, the comprehensive assessment for naturalization may be taken only once per day. The comprehensive assessment is administered via a computer-based testing (CBT) method, and the schedule, venues, etc. are available on the Soci-Net website
(www.socinet.go.kr).
Source: page 1 of 『Guide to the Comprehensive Assessment for Naturalization』 (Ministry of Justice, Nationality Division)
Q2. How are opportunities to take the interview limited?
A. An applicant for permission for naturalization is given a total of two opportunities to take the interview; if the applicant fails (or is absent) twice, the application for permission for naturalization will be disallowed.
Source: page 1 of 『Guide to the Interview for Naturalization』 (Ministry of Justice, Nationality Division)
※ For more information on the comprehensive assessment and the methods of naturalization interview, please visit the HiKorea website (
https://www.hikorea.go.kr/Main.pt) → Information Sharing Corner → Immigration/Stay Guide → Nationality/Naturalization → Comprehensive Assessment and Interviews.
Restrictions on granting permission for naturalization
- Permission for naturalization is restricted if the applicant falls under any of the following (Article 4-3 of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」):
1. Where, as a result of inquiries, investigations, and verifications for examining the requirements for naturalization or as a result of reviewing the application and other documents, the applicant is found not to meet the requirements for naturalization;
2. Where the applicant fails to take the comprehensive assessment within one year from the date of application for permission for naturalization;
3. Where the applicant scores less than 60 points (out of 100) on the comprehensive assessment; and
4. Where the applicant receives an unsatisfactory (inappropriate) evaluation in the interview.
※ The entire progress from application receipt through comprehensive evaluation, interview, and examination results can be checked in real time via the HiKorea website (
https://www.hikorea.go.kr/Main.pt) → Log In → Information Lookup → Check Nationality Examination Progress.
National oath and certificate of naturalization to persons granted permission for naturalization
- A person granted permission for naturalization acquires Korean nationality when the person takes the national oath before the Minister of Justice and is issued a certificate of naturalization (main sentence of Article 4(3) of 「Nationality Act」).
- However, the national oath is exempted for the following persons if, due to age or physical/mental disability, they are deemed unable to understand the meaning of the national oath or to express such understanding (proviso to Article 4(3) of 「Nationality Act」; Article 4-5 of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」):
1. A person under age 15 at the time of national oath;
2. A person recognized by the Minister of Justice among those who fall under brain lesion disability, intellectual disability, or autism spectrum disability as set forth in attached Table 1 of 「Enforcement Decree of the Act on Welfare of Persons with Disabilities」; and
3. Any other person analogous to 2 above as recognized by the Minister of Justice.
- If, due to unavoidable reasons such as illness or accident, a person cannot attend at the designated time and place for the national oath, the person must submit to the Minister of Justice, by the day before the designated date, a written statement of the reason for non-attendance and the schedule of possible attendance (Article 4-4(2) of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」).
Obligation to renounce foreign nationality for naturalization
Renunciation of foreign nationality upon naturalization
- A foreign national who acquires Korean nationality and still holds a foreign nationality must renounce that foreign nationality within one year from the date of acquiring Korean nationality (Article 10(1) of 「Nationality Act」).
Pledge of non-exercise of foreign nationality to maintain dual nationality
- Notwithstanding the above, any person falling under any of the following must, within one year from the date of acquiring Korean nationality, either renounce the foreign nationality or pledge to the Minister of Justice not to exercise the foreign nationality in the Republic of Korea (Article 10(2) of 「Nationality Act」):
1. A person who, at the time of being granted permission for naturalization, falls under any of the grounds in Subparagraphs 1 and 2 of Article 6(2) or Subparagraphs 2 and 3 of Article 7(1) of 「Nationality Act」;
2. A person granted permission for restoration of nationality whom the Minister of Justice recognizes as falling under Subparagraphs 2 and 3 of Article 7(1) of 「Nationality Act」;
3. A person who, before reaching adulthood, was adopted by a foreigner, acquired a foreign nationality, continued to reside abroad, and was later granted permission for restoration of nationality;
4. A person who, after residing abroad, entered the Republic of Korea at age 65 or older for the purpose of permanent residence and was granted permission for restoration of nationality;
5. A person who, despite personal intention, cannot renounce the foreign nationality due to foreign laws and systems or who is recognized as having analogous circumstances; and
6. A person who, despite personal intention, commenced the procedure for renunciation of foreign nationality within three months after acquiring Korean nationality but submits documents proving that, due to foreign laws and systems, it is difficult to complete the renunciation procedure within one year from the date of acquiring Korean nationality.
Q1. If it is difficult to renounce a foreign nationality due to foreign laws and systems, or if one cannot complete the renunciation procedure within the prescribed period, is it sufficient to make a pledge of non-exercise of the foreign nationality?
A. Yes. If, despite personal intention, it is difficult to renounce nationality due to foreign laws and systems, or it is not feasible to complete renunciation within the deadline, one may substitute renunciation by pledging to the Minister of Justice not to exercise that foreign nationality in the Republic of Korea (Subparagraph 5 of Article 10(2) of 「Nationality Act」; Article 13(1) of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」). However, pursuant to Subparagraph 2 of Article 13(2) of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」, a person who has made a pledge of non-exercise of foreign nationality due to difficulty in completing the renunciation procedure within the period must, upon completion of the foreign nationality renunciation procedure, promptly submit the Certificate of Renunciation of Nationality, etc., to the Minister of Justice (Article 13(2) of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」).
Q2. If one makes a pledge of non-exercise of a foreign nationality instead of renouncing it, is the foreign nationality retained?
A. Yes. A person who has made a pledge of non-exercise of foreign nationality—or a person who made such a pledge to the Minister of Justice and then reacquired Korean nationality, or made a pledge of non-exercise after reacquiring a foreign nationality—may retain both the existing foreign nationality and Korean nationality as a dual national. However, because of the pledge of non-exercise, the person may not exercise that foreign nationality in the Republic of Korea (Article 10(2) of 「Nationality Act」; Subparagraphs 1 and 3 of Article 16(1) of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」).
Q3. Is dual nationality allowed for everyone who marries a Korean national?
A. Dual nationality is permitted only for marriage migrants who acquire nationality by being granted permission for naturalization while continuing to maintain the marital relationship. Therefore, persons who are divorced or whose Korean spouse has died (i.e., those whose marital relationship is not being continuously maintained) are not allowed dual nationality. However, if there is no fault attributable to the person, permission for naturalization may still be granted as is; in such case, the person must renounce the foreign nationality within one year from the date of permission for naturalization [question 13 of 『Nationality Act Q&A』 (Ministry of Justice Korea Immigration Service)].
Restrictions on treatment for those who do not renounce foreign nationality, etc.
- A person who acquires Korean nationality but does not complete the procedure for renunciation of foreign nationality or the procedure for pledging non-exercise of foreign nationality may be restricted, as a Korean national, in matters such as entry and exit, stay, resident registration, or passport issuance (Article 14 of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」).
※ For more information on the methods of renouncing foreign nationality and proving renunciation, please refer to Articles 11 and 12 of 「Enforcement Decree of the Nationality Act」.