null Immigration/Stay Guide

Obligations to Choose One Nationality/Selection Procedures/Renunciation Procedures/Retention&Loss

Obligations to Choose One Nationality

Nationality Act, Article 12 (Obligations to choose one nationality)
  • Those who have become multiple nationality holders before 20 years of age must choose between their Korean nationality and foreign citizenship by 22 years of age; and when they have attained multiple nationalities after 20 years of age, they are required to select one nationality within two years from the obtainment date. That being said, pursuant to Article 8 of the Military Services Act, individuals who become enlisted for the First Citizen Service must choose a single nationality within three months from such date or two years from the date of the end of their liability for military service.
  • People with multiple nationalities must choose one nationality within a set period.
    - In regard to the fulfillment of relevant duties, refer to Articles 13, 14 of the Nationality Act.
  • Time limits to choose one nationality differ depending on when they became multiple nationality holders.
    - If the attainment date is prior to their 20th birthday, then one must decide no later than their 22nd birthday, but if it is after their 20th birthday, it must be completed within two years from their obtainment date.
    - According to the Nationality Act, Articles 2(2) and 8, for a Korean man with more than one nationality, a fixed date and year for the deadline is given, which is Mar 31 of the year he turns 18 years old, the starting age of compulsory enlistment. This means that the deadline will not necessarily match the date of his birth. After April 1st, it will be extended by two years from the date on which he no longer has the liability for military service. For instance, if a man who was born before Sep 1, 2000 wished to renounce Korean nationality, the deadline was by the end of March in 2018, as he became 18 years old and enlisted for the First Citizen Service in Jan 1, 2018. Again, note that the deadline is fixed, not relative to each applicant’s birthday.
    - In the meantime, for those who wish to give up Korean citizenship after April 1, they are required to lodge a document demonstrating that they are no longer liable for military service.

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