Korean citizenship by descent: who qualifies, the law, and what it takes

Q: Can you claim Korean citizenship through a parent?

Likely. A child of a Korean citizen is Korean at birth. Korea does not generally allow keeping another nationality afterward: you must choose one by 22, or pledge to the Minister of Justice not to exercise the foreign nationality’s rights while in Korea; a man liable for military service cannot use that pledge to avoid choosing, and cannot renounce Korean nationality before completing or being exempted from service. If the parent is your mother and you were born before 1998: unlikely.

Q: Can you claim Korean citizenship through a grandparent?

Unlikely. Korean citizenship does not reach a grandchild or great-grandchild directly; it runs through whether your parent was a Korean national at your birth. If not, the F-4 Overseas Korean visa is open to documented descendants of a Korean national of any generation, giving residence and open work rights, though not citizenship.

Q: Can you claim Korean citizenship through a great-grandparent?

Unlikely. Korean citizenship does not reach a grandchild or great-grandchild directly; it runs through whether your parent was a Korean national at your birth. If not, the F-4 Overseas Korean visa is open to documented descendants of a Korean national of any generation, giving residence and open work rights, though not citizenship.

Through a parentLIKELYCitizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))Through a grandparentUNLIKELYTwo or more generations Through a great-grandparentUNLIKELYTwo or more generations

Ways to apply: Citizenship at birth through a parent (Art. 2(1)) · F-4 Overseas Korean visa for descendants of any generation
Dual citizenship: Not kept: the law expects you to give up your other citizenship

Each answer assumes none of your ancestors became a citizen of another country before their child was born. Below is what changes each answer.

On this page

01Who qualifies
02Dates that matter
03Through your mother
04Keeping your citizenship
05Ways to apply
06The documents
07What it takes
08Where the records live
09Law changes
10Other options
11Sources

Who qualifies, generation by generation

LIKELY

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a parent?

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

A child of a Korean citizen is Korean at birth. Korea does not generally allow keeping another nationality afterward: you must choose one by 22, or pledge to the Minister of Justice not to exercise the foreign nationality’s rights while in Korea; a man liable for military service cannot use that pledge to avoid choosing, and cannot renounce Korean nationality before completing or being exempted from service.

What would settle itWhether you intend to keep your other citizenship, which decides whether you choose Korean nationality outright, pledge not to exercise the other one, or let the Korean claim lapse.

A person whose father or mother is a Korean national at the time of the person’s birth is a national of the Republic of Korea at birth. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
A dual national who became one before turning 20 must choose a single nationality before turning 22; one who became dual at or after 20 must choose within two years. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1)
A man enlisted for military service must choose within three months of enlistment, or within two years of completing service, being discharged, or being exempted; this restriction exists so nationality cannot be renounced to evade service. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(2)-(3)
A dual national may keep both nationalities by pledging to the Minister of Justice not to exercise any right under the foreign nationality while in Korea, instead of choosing one. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1) proviso

What changes the answer

UNLIKELY
If the parent is your mother and you were born before 1998Citizenship at birth (pre-1998 law)
Before the law was made gender-neutral for births from 14 June 1998, a child of a Korean mother and foreign father generally did not acquire Korean nationality at birth; only the father’s line counted.

UNLIKELY

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a grandparent?

Two or more generations

Korean citizenship does not reach a grandchild or great-grandchild directly; it runs through whether your parent was a Korean national at your birth. If not, the F-4 Overseas Korean visa is open to documented descendants of a Korean national of any generation, giving residence and open work rights, though not citizenship.

What would settle itWhether your parent held Korean nationality at your own birth, which would put you on the parent option instead.

A child is a Korean national at birth only if the father or the mother is a Korean national at the time of birth; the Act does not extend this to grandparents. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
An overseas Korean — a former Korean national, or a lineal descendant of one, of any generation — may hold F-4 status, which carries residence and most work rights. Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans: F-4 Overseas Korean visa

UNLIKELY

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a great-grandparent?

Two or more generations

What would settle itWhether your parent held Korean nationality at your own birth, which would put you on the parent option instead.

