A huge number of people on the planet dream of changing their place of residence, much less of those who, in addition to their territory, would also like to change their citizenship. But situations in life are different, therefore, you can equally find a request on how to obtain citizenship of South Korea or the United States.
Why South Korea is so interested in residents of other countries, there is a clear, unambiguous answer. In terms of economic development, this eastern state is ahead of many countries of the world, including very large ones. From a cultural point of view, it is also interesting for people of creative specialties.
How can you get South Korean citizenship?
The Citizenship Law was adopted in South Korea back in 1975, since then it has naturally undergone some changes that did not change the essence, but reacted to changes in the political situation in the world and in the country. At present, the law stipulates the following possibilities for obtaining South Korean citizenship: by birthright; by origin; through naturalization. The latter method of obtaining citizenship of the country, in turn, is divided into two important branches: the first is naturalization, which takes place on a general basis, and the second is naturalization by recognition.
Naturalization in South Korea on a general basis
A person who has neither blood nor marriage ties with representatives of the indigenous population of the country can become a full-fledged member of South Korean society, with all the due responsibilities and rights. Naturalization on a general basis, subject to all conditions, will result in a South Korean passport.
Naturally, South Korean legislation is based on the same principles as other countries in the world. To obtain South Korean citizenship, a number of the following conditions must be met:
- have lived in the country for at least five years;
- be an adult at the time of filing an application for citizenship (according to local laws);
- have a stable income, provide a livelihood;
- know the Korean language at a basic level, respect traditions and culture;
- show your trustworthiness, respect for local laws and, first of all, for the Constitution of the state.
A small addition - any potential applicant for South Korean citizenship must apply to the Minister of Justice for permission. Without this document, it will not be possible to undergo naturalization and receive a citizen's passport.
Naturalization in South Korea through recognition
A foreign citizen has every chance to change citizenship with maximum integration into South Korean society. Depending on certain personal circumstances and general conditions, he can choose his own path of naturalization (out of two available in this country).
Naturalization by means of recognition is applied in practice if it is possible to establish blood ties between an immigrant and a native resident of South Korea who has a citizen's passport. The same naturalization procedure applies in case of marriage to a South Korean citizen / citizen. In each of these options for acquiring citizenship, the potential applicant has its own requirements.
For example, a wife who was a citizen of another state is required to renounce her citizenship. Moreover, there are strict deadlines that determine how long she must renounce citizenship and provide written evidence - only 6 months. The second condition for a couple in which the husband is a citizen of South Korea and the wife is a foreigner is the period of being legally married - not less than three years. The third condition regarding time indicators is the residence of a couple in the country for a year.
An even more complicated process of naturalization through recognition awaits a minor child of an international couple if the family has lived in another country. Firstly, a South Korean citizen (mother or father) must recognize the child as their own, and secondly, if the mother is a former citizen of another country, and the father is Korean, then he must declare his origin.
Other issues related to citizenship
In South Korea, there is currently no institution of dual citizenship. This means that a person who has the citizenship of this country and another state by birth must, before the age of 22, make his choice in favor of one citizenship.
Loss of citizenship can take place on a voluntary basis, when a person writes an application to the Embassy of South Korea and pays a state fee. The embassy specialists are settling all the formalities on this issue. In some cases, there is a process of involuntary loss of South Korean citizenship, for example, if a person is adopted by a citizen of another country, which automatically leads to a change of citizenship.
