Title
The name change is done, but the school records are not, and each school must be corrected separately A separate correction form, in each institution's own format, has to be filed with every school attended, from primary through to university and graduate school.
Content
Apostille Korea said it has launched a service that handles the correction of school record entries after a legal name change. Legal services supporting the name change application itself are well established, but many people struggle with the corrections that follow approval.
- According to the Supreme Court, about 1.52 million people applied for a legal name change between 2006 and 2015, roughly one in every 34 citizens.
- The approval rate rose steadily, and in 2015 some 95 percent of all applicants received approval.
- Once the change is approved, the applicant must personally report and request corrections for the passport, visa, qualifications and bank accounts issued under the former name.
- Correcting school records requires filing an application and legal supporting documents with every primary, middle and high school, university and graduate school attended, each in its own format.
Name changes have increased, the follow-up process has not
According to a Supreme Court announcement in July last year, about 1.52 million people applied for a legal name change between 2006 and 2015, roughly one in every 34 citizens. The approval rate also rose steadily, and in 2015 some 95 percent of all applicants received a ruling approving the change. Until 2005 a name change was in principle prohibited without special grounds, but on 16 November 2005 the Supreme Court ruled that changing one's name is closely bound up with personal dignity and the pursuit of happiness, and allowed it as a matter of principle. The procedure generally takes one to three months, and law offices handling the applications have multiplied, so the number of applicants rises every year. The most cumbersome part, however, comes after approval.
Why correcting school records takes the most work
Once the review, which takes about two to three months, results in approval, the applicant must personally report the change and request corrections for the passport, visa, qualifications and bank accounts issued under the former name. Correcting school record entries is particularly demanding: an application must be drawn up and filed, in each institution's own format, with every primary school, middle school and high school attended, as well as with the university or graduate school. The legal supporting documents needed along the way must also be obtained by the applicant, so the effort is double that of other steps. Legal services supporting applicants at the filing stage are well developed, which is precisely why so many run into difficulty at the follow-up stage. Because a school-specific application and the legal supporting documents must be prepared together, using a service that can handle the process accurately and quickly is put forward as an alternative.
Frequently asked questions
Once the name change is approved, does the new name apply everywhere automatically?
No. The passport, visa, qualifications and bank accounts require the holder to report the change and request corrections personally.
Are school records corrected in a single step?
No. An application has to be drawn up and filed in each institution's own format with every primary, middle and high school, university and graduate school attended.
How long does the name change procedure take?
Generally one to three months, and the corrections that follow approval require additional time.
Source: 이투뉴스 · 2017-07-20