A child is a Korean national at birth only if the father or the mother is a Korean national at the time of birth; the Act does not extend this to grandparents. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
An overseas Korean — a former Korean national, or a lineal descendant of one, of any generation — may hold F-4 status, which carries residence and most work rights. Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans: F-4 Overseas Korean visa

The dates that matter

1998
14 June 1998
The 1997 amendment, effective 14 June 1998, first let a mother’s Korean nationality pass to her child on the same terms as a father’s; it applied to births from that date. Nationality Act (as amended)

Claiming through your mother or grandmother

In South Korea’s rule, the answer changes when the ancestor you descend through is a woman:

UNLIKELY
If the parent is your mother and you were born before 1998Citizenship at birth (pre-1998 law)
Before the law was made gender-neutral for births from 14 June 1998, a child of a Korean mother and foreign father generally did not acquire Korean nationality at birth; only the father’s line counted.

In the law’s words

The 1997 amendment, effective 14 June 1998, first let a mother’s Korean nationality pass to her child on the same terms as a father’s; it applied to births from that date. Nationality Act (as amended)
A person whose father or mother is a Korean national at the time of the person’s birth is a national of the Republic of Korea at birth. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
A child is a Korean national at birth only if the father or the mother is a Korean national at the time of birth; the Act does not extend this to grandparents. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)

Dual citizenship with your home country

Dual citizenship is not guaranteed.

On every open route, the rule expects a citizen of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina or South Africa to give up their other citizenship, or to get permission to keep it.

A dual national must select one nationality by the statutory deadline, unless they pledge to the Minister of Justice not to exercise any right under the foreign nationality while in Korea. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1)
A dual national who became one before turning 20 must choose a single nationality before turning 22; one who became dual at or after 20 must choose within two years. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1)
A man enlisted for military service must choose within three months of enlistment, or within two years of completing service, being discharged, or being exempted; this restriction exists so nationality cannot be renounced to evade service. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(2)-(3)
A dual national may keep both nationalities by pledging to the Minister of Justice not to exercise any right under the foreign nationality while in Korea, instead of choosing one. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1) proviso

Every way to apply, and the law behind it

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

Open to you through a parent

LIKELY
Through a parent

The law

A person whose father or mother is a Korean national at the time of the person’s birth is a national of the Republic of Korea at birth. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
A dual national who became one before turning 20 must choose a single nationality before turning 22; one who became dual at or after 20 must choose within two years. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1)
A man enlisted for military service must choose within three months of enlistment, or within two years of completing service, being discharged, or being exempted; this restriction exists so nationality cannot be renounced to evade service. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(2)-(3)
A dual national may keep both nationalities by pledging to the Minister of Justice not to exercise any right under the foreign nationality while in Korea, instead of choosing one. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1) proviso

What would settle an unsure case

Whether you intend to keep your other citizenship, which decides whether you choose Korean nationality outright, pledge not to exercise the other one, or let the Korean claim lapse.

Citizenship at birth (pre-1998 law)

Closed: no one qualifies this way today

UNLIKELY
Through a parent, if the parent is your mother and you were born before 1998
Before the law was made gender-neutral for births from 14 June 1998, a child of a Korean mother and foreign father generally did not acquire Korean nationality at birth; only the father’s line counted.

The law

The 1997 amendment, effective 14 June 1998, first let a mother’s Korean nationality pass to her child on the same terms as a father’s; it applied to births from that date. Nationality Act (as amended)

What would settle an unsure case

Whether a special naturalisation option recognised your Korean maternal line despite your birth date.

Two or more generations

Closed: no one qualifies this way today

UNLIKELY
Through a grandparent
Korean citizenship does not reach a grandchild or great-grandchild directly; it runs through whether your parent was a Korean national at your birth. If not, the F-4 Overseas Korean visa is open to documented descendants of a Korean national of any generation, giving residence and open work rights, though not citizenship.

The law

A child is a Korean national at birth only if the father or the mother is a Korean national at the time of birth; the Act does not extend this to grandparents. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
An overseas Korean — a former Korean national, or a lineal descendant of one, of any generation — may hold F-4 status, which carries residence and most work rights. Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans: F-4 Overseas Korean visa

What would settle an unsure case

Whether your parent held Korean nationality at your own birth, which would put you on the parent option instead.

