Korean Job Discussion Forums

[justask]

hi, i've visited the korean consulate in sydney several times trying to get an f-4 visa and they have told me that I would be ineligible for it because my family had not registered my name at the time of my birth and I told them that my parents were not permanent residents of Australia (at the time of my birth).

In order for me to be eligible for any visa (other than the tourist visa) I would have to serve in the military.

However I've just learnt that my parents actually were permanent residents of Australia at the time of my birth.

My question is, does that change anything?

Both my parents and my grandparents on my mothers side are citizens of Australia. They are living here and have no intention returning to Korea. I was born in 1987 in Australia.

i'm just posting this again because I think I may have posted it in the wrong place, thanks for any help.

[Drew10]

The way i understand it works is your parents have to renounce their Korean citizenship and take Australian citizenship in order for you to be eligible. If your name is on the family register that is what requires you to serve in the military. However, my knowledge of the F4 process is limited and i could be slightly wrong.

[justask]

My name is not on the family register.

the reason why they refused me an f-4 visa was because I told them that my parents were not permanent residents of Australia when I was born (I think) or at least that is what I am hoping.

It would mean that when I was born I would have automatically gained Korean citizenship and Australian citizenship and unless I had renounced my Korean citizenship before turning eighteen I would have to serve in the army (and it would mean that I would be ineligible for f-4 - No. 7499 Nationality Law).

However if my parents were permanent residents of Australia at the time of my birth, does that change anything?

It's not a problem for my parents to renounce their Korean citizenship.

I have read the sticky above but I'm still not sure, can anyone with more thorough knowledge on this please help me?

[The Sherriff]

Call/Visit them and state what you discovered, and see if it changes your eligibility. Tell them that you were never registered on either parent's Hojuk/family registry (have you verified this?) and that you were never/are not a citizen of the ROK. I don't think your parents citizenship status at the time of birth should matter, but at the end of the day, any korean consulate/embassy's knowledge on F4s will trump what someone says on the internet which is probably why you're confused.

From the sounds of it you should be alright, but if anyone would know, it would be your local consulate/embassy. Then again you could have just been dealing with a difficult person.

Like Drew10 said, one of your parents will need to renounce their Korean citizenship, after that you will need to prove your lineage to that parent, to get an F4. To do this you'll need:
- A copy of one of your parents Hojuk/family registry
- A copy of the same parents Korean ID papers from Korea (I don't remember the Korean name for it)
- A copy of your original birth certificate from Australia that states your parents.

Get the first two items from Korea and get the citizenship renounciation started. I think it can take a couple months to go through. I think in the meantime though, you can fly out to Korea as a tourist and get your F4 at the immigration office.