Title
Overseas Korean Registration certificate cannot be issued online, requiring a ministry visit or a proxy The certificate is not available through the internet, so applicants must visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in person or appoint a proxy, and issuance still takes four days or more.
Content
Apostille Korea identifies the Overseas Korean Registration certificate as a civil document with a complex procedure and a long turnaround. The company says it has operated a one-stop service since 2015 covering document issuance, translation and notarisation, apostille, ministry confirmation, consular legalisation and domestic and international delivery.
- The Overseas Korean Registration certificate cannot be issued over the internet.
- Applicants must visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in person or appoint a proxy.
- Even once the application is filed, issuance takes four days or more.
- Apostille Korea handles issuance, translation and notarisation, apostille, ministry confirmation, consular legalisation and delivery in one flow.
No registration means no record
Overseas Korean Registration applies the domestic resident registration system abroad, and through it the Ministry of Foreign Affairs protects citizens residing or staying in other countries and formulates and implements protection policies for Koreans overseas. The certificate records basic personal details along with the address in the country of stay, the purpose and status of the stay and the date of first entry, making it effectively the only proof of having lived abroad. It covers Korean nationals staying in a foreign area with the intention of residing or remaining there for 90 days or more, excluding holders of foreign citizenship. New registration must be filed within 30 days and changes within 14 days. The difficulty arises for those who lived abroad without registering. One applicant who completed elementary, middle and high school overseas and was preparing for special admission to a Korean university was asked to submit the certificate within three days, but with no registration on file the certificate could not be issued, registering locally would not restore the earlier record, and the special admission could not go ahead.
Why the routes to issuance are so narrow
For those who did register, the second hurdle is the application itself. The certificate is not issued over the internet, so the applicant must either visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in person or appoint a proxy. A permanent resident abroad who was nearing discharge from military service and had three days to submit the certificate found both routes closed, since his family and acquaintances were all overseas while he remained at his unit. Even when an application does go through, issuance takes four days or more, which leaves applicants with urgent deadlines in a difficult position. Apostille Korea explains that when the certificate is used for special university admission, entry and exit matters or visa cases, translation into the relevant language, notarisation and legalisation follow. Since 2015 the company has run a service that handles issuance, translation and notarisation, apostille, ministry confirmation, consular legalisation and domestic and international delivery in a single flow.
Frequently asked questions
Can the certificate be issued online?
No. This certificate is not available through internet issuance. The applicant must visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in person or appoint a proxy.
How long does issuance take after filing?
Four days or more. That period is a heavy burden when the document has to be submitted at short notice.
What else is needed to submit it to an institution abroad?
Depending on the receiving institution and country, translation into the relevant language, notarisation and either an apostille or consular legalisation are also required.
Source: KNS 뉴스통신 · 2017-03-13