The documents, as the rule lists them

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

Through a parent

Your parent’s Korean family register (gajokgwangyedeungnokbu) or passport
Your birth certificate
Report of birth at a Korean consulate

Most countries also want proof that your ancestor didn’t become a citizen somewhere else before their child was born: the naturalization record with its date, or a letter saying there isn’t one.

What it takes: time, cost, the hard part, who decides

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

Time: A few weeks to a couple of months to register the birth and issue a first passport, once your parent’s Korean family register is confirmed.
Cost: About $150–350: certified family register copies, translations, and passport fees.
The hard part: Deciding how to handle dual nationality: without the pledge not to exercise the foreign nationality’s rights in Korea, you are expected to choose one nationality by 22, and a son must also weigh military-service timing before that deadline.
Who decides: The Korean consulate for your address, for the report of birth and family register entry; a passport follows once the entry is made.
The first record: Your parent’s Korean family relations register (gajokgwangyedeungnokbu) or citizenship certificate, from A Korean consulate, or the family register office (si/gu/eup/myeon) in Korea. Request the certified register through a Korean consulate for your address, giving the parent’s full name, date of birth and, if known, their Korean resident registration number. overseas.mofa.go.kr

How it’s filed

Where: A Korean consulate for your address.
How: In person; you appear in person
Form: Report of birth abroad (chulsaeng-singo), filed at a Korean consulate
Fee: No fee
Decision: 2–13 weeks

What goes in the file (4)

The report of birth abroad, completed and signed
Your U.S. birth certificate, translated into Korean
Your parent’s Korean family relations register or passport
Your parents’ marriage certificate, translated, if applicable

What goes wrong (2)

There is no fee for the birth report itself; a first Korean passport is a separate, later application.
A dual national must choose one nationality by 22 (if dual before 20) or within two years of the second nationality (if later), or file the non-exercise pledge instead; a man subject to military service must choose within a set period of entering the service-eligible register and generally cannot renounce Korean nationality until that obligation is resolved.

source ↗

Fees are each office’s published fee, converted to U.S. dollars.

Where each record lives, and how to ask for it

birth
A Korean consulate (report of overseas birth), which enters the child into the parent’s family relations register (gajokgwangyedeungnokbu) in Korea
Give the parent’s full name, date of birth and, if known, Korean resident registration number; the consulate forwards the report to the register office in Korea.
Ask
Through an agent, in Korean · request page ↗
Takes
2–5 weeks
Good to know (1)
- The Court Administration’s Overseas Korean Family Registration Office reviews the report and enters the birth in 2–5 weeks. Write the parent’s registration base (deungnokgijunji) on the report and keep it: without a resident number, it is how the child’s certificates are found later.
source ↗

Translations

Into: Korean
Who may translate: Any certified translator
About: $20–$45 a page

U.S. birth and marriage certificates filed at a Korean consulate need a Korean translation, in Korean script only (Family Relations Registration Rules, Art. 30); no sworn translator is required. Consulates post model translations of their states’ birth certificates to copy, such as Los Angeles for California and Seattle for Washington and Oregon.

source ↗

The passport

Where: A Korean consulate, once the family relations register entry recording the birth is in hand.
Fee: About $52
Time: 3–4 weeks

USD 52 for a 10-year, 58-page passport (USD 49 for 26 pages); under 18, a 5-year passport is USD 44 (USD 35 under 8). These include the international exchange levy.
Ready for pickup in about 3–4 weeks, about 4 by mail; expedited about 1 week.

source ↗

Recent and pending changes

We know of no pending bill or recent court ruling for South Korea.

We re-read the official pages behind this guide every day. When one changes, a person checks the rule before we update anything here.

If descent doesn’t reach you

3 residence programs lead to South Korea without an ancestor, each with its own law and road to citizenship.

Every source on this page

2 laws and official pages behind the answers, then the offices and pages behind the records and filing.

