Korean Job Discussion Forums

[definitely maybe]

i know this topic has likely been discussed before, but nothing turned up on my numerous searches. my fiance and are getting married next week, and we are hoping to obtain all the necessary documents to facilitate my switch over to F-2-1 visa status as soon as possible. immigration told us via phone that we'll need a us marriage license as one of the prerquisites to obtain my new visa. i emailed the embassy earlier in the week, and their response was: "us immigration generally recognizes marriages performed abroad." they didn't even address my question, so i sent a new email that was even more specific. their response? exactly the same, word for word. anyway, does anyone know if the us embassy gives a marriage certificate/license/whatever to newly registered couples? thanks for the help guys!

[xingyiman]

[bobranger]

Step one:
Fill out an Affidavit of Eligibility for Marriage (US form)
Get three copies of your Certificate of Marriage (Korean form)
Take these to the US Embassy (both your wife and yourself)
Step Two:
Go to the US Citizen Entrance at the US Embassy. Do this as early in the day as possible.
At this point you need to get your Affidavit of Eligibility notarized by the US Embassy.
I forget the fee but don�t forget to bring US dollars.
Step 3:
Take those documents to the Jongno-ju Ward Office.
There a Korean Government Official will approve your marriage.
Phone: (02) 732-6213~5 or visit their website www.imigration.go.kr
Step 4:
Return to the US Embassy and show them your papers. Pay another fee, I think.
You will wait for a while and receive your Certificate of Marriage.
Congratulations.. Now go get your respective Visas.
It can be done in a day. Bring something to read.

[Milwaukiedave]

Bob pretty much hit the nail on the head. It's all a matter of paperwork. The US Embassy certifies the paperwork you get from the local office when you file to get married. It can be done in a day (make sure to check the US Embassy website for both Korean and American holidays and try not to go right before or after one).

The F-2 visa will take anywhere from 1 1/2 weeks to a month. My experience was two weeks. It depends how busy the immigration office is.

[Rob'sdad]

After you sprout a kid, you'll need to get back down there, show the kid and then hightail it to the immigration office.

Those asshalves were on lunch when I brought my 10day old son there. It was December and snowing and he needed to get back to the breast.'

"come back in 20 minutes" I told them, "just let us in, I have a 10 day old baby, eat yer grub and we'll get it handled."

"Sir, Please wait"

So I kicked on the door until they opened it. Those assholes.

I hear all kinds of complaints about the US Embassy. So what? They thrash on Americans the same as they thrash on others.

I f'ed it with my first kid and was 12 days late and I had to pay a fine of 112,000 to immigration because he was an, "Illegal Entry."

1. Have the kid.
2. Take that kid to the embassy(English translation of birth certificate)
3. Show the kid and swear that it's your's.
4. Get the passport.
5. Go to Immigration
6. Pick up the ARC
7. Pound a bottle of Soju.

[Atavistic]

http://seoul.usembassy.gov/wwwh2510.html

I can't believe Google didn't turn that up for you.

[definitely maybe]

[bobranger]

You will recieve your US Marriage Certificate. Good Luck

[matthews_world]

I know the process is different if one marries a non-Korean.

My question is how so? Any pointers here?

[definitely maybe]

[CentralCali]

[i]

I got married there, granted it was in 95, but I flew out of Gwangju, took a bus to the embassy, did all the waiting and going to the Korean office, ate downtown and got a flight back probably around 6 or 7, all in 1 day. So I'm guessing I got there late morning. I do recall some rudeness by the Korean workers in the embassy, but the one American I met with was nice.

[bobranger]

definitely maybe:
CentralCali is correct you will only get a �Report and Certificate of Marriage�. Sorry for the misinformation. I called my immigration lawyer in the states and he said it is a binding marriage for a visa but could be revoked state side.
CentralCali could you expand on the difference between the two?

[CentralCali]

The difference is simple. The Korean Report and Certificate of Marriage is the actual marriage document and is issued by a Korean governmental entity. The US embassy will not and cannot conduct or solemnize marriages. In Korea, there is one and only one kind of marriage: that registered at the governmental office concerned. The wedding hall bit is, essentially, just a show; it has no legal effect.

Actually, there's no such thing as "an American marriage certificate." Each state and territory has its own marriage laws and procedures. They generally follow the pattern of getting a license to marry and then having an officiant (judge, justice of the peace, registered religious officiant, or other person as designated by statute) sign the certificate and return a copy to the licensing agency.

The only way a marriage entered into in Korea can be revoked in the United States is if a court of competent jurisdiction (such as Family Court) annuls the marriage (for example, if it's discovered that either or both parties still had a current marriage at the time they entered the marriage in Korea) or issues a divorce decree.

If Korean Immigration is asking for a "US marriage certificate" after you married outside of the United States, simply go up the chain. The clerk you're dealing with is a moron.

[definitely maybe]

spot on advice guys! took us about 1 hour to get the paperwork sorted out at the embassy and jongno-gu office today. really smooth process. can't have the korean marriage certificate until monday, but went to our reservation this morning at sejongno immigration anyway. they stamped off everything and got us in order for the f-2 really quickly. they couldn't begin processing today because the korean document was missing, so my wife (feels weird to say wife) just has to run that in on monday. she barely glanced at our apartment lease, bank documents, and work stuff. really a piece of cake. after my experience, i'm amazed by people's stories of f-2 troubles. we'll supposedly have the passport, etc., with new visa in about a week and a half.