Getting Married in Korea as a Foreigner: A simple Guide

Getting married in another country can feel both exciting and overwhelming, especially when visas, documents, and unfamiliar systems are involved. And  Korea is no exception. While the idea of marrying here often brings up questions, worries, and plenty of mixed information online, the reality is more straightforward than it first appears once you understand how the process works.

This article was written to bring clarity to a topic that many foreigners quietly struggle with: getting legally married in Korea while on a tourist or student visa. By breaking down the requirements, documents, and official procedures in a clear and practical way, I hope to make the process feel less intimidating and more manageable. Whether you’re just starting to explore the idea or already preparing paperwork, this guide is meant to help you navigate each step with confidence and peace of mind.

Getting married in Korea

Foreigners can legally get married in Korea regardless of visa type. However, marriage registration and immigration status are handled separately, and understanding this distinction is essential to avoid overstaying or visa issues.

1. Can Foreigners Get Married in Korea on a Tourist or D-2 Visa?

The simple answer is Yes. Korea allows foreigners to register a legal marriage regardless of visa status, including:

• Tourist or visa-free entry

• D-2 student visa

• Other long-term visas

  
  

Marriage registration is a civil process handled by local government offices, not Immigration.

Important: Marriage does not extend your stay or change your visa. Foreigners can legally marry in Korea while on either a tourist visa or a D‑2 student visa, but the key step is registering the marriage at a local district office; the visa type mainly affects whether you can later change to an F‑6 marriage visa.

2. Where to get official information

l  Korean Immigration Service (HiKorea / Korea Immigration Service website) for visa‑status questions (whether you can change status to F‑6 in Korea, required income, language, and other screening conditions).​

l  Local district office (gu/si/cheong office) or city hall for the marriage registration procedure itself; requirements can vary slightly by office, so it is best to call or visit the office in the area of your or your partner’s Korean address.​

l  Your embassy/consulate in Korea for country‑specific documents such as a certificate of no impediment/single status and authentication/apostille.​

These three sources together give the most accurate and up‑to‑date information, especially because rules for international marriages and family visas change frequently

3. Documents Required for Marriage Registration (All Foreigners)

Core documents usually required to register marriage in Korea

For the foreign spouse (exact names differ by country; all documents usually need apostille or consular/legalization, then Korean translation):

• Passport and valid Korean visa/entry stamp.​

• Certificate of no impediment to marriage / certificate of unmarried status / legal capacity to marry, issued by your home country and recent (often within 3–6 months).​

• Birth certificate or similar civil status document, depending on nationality.​

• Proof of nationality (often the passport alone is sufficient).​

• Korean translations of all foreign documents, sometimes with notarization; some offices insist on a certified translator or notarized translation.​Also the original foreign documents must be apostilled/notarized

  
  

For the Korean spouse:

• Korean ID card (주민등록증) and family relation certificate (가족관계증명서) plus basic certificate (기본증명서), issued recently.​

• Resident registration certificate (주민등록등본) showing the current address.​

At the district office, you normally:

• Fill out the standard Korean marriage registration form (혼인신고서),

• Provide two adult witnesses’ information/signatures (Korean or foreigners with ID, depending on the office), and

• Submit the above documents at the civil affairs/family registry counter.​

  
  

  

  Wedding rings. Photo by Beatriz Perez (Unsplash)

If you are on a tourist visa

• As long as your passport and entry status are valid, Korean law does not prohibit registering a marriage while on a short‑term stay; many foreigners marry in Korea while visiting.​

• However, changing directly from a short‑term/tourist status to F‑6 inside Korea is often restricted or impossible, so in practice many couples must register the marriage and then apply for the F‑6 at a Korean consulate abroad after the foreign spouse leaves Korea.​

• For the future F‑6 visa, immigration reviews additional items such as:

  • Korean spouse’s income meeting the Ministry of Justice minimum for the household size.​

  • Foreign spouse’s basic Korean ability (e.g., TOPIK 1, KIIP level, or approved courses) or an exemption category.

• Criminal background​ check - Apostille and translation (in Korean) required

• Any prior history of supporting another foreign spouse’s visa within the last five years.​

  
  

Because short‑term status rules are strict and changeable, confirmation with 1345 (Immigration call center) or a regional immigration office before making plans is essential.​

If you are on a D‑2 student visa

• Being on a D‑2 does not prevent you from registering a marriage at the district office; the civil documents required for marriage registration are essentially the same as for someone on a tourist visa.​

• After marriage registration, a D‑2 holder who “is permitted to stay in the country as a foreign national” can, in many cases, apply to change status to F‑6 inside Korea, subject to the usual income, language, and relationship screening.​

• Immigration materials emphasize that some statuses (notably certain short‑term ones) cannot change to family/dependent status in‑country, but long‑term stay statuses like D‑2 are generally among those “permitted to stay” who may change to F‑6 after marriage once eligibility is proven.​

Because D‑2 rules can also be tied to university enrollment and financial proof, speaking to both your university’s international office and your regional immigration office is strongly recommended before filing a change of status.​

Marriage in Korea - preparing documents.

4. How to verify your exact situation

• Contact Immigration (1345, Korean or English), explain:

  • your nationality,

  • current visa type and expiry,

  • whether you plan to stay in Korea or leave and re‑enter, and

  • that you intend to marry a Korean (or non‑Korean) partner and ask about eligibility to change to F‑6 and required documents.​

• Contact the civil affairs section of the city/gu/si/cheong office where you will register the marriage, and ask them for the exact list of documents they require from a foreign national of your specific country, including translation and apostille/notarization rules.​

• Check your embassy’s website “Getting married in Korea” page for country‑specific templates and procedures for your certificate of no impediment/single status and how to legalize it for Korean use.​

If you share your nationality and whether your partner is Korean or also a foreigner, a more precise checklist can be outlined for your case.

Love is in the air. Photo by Drew Coffman (Unsplash).

5. Conclusion

Foreigners can legally marry in Korea on both tourist and student visas. However, marriage alone does not grant residence rights. Careful preparation of documents and early confirmation with official offices are essential for a smooth process. As a practical tip, make sure all required documents are properly apostilled or legalized, and keep PDF copies of everything, you may need them when you least expect it.