LawNationality Act (as amended) · Art. 2(1); Art. 12(1); Art. 12(2)-(3); Art. 12(1) proviso
LawAct on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans: F-4 Overseas Korean visa
RecordsA Korean consulate, or the family register office (si/gu/eup/myeon) in Korea: Your parent’s Korean family relations register (gajokgwangyedeungnokbu) or citizenship certificate
RecordsBirth records: A Korean consulate
RecordsTranslations into Korean
RecordsThe passport: where, the fee and the wait

Not legal advice. Every answer comes from the country’s own laws and is tested against real cases. Where the law isn’t clear, we say “possible” rather than guess.

Through a parentLIKELYCitizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))Through a grandparentUNLIKELYTwo or more generations Through a great-grandparentUNLIKELYTwo or more generations

Ways to apply: Citizenship at birth through a parent (Art. 2(1)) · F-4 Overseas Korean visa for descendants of any generation
Dual citizenship: Not kept: the law expects you to give up your other citizenship

Each answer assumes none of your ancestors became a citizen of another country before their child was born. Below is what changes each answer.

On this page

01Who qualifies
02Dates that matter
03Through your mother
04Keeping your citizenship
05Ways to apply
06The documents
07What it takes
08Where the records live
09Law changes
10Other options
11Sources

Who qualifies, generation by generation

LIKELY

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a parent?

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

A person whose father or mother is a Korean national at the time of the person’s birth is a national of the Republic of Korea at birth. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
A dual national who became one before turning 20 must choose a single nationality before turning 22; one who became dual at or after 20 must choose within two years. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1)
A man enlisted for military service must choose within three months of enlistment, or within two years of completing service, being discharged, or being exempted; this restriction exists so nationality cannot be renounced to evade service. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(2)-(3)
A dual national may keep both nationalities by pledging to the Minister of Justice not to exercise any right under the foreign nationality while in Korea, instead of choosing one. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1) proviso

What changes the answer

UNLIKELY
If the parent is your mother and you were born before 1998Citizenship at birth (pre-1998 law)
Before the law was made gender-neutral for births from 14 June 1998, a child of a Korean mother and foreign father generally did not acquire Korean nationality at birth; only the father’s line counted.

UNLIKELY

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a grandparent?

Two or more generations

What would settle itWhether your parent held Korean nationality at your own birth, which would put you on the parent option instead.

A child is a Korean national at birth only if the father or the mother is a Korean national at the time of birth; the Act does not extend this to grandparents. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
An overseas Korean — a former Korean national, or a lineal descendant of one, of any generation — may hold F-4 status, which carries residence and most work rights. Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans: F-4 Overseas Korean visa

UNLIKELY

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a great-grandparent?

Two or more generations

What would settle itWhether your parent held Korean nationality at your own birth, which would put you on the parent option instead.

A child is a Korean national at birth only if the father or the mother is a Korean national at the time of birth; the Act does not extend this to grandparents. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
An overseas Korean — a former Korean national, or a lineal descendant of one, of any generation — may hold F-4 status, which carries residence and most work rights. Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans: F-4 Overseas Korean visa

The dates that matter

1998
14 June 1998
The 1997 amendment, effective 14 June 1998, first let a mother’s Korean nationality pass to her child on the same terms as a father’s; it applied to births from that date. Nationality Act (as amended)

Claiming through your mother or grandmother

In South Korea’s rule, the answer changes when the ancestor you descend through is a woman:

UNLIKELY
If the parent is your mother and you were born before 1998Citizenship at birth (pre-1998 law)
Before the law was made gender-neutral for births from 14 June 1998, a child of a Korean mother and foreign father generally did not acquire Korean nationality at birth; only the father’s line counted.

In the law’s words

The 1997 amendment, effective 14 June 1998, first let a mother’s Korean nationality pass to her child on the same terms as a father’s; it applied to births from that date. Nationality Act (as amended)
A person whose father or mother is a Korean national at the time of the person’s birth is a national of the Republic of Korea at birth. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
A child is a Korean national at birth only if the father or the mother is a Korean national at the time of birth; the Act does not extend this to grandparents. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)

Dual citizenship with your home country

Dual citizenship is not guaranteed.

