Korean Job Discussion Forums

[jvalmer]

I have a friend whose parents were Korean and met in Canada and therefore were married in Canada. His parents are still considered single in their repective Hojuks. He was born and raised in Canada, he is wondering if he would be able to get the F-4 visa. Does it mean he has to submit both hojuks for his mother and father?

[T-dot]

i think its just the father's side.

[ohfamous]

I really think the F-4 visa requirements depend on a lot of factors and can be different for everyone. For me, my parents were married in Korea, moved to the states, and I was born in the states. So for the San Francisco Consulate, I needed:

1. both my father and mother's newly registered individual family hojuk deung bons.(they rejected an old copy from my father's side that mentioned their marriage)
2. both my father and mother's naturalization certificates
3. both my father and mother's signed Korean Nationality renunciation forms
4. my birth certificate
5. my passport
6. my driver's license

I must say that the employees were pricks. First they told me I only needed my father's side of the documents, then I need both, then the old hojuk suddenly wasn't good enough, then I needed to get the forms filled out and signed. Of course, I didn't tell them my parents were divorced for fear of making the process even more convoluted than it already was.

Anyways, I managed to get my F-4 the day before I came to Korea, so it all worked out. I would recommend your friend get every single document about their family that he can, and make sure that they're all current records (i.e. have relatives in Korea go to the regional office where they were born and obtain new copies and fax them over). It would be great if he could get a printed list of required documents on a visit to the Consulate to make sure he gets everything he needs. Hope it goes well!

[jvalmer]

He is already in Korea. Would it be easier getting the Visa in Canada?

[CanKorea]

It is easier to get the F-4 once you're in Korea. My parents also met in Canada and that is where I was born. The problem with me was that my grandfather put me onto the ho-juk when I was born.

In order to get the F-4 before you leave you needed to have renounced your Korean "citizenship" before the age of 18 ( if you are on the ho juk). If not it's a little easier.

If he's already in Korea he needs to have documents faxed over. Basically what ohfamous said in his response. I needed my:
1. My "large" birth certificate (with both my parents names on them)
2. My father's naturalization papers. It needs to the copy he signed.
3. My father's Canadian passport copy.
4. My father's official renunciation of his Korean status form.
5. A copy of my passport.

My father didn't officially renounce until I came to Korea a year ago. This is what I needed for my F-4. But ohfamous is right, it's different for everyone.

Hope this helps! Cheers

[jvalmer]

Okay. My friend was able to get a copy of both hojuks. His mother has cancelled her citizenship on her hojuk. She got citizenship about a year after he was born. But, his father is still in the hojuk and is considered a citizen and single. His father does has Canadian citizenship, but got it sometime in the early 80's about 5 or 6 years after my friend was born. My friend is NOT in the hojuk at all. Does this make things easier? His father is reluctant to give up his Korean citizenship, because he may want to return to Korea before he dies.

[ohfamous]

Not sure what your friend can do in his situation. I believe your father/mother MUST renounce Korean citizenship in order for you to get an F-4 visa. However, you can try talking the Consulate guy out of this. When getting my alien registration card, the guy told me I needed both hojuks again. I had waited at the immigration office for 3 hours so I wasn't about to leave on a failed mission. So I subtly waved an open palm in front of him and said, "You don't need my hojuk" and that was that.

LOL, just kidding...I basically stared him down for 15 minutes and didn't budge. He finally let me apply for my ARC without the hojuks. So maybe your friend should try hardballing or sweet-talking or doing whatever it takes to get the Consulate to accept his application. If the consulate in Korea doesn't bend, maybe have his father try the consulate in Canada. Him not being on the hojuk is wierd to me...dunno what effect that has on the usual rules...BTW, if his father wants to return to korea in the future, he can just renounce citizenship now and get his own F-4 and ARC later too...

[jvalmer]