Dual Citizenship

The Campaign

In 2007, G.O.A.’L. launched a campaign that successfully changed the law to allow Korean adoptees to reclaim their Korean citizenship without losing the citizenship of their adoptive country.

Prior to this new law, the system that allowed Korean adoptees to maintain dual citizenship was not widely known. Even so, at the age of 20 or 22 (depending on gender), an adoptee would be forced to choose one of their citizenships. Adoption agencies made it even more difficult by actively discouraging adoptive parents from obtaining dual citizenship for their children. Therefore, Korean citizenship was revoked without consent. With this new law, Korean adoptees now have the choice to restore their Korean citizenship as a basic right of the individual.

Fall 2007

The Dual Citizenship campaign is launched.

G.O.A.’L. began to research various nationality laws of countries where adoptees were sent.

May 2007

G.O.A.'L. launches a petition.

Korean media outlets are informed and G.O.A.'L. requests that the Ministry of Justice to collaborate with us for the campaign.

Summer 2008 - 2009

Ministry of Justice holds two public hearings.

Former Secretary General, Dae-won Kim, represents the adoptee community at the hearings.

June 2009

The first draft of the new nationality law is presented.

November 2009

The revised law is submitted to the National Assembly.

The law is approved by the Legislative and Judicial Committee.

April 22, 2010

The revised law is officially passed by the National Assembly.

May 4, 2010

The Dual Citizenship Law for adoptees is officially announced.

January 1, 2011

The law becomes offically effective.

Overseas adoptees are now eligible to become dual citizens and restore their Korean nationality.

November 2020

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs accepts overseas applications.

Adoptees are now eligible to apply for dual citizenship at their Korean Consulate or Embassy.

The Disclaimer

Dual citizenship is not only a way to restore Korean identity.

As a dual citizen, you are responsible for knowing and understanding the laws of both Korea and your country of adoption, and how they apply to you as a dual citizen. Each country has unique and varying laws regarding its dual citizenship process and maintenance, and it is the responsibility of the individual to familiarize yourself with and adhere to these customs.

G.O.A.'L. assists with the process of reclaiming Korean citizenship and becoming a dual citizen, however, we are not responsible for issues arising after Korean citizenship has been reinstated. It is the responsibility of the individual to make informed decisions regarding dual citizenship.

Restoring Your Korean Citizenship

Since 2011, G.O.A.’L. has assisted hundreds of adoptees through the process of restoring their Korean citizenship. The process from submission of your application to finalizing your Korean citizenship and receiving your Korean passport takes around 12~24 months.

In order to apply for Korean citizenship, you will need the following documents:

APPLICATION FORMS

Application to Recover Korean Citizenship (국적회복허가 신청서)
Personal Statement (General) (국적회복진술서(일반))
Personal Statement (신원진술서)
Family Relationship Notification Letter (가족관계통보서) - Must be handwritten in Korean

DOCUMENTS

(A) Removed Registry (제적등본) (less than 6 months old)
~OR~
(B) Korean Family Registry (가족관계증명서)
and Basic Certificate (기본증명서) (less than 6 months old)
Current Passport – original + color copy (Valid for 3+ years)
If applying in Korea, F-4 Visa or other long-term residency visa that allows you to stay in Korea for the duration of your application (외국국적동포 거소 증 사본) – original + color copy
Certificate of Citizenship / Naturalization + color copy
- If it is not in ENGLISH or KOREAN, a translated copy of Citizenship / Naturalization citizenship is needed.
Adoption Certificate (입양사실확인서) (Less than 3 months old)
- In case of an individual adoption: court decree on adoption, birth certificate, and all other adoption-related documents
Criminal Background Check + Apostille from your adoptive country (Less than 6 months old)
- Exempt if over 60 years of age
Any and all other documents related to name change, birth date change, marriage certificate, etc.

OTHER

Three passport-sized photos (Less than 6 months old, must be identical)
Processing Fee – 200,000 KRW*
*This is the cost for applying in Korea, but if applying overseas, please check with your Consulate/Embassy

For a step-by-step guide, translated English versions of the applications, and further assistance, please become a member.

G.O.A.'L. Members

By becoming a member of G.O.A.’L., you will have access to:

1:1 Consultation

We know the process can be overwhelming, so we offer 1:1 consultations and support via Zoom or in-person.

Step-by-Step Guide

A one-stop shop for how to obtain and complete all the documents you need to restore your Korean citizenship.

Translation

We have translated the forms to English to help you fill them out and will translate your responses to Korean for submission.

Pros & Cons

We have put together an informed Pros and Cons list for those considering to apply.

Become a Member

Already a member? Login

Dual Citizenship FAQ

The applicant must apply in the country where they have permanent residency for the duration of the application process which is 18-24 months from the time of submission. If applying in Korea, you will apply at the Nationality Department of Immigration. You will need a long-term residency visa like the F-4 visa.

If applying overseas, you will need to apply at the Korean Consulate or Korean Embassy which is in charge of your area of residence.

Male adoptee dual citizens hold a "Level 5" exemption and are exempt from military service but not from Civil Defense duty. If residing in Korea, you must complete 4 hours of annual training until age 38. The National Emergency Management Agency issues a Notice of Training.

For those living overseas, it is advised to change your residential status to Overseas Korean which removes the training requirement but involves surrendering the Korean ID card temporarily.

More details on the MMA website.

No. An adoptee does not need to take a language proficiency exam to restore their Korean nationality. However, it is noted that some documents may require Korean proficiency in order to be completed.

While G.O.A.'L. assists with the translation and completion of many of the Korean application forms for the dual citizenship process, some Consulates and Embassies require that the Family Relationship Notification Letter form be handwritten in Korean.

Only applicants who apply in Korea are eligible to receive their Korean ID right after their citizenship has been restored.

For those who apply outside of Korea via the Consulate/Embassy, you are not eligible to apply for a Resident Registration Number or Korean ID card if you do not reside in Korea.

A Resident Registration Number is only issued to those residing in Korea with a Korean address. This number and subsequent Korean ID card can only be issued in Korea.

If you apply overseas, you are eligible to apply for a Korean passport which must be used when entering and exiting Korea after restoring your citizenship.

Children born prior to the adoptee becoming a dual citizen:

Can obtain Korean citizenship at the same time when the Korean adoptee restores his/her Korean citizenship. Their information is added to the application form.
BUT the child is NOT eligible to hold dual citizenship. The child must choose one citizenship by the time they turn 18 (male) or 22 (female).
Therefore it is not recommended to add your children to your application.

Children born after the adoptee becomes a dual citizen:

The child IS a dual citizen by birth and in order to maintain dual citizenship status, the parents must go to the nearest Korean Consulate/Embassy and (1) register their marriage, (2) register the child’s birth, (3) file to become a dual citizen
HOWEVER, dual citizenship has different implications for descendants of adoptees.
- For male children, it is advised to renounce their Korean citizenship before he turns 18. Descendents of adoptees are NOT EXEMPT from compulsory military service. If the child does not renounce his Korean citizenship and enters Korea before he turns 38, he will be required to complete his military service.
- For female children, they must formally file to become a dual citizen by their 22nd birthday in the country of their birth.