Korean Job Discussion Forums

[fromtheuk]

I am now officially single.

I am British, I married an Iraqi lady in S. Korea.

It didn't work out, so we got divorced.

What is the procedure for divorce, for foreigners who marry and divorce in S. Korea?

The process may vary, depending on your nationality, but here is what I had to do...........

1) I contacted an interpretation service. They contacted Seoul family court and contacted various other people, to find out how to get a legal divorce. They looked at our marriage certificate, and using the information from it, they had to translate that into Korean and fill in an application form for divorce. They also had to notarize it. They contacted Seoul family court, to identify various legal requirements too.


2) We organized a meeting at Seoul family court to confirm the divorce. It's located nearby the subway stop: 'Seoul Nat'l Univ. of Education, Exit 11'.

We didn't require an appointment. You must have an interpreter present, unless you speak Korean. We had to show up before 2.30pm, we then waited to see a judge. Around 4pm, we very briefly saw a judge, and she confirmed our wish to divorce.

3) Our translator assured us after a few days we would receive the divorce papers in the post, which we did.

4) The following week, my ex-wife discovered in her divorce papers, there was further action to be taken. I asked my translator to receive my divorce papers, I also instructed him not to open them, and that's why he didn't know about the final aspect of the divorce.

When we saw the judge the week before, my interpreter asked lots of questions, but they didn't mention the final step.

5) To complete the process, we needed to collect a 'certificate of delivery'. This confirms the divorced couple have both received their divorce papers, and this is the end of the process.

6) If we were Korean, the divorce would need to be registered at the district office or city hall, but because we are foreigners, we are not required to register the divorce at those places. These answers were obtained by my translator, after checking various sources.

7) The marriage was registered in Korea, Britain, but apparently the marriage was not registered in Iraq, despite them putting a stamp on our marriage certificate. My ex-wife said the marriage was not recognized in Iraq.

I contacted 3 international divorce lawyers based in England. They all said if I had a divorce, which was legally recognized in S. Korea, it would also be recognized in Britain. They also said I would not need to initiate separate divorce proceedings in Britain, the S. Korean divorce would be recognized in Britain, as long as it is legally valid.

Related issue - I believe if you were an American in my situation, if you applied for your wife to reside in the US, I believe you'd need to notify the US authorities of your divorce.

My translator found this out, after he contacted the US embassy, asking what they would do if an American married, and then divorced an Iraqi, in S. Korea.

In my case, my wife visited Britain, but never applied to live there.

As a Brit, the British Embassy does not issue any form of divorce certificate/documentation. They have nothing to do with the process at all.

I am now officially single.

[tzechuk]

[GoldMember]

If she is a Muslim, then to get a divorce don't you just say,
"I divorce you
I divorce you
I divorce you."

[CentralCali]

Gold,

Do you think that makes you sound clever?

[fromtheuk]

GoldMember - You're right, if I say it 3 times, with the intention that it is permanent, it becomes permanent.

But when I decided to get divorced, it was after a few months of careful thought.

We got divorced on November 1st. But now according to Islam and man-made secular law, we are divorced. I am happy to have nothing hanging over me anymore.

I can die happy now, knowing there is no unfinished business.

I feel ok being single, but it's a catch 22 situation. I regularly feel like I want a woman in my life and then I don't, I want a woman in my life, then I don't......

[CentralCali]

[fromtheuk]

We got divorced in accordance with Islam on Nov 1st 2008. But we needed to get it done in the eyes of 'secular' law, to prevent any future problems as regards marital status.

It's done now, that's the good news.

[tzechuk]

[fromtheuk]

For me, it took a lot of courage to decide to get married in the first place. When I made the decision to divorce, it was pretty clear how things were. It was a painful experience.

[bassexpander]

[DCJames]

[fromtheuk]

Punchline: With relative ease (in my case).

I feel relieved it is all over.

[tzechuk]

[Straphanger]

[Frankly Mr Shankly]