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The Scoop

How to obtain F4 visa

(For applicants with Korean heritage only)

The F4 visa is only for:

Korean foreigners who have obtained a new citizenship and have renounced their Korean citizenship.
Children of Korean foreigners who have obtained a new citizenship. In this case, the individual seeking the F4 visa must not hold a Korean citizenship and his or her parents must renounce their Korean citizenship.

Things you need:

1. a valid passport

2. a completed visa application (http://www.dynamic-korea.com/consulate_service/visa.php)

3. a passport size photo (might as well get a few since you will probably need it when you get to Korea)

4. $45 (this is the fee for American citizens, I am not sure about other countries)

5. your birth certificate

6. proof of foreign citizenship (yours or your parent's, whoever it is that was formerly a Korean citizen - basically just the citizenship certificate)

7. proof of former Korean citizenship - I think an old passport or their Korean ID is acceptable, the family registry also works

8. a sheet renouncing whoever's Korean citizenship (국적상실신고서) only if you/your parents have not already done so

9. a copy of the family registry (호적등본) from Korea to show that you or your parent have been removed from it (I recommend getting a family member that is in Korea to make a copy and fax it over, otherwise, you can go to Korea yourself and try to obtain a copy when you get there-but this means you will have to apply for the visa in Korea)

After you have obtained all of these, I recommend you make photocopies and then take the originals over to the nearest Korean Consulate. If a Korean Consulate is not located near you, you will have to mail your documents (make sure to include a self-addressed envelope so they can send your passport back to you). If you go directly to the Korean Consulate, they will take all your documents and most likely have it ready by the next day. Just make sure you have all of your documents so that you don't have to make extra trips. I recommend calling them to make sure you have everything in case they changed the requirements.

On a side note, make sure to talk this over with whoever is giving up their name in the family registry, because this can be a sensitive subject. It was quite unsettling for my mother when she had to remove her name from the family tree. She saw it as cutting herself off from her family. So, just in case, make sure to talk this over with them before going through with everything.

Also as an additional side note, if you are male, absolutely make sure your name does not appear on your family registry (호적등본). If your name appears on the family registry, you are considered a Korean citizen, therefore you will have to serve in Korea’s mandatory military enlistment.

* Please note that even if you have your F4 visa, eventually, you will still need a national-level criminal background check.

Some helpful websites:

http://www.dynamic-korea.com/consulate_service/information.php

http://usa-losangeles.mofat.go.kr/eng/am/usa-losangeles/visiting/visas/index.jsp

http://www.hikorea.go.kr/pt/InfoDetailR_en.pt

Updated Aug. 2011

Written by Davina Dan

From Huntington Beach California who is a current teacher at Avalon English.