Korean Job Discussion Forums

[john110375]

The law has now passed. I'll be applying soon!!


Dual Citizenship to Be Allowed

The National Assembly passed a revision Wednesday that will permit multiple citizenship to people meeting certain conditions, as part of efforts to prevent a brain drain and bring in talented foreigners.

Under the revision, exceptionally talented foreign nationals will be able to obtain Korean citizenship without renouncing their own.

Similar to naturalized foreigners, foreign residents with dual citizenship will be exempt from military service.

Previously, the Korean government neither allowed dual citizenship nor immediately granted the privilege upon application.

Only those who had lived in Korea for five years or longer, or were married to Korean nationals and had stayed here for over two years were allowed naturalization.

Dual citizenship will be granted on the condition that those concerned take an oath not to exercise their rights as a foreign national while staying here.

Foreigners married to Koreans are included on the list of people eligible for dual citizenship, along with Koreans who gained foreign nationality through marriage or adoption.

Also included are overseas Koreans over 65 years old and Koreans who gained dual citizenship at birth, if they apply for the dual citizenship and take the oath before turning 22 years old.

Unlike foreigners, young Korean males will be required to fulfill compulsory military service.

However, the government will not give the privilege to so-called "anchor babies," whose mothers deliberately give birth in a country offering birthright citizenship ― typically the United States ― before returning to raise their children in Korea.

Critics, however, say the legislation may trigger a backfire from the Chinese community here as the government excluded Chinese, who have lived in Korea for several generations, from the list at the last minute before proposing the bill to the Assembly.

Some 20,000 Chinese living here have refused to be naturalized because they strongly insist on keeping their original citizenship to maintain their cultural identity and keep relations with their ancestral homeland.

Foreigners, who have divorced with Koreans but have lived in Korea with a child of their former spouse, are also ineligible for dual citizenship.

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[T-J]

I thought the vote was scheduled for tomorrow. Good news indeed. Time to schedule an appointment at immigration for next week.

[Scotticus]

[Thiuda]

[loyfriend]

Sounds good, I wonder who will all go for it, and if it will make some peopel decide to teach for five years knowing they can get dual citizainship.

[Ramen]

Would you call yourself a Korean having dual citizenship?

[Konglishman]

[john110375]

[quote]Then, for example, there would be such a thing as an American Korean (someone originally from America who now has Korean citizenship).[/quote]

+1

[sigmundsmith]

Can someone clarify a few points regarding acquiring dual citizenship?

I have been here for a little over 4 1/2 years. I'm not married. Don't speak Korean. Working at a university. Studying masters at a university. Am I eligble for dual citizenship?

What is the process?

And if you do become a dual citzen does that mean we don't have to do a criminal background check in our home country? Don't have to get aids tested? etc.

cheers

[T-J]

[T-J]

Looks like it won't go into effect until January next year....


http://news.sbs.co.kr/section_news/news_read.jsp?news_id=N1000737224


Still good news.

[john110375]

It's still ok because even if you applied today you wont get approved for atleast 4 to 6 months. Then you get 6 months to renounce your citizenship. That puts you past January.

[Jeonmunka]

[john110375]

I was just saying since the law doesn't go into effect until January you could start before that and shouldn't have to renounce the other one.

[ACT III]

I wonder about us f-4 guys born abroad. Are we sol?