A dual national must select one nationality by the statutory deadline, unless they pledge to the Minister of Justice not to exercise any right under the foreign nationality while in Korea. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1)
A dual national who became one before turning 20 must choose a single nationality before turning 22; one who became dual at or after 20 must choose within two years. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1)
A man enlisted for military service must choose within three months of enlistment, or within two years of completing service, being discharged, or being exempted; this restriction exists so nationality cannot be renounced to evade service. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(2)-(3)
A dual national may keep both nationalities by pledging to the Minister of Justice not to exercise any right under the foreign nationality while in Korea, instead of choosing one. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1) proviso

Every way to apply, and the law behind it

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

Open to you through a parent

LIKELY
Through a parent

The law

A person whose father or mother is a Korean national at the time of the person’s birth is a national of the Republic of Korea at birth. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
A dual national who became one before turning 20 must choose a single nationality before turning 22; one who became dual at or after 20 must choose within two years. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1)
A man enlisted for military service must choose within three months of enlistment, or within two years of completing service, being discharged, or being exempted; this restriction exists so nationality cannot be renounced to evade service. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(2)-(3)
A dual national may keep both nationalities by pledging to the Minister of Justice not to exercise any right under the foreign nationality while in Korea, instead of choosing one. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 12(1) proviso

What would settle an unsure case

Whether you intend to keep your other citizenship, which decides whether you choose Korean nationality outright, pledge not to exercise the other one, or let the Korean claim lapse.

Citizenship at birth (pre-1998 law)

Closed: no one qualifies this way today

UNLIKELY
Through a parent, if the parent is your mother and you were born before 1998
Before the law was made gender-neutral for births from 14 June 1998, a child of a Korean mother and foreign father generally did not acquire Korean nationality at birth; only the father’s line counted.

The law

The 1997 amendment, effective 14 June 1998, first let a mother’s Korean nationality pass to her child on the same terms as a father’s; it applied to births from that date. Nationality Act (as amended)

What would settle an unsure case

Whether a special naturalisation option recognised your Korean maternal line despite your birth date.

Two or more generations

Closed: no one qualifies this way today

UNLIKELY
Through a grandparent
Korean citizenship does not reach a grandchild or great-grandchild directly; it runs through whether your parent was a Korean national at your birth. If not, the F-4 Overseas Korean visa is open to documented descendants of a Korean national of any generation, giving residence and open work rights, though not citizenship.

The law

A child is a Korean national at birth only if the father or the mother is a Korean national at the time of birth; the Act does not extend this to grandparents. Nationality Act (as amended), Art. 2(1)
An overseas Korean — a former Korean national, or a lineal descendant of one, of any generation — may hold F-4 status, which carries residence and most work rights. Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans: F-4 Overseas Korean visa

What would settle an unsure case

Whether your parent held Korean nationality at your own birth, which would put you on the parent option instead.

The documents, as the rule lists them

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

Through a parent

Your parent’s Korean family register (gajokgwangyedeungnokbu) or passport
Your birth certificate
Report of birth at a Korean consulate

Most countries also want proof that your ancestor didn’t become a citizen somewhere else before their child was born: the naturalization record with its date, or a letter saying there isn’t one.

What it takes: time, cost, the hard part, who decides

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

Time: A few weeks to a couple of months to register the birth and issue a first passport, once your parent’s Korean family register is confirmed.
Cost: About $150–350: certified family register copies, translations, and passport fees.
The hard part: Deciding how to handle dual nationality: without the pledge not to exercise the foreign nationality’s rights in Korea, you are expected to choose one nationality by 22, and a son must also weigh military-service timing before that deadline.
Who decides: The Korean consulate for your address, for the report of birth and family register entry; a passport follows once the entry is made.
The first record: Your parent’s Korean family relations register (gajokgwangyedeungnokbu) or citizenship certificate, from A Korean consulate, or the family register office (si/gu/eup/myeon) in Korea. Request the certified register through a Korean consulate for your address, giving the parent’s full name, date of birth and, if known, their Korean resident registration number. overseas.mofa.go.kr

How it’s filed

Where: A Korean consulate for your address.
How: In person; you appear in person
Form: Report of birth abroad (chulsaeng-singo), filed at a Korean consulate
Fee: No fee
Decision: 2–13 weeks

