Getting married in Korea
Introduction
If you wish to get married while in Korea you can obtain a civil marriage under Korean law. Marriage is a civil procedure in Korea, and performing a religious ceremony only does not constitute a legal marriage. For your marriage to be legally recognized in Korea and hence, legally recognised in Canada, you and your fiancé (e) must be free to marry, must report and register your marriage to the appropriate civil authorities. While consular officials are not authorized to perform marriage ceremonies, we can, however, notarize necessary documents for a civil marriage in Korea.
Procedures
You must take the following steps to get married in Korea.
Step 1 – Canadians are required to appear in person at the Embassy of Canada in Seoul or the Consulate of Canada in Busan with two copies of the Affidavit of Eligibility of Marriage. You should also provide a piece of identification (i.e. passport and/or birth certificate).
Step 2 – You will be required to bring the notarized copies of the Affidavit of Eligibility of Marriage to your local district office (Gu Cheong) to report and register your marriage. The Korean district office will issue the following:
- a filing receipt on the day of report;
- a verification certificate, which has similar effect as the Korean marriage certificate(3~5 days required); or
- marriage certificate (family register), issued when the marriage is between a Korean citizen and a foreign resident alien (7 days required).
** Please note: For a marriage between two foreigners, the verification certificate will be issued on the same day.
Required documents
- Affidavit of Eligibility of Marriage (2 copies) l PDF * (159 KB) ,
- Canadian passport ,
- Proof of termination of any prior marriage(s) such as an original or certified divorce certificate, annulment or death certificate of your previous spouse (when applicable).
*Please note that if your fiancé(e) is not Korean they should contact their embassy in Korea and seek advice on requirements on getting married in Korea.
Fee: Canadian $50.00 or equivalent Korean won, please click here for exchange rate (Only cash is accepted).
CANADIAN IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP REGULATIONS
Marriage to a Canadian citizen does not automatically confer permanent resident or citizenship status on the Korean spouse. To obtain permanent resident status, the Canadian partner must complete an undertaking to sponsor his/her spouse at a Canadian Immigration Centre in Canada. The Korean national must then meet all civil and medical requirements before a visa can be issued. Processing times vary according to individual circumstances, and the applicant is normally required to remain in Korea until such time as the Visa can be issued.
Learn about sponsoring your spouse for immigration to Canada.
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