Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kylome]

My girlfriend and I were planning on getting married while here in Korea but have met a few road blocks.

-As Canadians we went to the consulate in Busan and received two signed and stamped marriage affidavits.
-We then traveled to our district office in Ulsan with two of our Korean friends to help us with translating forms and any other help we may have needed.
-We were told at the office that two foreigners cannot get married in Korea. Only Koreans may get married or one Korean and one foreigner.
-We then phoned the consulate in Busan and were informed by the secretary that we were indeed unable to get married in Korea.
-I then contacted the embassy in Seoul and they confirmed that we are able to get married here but only gave reference to the Jongno office in Seoul.

We have already had to ask for extra time off to travel to the Busan consulate and again to go to the district office. Going to Seoul on a weekday that is not a holiday is very difficult at this point for us.

Question is: Does anyone know of an office in Ulsan where they will do foreigner marriages? Does anyone have experience in Ulsan with this procedure?

Thanks in advance.

[CentralCali]

According to your embassy, you can, in fact, get married without traveling up to Seoul. Your local gu office, along with your consulate, apparently, seem to be misinformed.

As always in Korea, when you get misinformation from or face a roadblock at a government office, go to the next level up. You should go to Ulsan City Hall with a Korean-speaking friend.

[faeriehazel]

When we registered our marriage last year, there was a foreigner/foreigner couple there with us, so clearly it is possible. However I have heard that district offices that aren't used to this will just automatically assume that it can't be done.

What you could do is ask a Korean friend to call a district office in Seoul (Jongro or Yongsan is probably best), talk to the person in charge of marriage registration, and maybe ask for advice as to what to tell the Ulsan people when they insist they can't do it.

[hellofaniceguy]

Just an idea for you....
If you want a hassle free marriage...minimum red tape....take a flight to Guam.
Apply for a marriage license, find a judge or senator...pastor....and get married.
It does NOT matter if you are Canadians....just takes your ID and fill out the paperwork.
besides...you can also play in the ocean and enjoy the warm weather!
And it's inexpensive! Many Canadians have gotten married on Guam coming from Japan, korea and elsewhere.

[EZE]

I guess foreigners are sort of like gays...can't get married because of "the AIDS."

Vegas might be a good choice. I read just last night about Clint Eastwood's pretty daughter marrying some dude with slobber all over his shirt in Las Vegas. After she sobered up and realized what she had done, she's even able to get it annulled like it never even happened. I guess anything is possible in Vegas.

http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/who/article/-/20023099/francesca-eastwood-seeks-annullment-from-jordan-feldstein/

[optik404]