The Overseas Korean Registration extract cannot be issued online, so the ministry must be visited in person Registration itself can be done online, but the extract is only available at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno, Seoul, or through an appointed proxy.

Apostille Korea said it provides a service that obtains the Overseas Korean Registration extract on the applicant's behalf. Because the extract cannot be issued online, applicants staying abroad or living far from Seoul find it hard to handle themselves.

A document used across a wide range of domestic procedures

The overseas Korean registration scheme is operated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Article 1 of the Overseas Korean Registration Act. It requires nationals residing or staying abroad to register with the competent overseas mission, so that the state can grasp the situation of its citizens abroad and improve the convenience of their activities at home and overseas. The data also supports the proper handling of administrative affairs and the design of protection policies for nationals abroad. About 7.3 million people have registered to date. The scheme covers Korean nationals staying in a fixed area abroad with the intention of residing or remaining there continuously for 90 days or more, and applications can be filed online or at an overseas mission. To use certain domestic schemes or benefits, a national abroad must submit the Overseas Korean Registration extract recording the fact of their stay abroad. Its administrative reach is broad, covering property acquisition and the exercise of property rights in Korea, business registration, national pension refund claims and resident tax reduction requests, as well as special university admission and military service arrangements for nationals abroad.

Confusion over timing and the way the extract is issued

The extract can only be issued if overseas Korean registration has already been completed. It is not unusual for someone to live abroad without registering, learn of the requirement only after returning to Korea, and apply belatedly. The extract, however, records history from the date of application onward, so even an actual stay abroad before that date is not reflected. That is why registration should be filed when the stay begins. The way the document is issued causes further confusion. Registration itself can be filed online, but the extract cannot be issued online, so the applicant must visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jongno, Seoul, in person or appoint a proxy. For those whose family and acquaintances are all abroad, or who live far from Seoul, and especially for those who need the document urgently, the burden is considerable. When the extract is used for special university admission, immigration-related procedures or visa matters, translation into the relevant language along with notarisation and authentication follow.

Frequently asked questions

Source: 베타뉴스 · 2017-07-14