What goes in the file (4)

The report of birth abroad, completed and signed
Your U.S. birth certificate, translated into Korean
Your parent’s Korean family relations register or passport
Your parents’ marriage certificate, translated, if applicable

What goes wrong (2)

There is no fee for the birth report itself; a first Korean passport is a separate, later application.
A dual national must choose one nationality by 22 (if dual before 20) or within two years of the second nationality (if later), or file the non-exercise pledge instead; a man subject to military service must choose within a set period of entering the service-eligible register and generally cannot renounce Korean nationality until that obligation is resolved.

source ↗

Fees are each office’s published fee, converted to U.S. dollars.

Where each record lives, and how to ask for it

birth
A Korean consulate (report of overseas birth), which enters the child into the parent’s family relations register (gajokgwangyedeungnokbu) in Korea
Give the parent’s full name, date of birth and, if known, Korean resident registration number; the consulate forwards the report to the register office in Korea.
Ask
Through an agent, in Korean · request page ↗
Takes
2–5 weeks
Good to know (1)
- The Court Administration’s Overseas Korean Family Registration Office reviews the report and enters the birth in 2–5 weeks. Write the parent’s registration base (deungnokgijunji) on the report and keep it: without a resident number, it is how the child’s certificates are found later.
source ↗

Translations

Into: Korean
Who may translate: Any certified translator
About: $20–$45 a page

source ↗

The passport

Where: A Korean consulate, once the family relations register entry recording the birth is in hand.
Fee: About $52
Time: 3–4 weeks

USD 52 for a 10-year, 58-page passport (USD 49 for 26 pages); under 18, a 5-year passport is USD 44 (USD 35 under 8). These include the international exchange levy.
Ready for pickup in about 3–4 weeks, about 4 by mail; expedited about 1 week.

source ↗

Recent and pending changes

We know of no pending bill or recent court ruling for South Korea.

We re-read the official pages behind this guide every day. When one changes, a person checks the rule before we update anything here.

If descent doesn’t reach you

3 residence programs lead to South Korea without an ancestor, each with its own law and road to citizenship.

Every source on this page

2 laws and official pages behind the answers, then the offices and pages behind the records and filing.

LawNationality Act (as amended) · Art. 2(1); Art. 12(1); Art. 12(2)-(3); Art. 12(1) proviso
LawAct on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans: F-4 Overseas Korean visa
RecordsA Korean consulate, or the family register office (si/gu/eup/myeon) in Korea: Your parent’s Korean family relations register (gajokgwangyedeungnokbu) or citizenship certificate
RecordsBirth records: A Korean consulate
RecordsTranslations into Korean
RecordsThe passport: where, the fee and the wait

Not legal advice. Every answer comes from the country’s own laws and is tested against real cases. Where the law isn’t clear, we say “possible” rather than guess.

Who qualifies, generation by generation

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a parent?

What changes the answer

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a grandparent?

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a great-grandparent?

The dates that matter

Claiming through your mother or grandmother

In the law’s words

Dual citizenship with your home country

Every way to apply, and the law behind it

The law

What would settle an unsure case

The law

What would settle an unsure case

The law

What would settle an unsure case

The documents, as the rule lists them

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

What it takes: time, cost, the hard part, who decides

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

How it’s filed

Where each record lives, and how to ask for it

Translations

The passport

Recent and pending changes

If descent doesn’t reach you

Every source on this page

Check your family for South Korea.

Who qualifies, generation by generation

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a parent?

What changes the answer

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a grandparent?

Can you claim Korean citizenship through a great-grandparent?

The dates that matter

Claiming through your mother or grandmother

In the law’s words

Dual citizenship with your home country

Every way to apply, and the law behind it

The law

What would settle an unsure case

The law

What would settle an unsure case

The law

What would settle an unsure case

The documents, as the rule lists them

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

What it takes: time, cost, the hard part, who decides

Citizenship at birth (Art. 2(1))

How it’s filed

Where each record lives, and how to ask for it

Translations

The passport

Recent and pending changes

If descent doesn’t reach you

Every source on this page

Check your family for South Korea.