United States
Destination Guide
Korean Documents for United States
What a US body asks for depends on who receives your Korean documents. USCIS requires a full English translation of any foreign-language document, with the translator's certification that it is complete and accurate and that the translator is competent to translate; it does not ask for an apostille. The US Embassy Seoul's immigrant visa instructions ask for original detailed certificates with English translations and do not mention an apostille either. Credential evaluators such as WES and US universities set their own document rules. An apostille comes up when a US state agency, court, school or licensing board separately asks for a Korean document to be authenticated; the method is then an apostille, not embassy legalization. Our specialists help with obtaining the documents, the English translation and, when it is asked for, the apostille.
Requirements & key facts
Apostille guides by document type
Step-by-step instructions for each Korean document you need apostilled for United States.
Available services for United States
Frequently Asked Questions
Do my Korean documents need an apostille for a US visa or green card?
The US Embassy Seoul's immigrant visa instructions (IR-1, CR-1 and others) do not ask for an apostille. You submit the Basic Certificate, Family Relation Certificate and Marriage Relation Certificate (detailed) as originals issued within one year with English translations, plus a police certificate. Foreign-language documents filed with USCIS need a full English translation with the translator's certification. For a K-1 or other visa, check that visa's instructions. For a student visa (F-1), the school sets the form of admission documents, so get an apostille only if the school asks for one.
Does USCIS accept documents that have only been translated, without an apostille?
Yes. 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3) asks for a full English translation that the translator certifies as complete and accurate, with the translator's certification of competence to translate. It does not ask for an apostille, and neither do the US Embassy Seoul's immigrant visa instructions. An apostille comes up only when another US body, such as a state agency, court, school or licensing board, separately asks for a Korean document to be authenticated.
How long does it take to apostille and translate a Korean document for the US?
Apostilles are issued by the Overseas Koreans Agency (public documents) and the Ministry of Justice (notarized private documents), and processing time depends on how you apply (in person, by post) and how many documents you submit. Translation time depends on the length of the documents. Check first whether the receiving body asks for an apostille at all, so you do not pay for steps nobody asked for.
Can I have my Korean documents handled if I am currently in the United States?
Yes. We use a power of attorney arrangement so a verified specialist in Korea can obtain your documents from the relevant Korean authorities and handle the translation and, if the receiving body asks for one, the apostille on your behalf. You do not need to return to Korea.
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