Korean Job Discussion Forums

[big_fella1]

Thanks in anticipation of some advice.

I am an Aussie who recently married my beautiful Korean wife. We have registered the marriage at the Busan Namgu office but they are refusing to stamp and sign the Report of Marriage for the Australian Embassy. They will only issue a Marriage Certificate in Korean.

I would appreciate advice from anyone who has had a similar problem as too what document you submitted. If you needed to submit an official translation of the Korean certificate where did you get this from?

I have been here long enough to know I need to shop around but unfortunately they have already registered the marriage.

Thanks again.

[theotherlebowski]

I don't live in Busan, but perhaps I could offer one piece of advice. Near local "Gu" offices in most places in Seoul, and I would assume in Busan are small public notary offices. They don't look like much, but offer official and authorized translations of simple public documents. In Seoul, it cost 20,000-25,000 won for a translated marriage certificate. Take the translated document back to the Gu office and it will be stamped and then you can take it to the Australian embassy.
Cheers.

[big_fella1]

Thanks for that 'theother'. I don't like my chances of the gu office stamping anything in English but the Aussie embassy may accept the translation.

The embassy suggested trying to get the gu office to phone another gu office that will stamp the document, so I will suggest they call Jongnogu in Seoul.

If anyone has had their Report of Marriage in English stamped here in Busan that would be useful information.

I am trying to avoid the call to the embassy from the Namgu office due to the loss of face that this may cause but I would like my wife to have the chance to live in the greatest country on earth one day.

Cheers

[QbertP]

[big_fella1]

No problem QbertP you stopped me double posting.

I keep forgetting in Korea that if someone, doesn't know the answer they will say NO.

The woman at the Namgu office didn't know about the forms so she refused to check. I had to call the embassy where an outstanding consular officer convinced the woman that she had to stamp the documents.

Of course the face saving came when she made my wife translate the English document into Korean (i.e. like our marriage licence) before she would stamp it.

The final insult was when the woman pulled out a folder full of English documents like ours - ALL STAMPED!

Arrgggghhhhh I love Korea but not some Koreans.

[FUBAR]

Let me know how this goes. I'll ask my wife when she gets home from work. We had the same problem at one of the offices in Daegu. But, we got it all done. If I remember right, the lady had a problem because the Canadian form was handwritten and not typed. She called the Embassy and I think we were ok. But, like I said, I'll ask the wife.

[Cerriowen]

When we went they wouldn't stamp the documents until they were translated into Korean.

My husband did it there, attached it, then they stamped it for him. They just wanted to make sure of what they were stamping.

Failing that... there are lots of law offices that offer translation of legal documents from English to Korean. I can't remember what they're called. They do Notary and Translation work. Your wife should be able to call information and find out where there is one.

Good luck!

[michaelambling]

Go to another guncheon; the one near the U.S. embassy stamped and signed our marriage certificate with no problem at all.

On a related note, Korean bureaucrats are the stupidest, evilest assholes on the planet.

[big_fella1]

Sorry me bad, I just read my post and didn't make it clear - I GOT STAMPED.

The champion effort from the Aussie Embassy official saved the day.

I try not to hate/fear anyone as their hatred/fear is what causes problems in the first place.

Peace and Love
BigFella