Korean Job Discussion Forums

MANDRL · Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Location: South Korea

For many reasons I do not want to get into here, my fiancee and I are thinking of getting married before we move home to the United States next month. We are both American citizens and the US Embassy site appears to give advice for only Americans marrying Koreans. Can anyone shed any light on how to do this, how difficult it is, how long it takes, and any other advice. Thank you very much in advance.

stevemcgarrett · Joined: 24 Mar 2006

First off, congrats.

Second, as you're marrying a Korean gal, you might have an easier time of things than I had marrying a Chinese from "hostile territory."

Third, check into the fiancee visa situation. If it hasn't changed, it is actually a lot easier and quicker to get your gal to the U.S. if you return there first, secure a job, and then apply online with the appropriate application. That is, easier and quicker than getting hitched here and trying to await her green card for immigration to the U.S. Again, however, circumstances even in that regard could have changed, or play out differently in this national context.

Whatever you decide is the best route, be sure to photocopy everything, document everything, and file everything. And if she hasn't already, she should start to get all her documents in order, especially those that might require translation from Korean to English.

Best of luck. Welcome to the growing ranks of the internationally married.

Scotticus · Joined: 18 Mar 2007

MANDRL · Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Location: South Korea

Milwaukiedave · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Location: Goseong

You'll have to forgive Steve, he is use to only reading the comics in the newspaper.

kprrok · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Location: KC

No, a Korean wedding certificate is not valid in the US. That's what I was told. I married my Korean wife here last May, and we had a ceremony in July when we visited my family in the States. We're now officially married in both countries.

Not to pry, but why would you want to get married here if you're both American? Do you really want a ceremony where none of your family could make it? Or if they could, it would be really expensive? You don't have to answer, but just seems odd.

KPRROK

MarionG · Joined: 14 Sep 2006

Law in the US upholds any foreign marriage as long as it was conducted according to the laws of the country in which the marriage took place.

winterwawa · Joined: 06 May 2007

kprrok · Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Location: KC

DHC · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

In Korea there is no official wedding certificate. The Korean spouse's Family Registration Book , translated into English and notarized , is accepted as the official birth,marriage,death certificate of a Korean citizen. Under US Immigration law , the marriage of a US citizen to a Korean citizen is recognized by the US government. The "official"" record of this marriage is the Korean spouse's Family Registration Book. A marriage outside of Korea must be recorded in the Family Registration Book to be a legal marriage in Korea. Once it is a legal marriage in Korea it is recognized as a legal marriage in the US.

lastat06513 · Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2007 4:31 pm Post subject:

A couple I knew met over there and got married there before going back to the states......

Basically, it is almost the same process as a Korean marriage registry, but without the signature stamps and the family registry.....

If I were you, I'd go to the embassy itself and speak to someone at the Citizen's Service Center to see what is needed from both of you, because I do know (from what I remember, that it must be still registered at the respective city hall where the paperwork is started.

Again..congrats!

Percy Nickets · Joined: 18 May 2006

sineface · Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Location: C'est magnifique

I just did it. Two days ago! Actually, I'm not American I'm British so it was a little more complicated, but for you guys it's as easy as pie. You'll have to download the forms on the page, fill them out four times, and head to the embassy. They sign them, send you around the corner to the korean ward office where the mayor's signature is stamped on (along with another 4000 stamps and signatures) and at this point you are legally married. You take it back to the us embassy and they notarize the forms and you are married under us and korean law. In our case it was a hell of a lot more complicated because my husband is in the army and they make it bl00dy difficult, but you should have a smooth ride. The fee is around $10 for the embassy and another 10,000won at the korean office.

At this page
http://seoul.usembassy.gov/wwwh2510.html
which I'm sure you've been to, it tells you all you have to to. Just disregard the paragraph about the korean partner, as it doesn't apply to you.

Lastly, many congratulations.

MANDRL · Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Location: South Korea

tzechuk · Joined: 20 Dec 2004