FAQs

Q1 / A1: I came to the U.S. and obtained citizenship. If I don't report the loss of my Korean nationality to Korea, do I still retain my Korean nationality? / No, you do not. Immediately upon receiving U.S. citizenship, your Korean nationality is automatically lost under Korean nationality law.

Q2 / A2: What disadvantages are there if I don't report the loss of my nationality? / If you don't report the loss of your nationality, various tasks in Korea, such as those related to finance and inheritance, may not proceed smoothly later on.

Q3 / A3: What happens if I use my Korean passport in Korea without reporting the loss of my nationality? / As your Korean nationality is automatically lost as soon as you receive U.S. citizenship, you are no longer a Korean national regardless of whether you reported the loss of nationality. If you use a Korean passport, you may be penalized for violating the Passport Act and the Immigration Control Act.

Q4 / A4: If my child was born in the U.S., do I need to register their birth in Korea? / If at the time of your child's birth in the U.S., at least one parent held Korean nationality, the child is a natural-born dual citizen and automatically holds Korean nationality, regardless of whether their birth is registered. Therefore, you must register their birth in Korea.

Q5 / A5: If a child born in the U.S. is not registered in Korea, can the child enter Korea as an American (with a U.S. passport)? / No. The child is considered a dual citizen at birth and has an obligation to register their birth in Korea. When entering Korea, they are required to enter as a Korean national with a Korean passport.

Q6 / A6: If I got married in the U.S., do I need to register my marriage in Korea? / If at the time of your marriage in the U.S., at least one spouse held Korean nationality, you have an obligation to register your marriage in Korea.

Q7 / A7: I need to submit a Korean Marriage Certificate for my U.S. Social Security pension application. How should I prepare it? / You should apply for a Marriage Certificate at the Korean Consulate, have it issued, translate it into English, and then have it notarized before submitting it.

Q8 / A8: I have been asked to provide various documents for the division of inherited property in Korea. How should I prepare them? / You should prepare the requested documents, have them notarized, and then obtain an Apostille for the notarized documents before submitting them to Korea.

Q9 / A9: I want to apply for an F-4 visa in Korea. How do I apply? / To apply for an F-4 visa, you must have reported the loss of your Korean nationality in Korea. After reporting the loss of nationality, prepare the necessary documents and apply for an F-4 visa at the consulate.

Q10 / A10: I have obtained U.S. citizenship. I need a Certificate of Domestic Residence (Geosojeung) to handle various financial and real estate matters in Korea. What should I do? / First, you must apply for and obtain an F-4 visa at the consulate. Holders of an F-4 visa can apply for and receive a Certificate of Domestic Residence at the Immigration Office after entering Korea.

Q11 / A11: Can I apply for a Korean visa for my child as an American without registering their birth in Korea? / No, you cannot. Korean nationals are not subject to visa issuance.

Q12 / A12: I need to submit a Korean birth certificate to a U.S. government agency. Is there such a certificate? / You can submit the Korean Family Relations Certificate and Basic Certificate. The Family Relations Certificate lists the names of the parents, and the Basic Certificate lists the place of birth, so these certificates can serve as a birth certificate.

Q13 / A13: I acquired U.S. citizenship and then passed away. Can my death be reported in Korea? / As a U.S. citizen is no longer a Korean national, their death cannot be reported. If the loss of nationality was not reported, the loss of nationality must be retroactively reported along with the fact of death.

Q14 / A14: My child, born in the U.S., needs confirmation that they are not a dual citizen for a job application in the U.S. How should I do this? / You should submit your child's Basic Certificate, which explicitly states the renunciation of nationality. If the birth has not been registered, birth registration must precede this step.

Q15 / A15: My child wants to apply for a visa to study Korean in Korea. Can they apply for a visa? / If at least one parent held Korean nationality at the time of the child's birth, the child is a natural-born dual citizen and, as a Korean national, is not subject to visa issuance. They must enter with a Korean passport.