Divorce Certificate Apostille for United States

Korean divorce records apostilled for the United States are required for remarriage, name change processing, family visa applications, and US court proceedings that need proof of a prior marriage's legal end. Administrative (mutual-consent) divorces appear on the 혼인관계증명서; court-mediated or contested divorces are additionally documented by an 이혼확인서 or court judgment from the Family Court.

How to apostille a Korean divorce certificate for United States

1Request a 혼인관계증명서 showing the divorce entry from a Korean 시·군·구청 or via Government24; for contested divorces, also obtain the Family Court judgment
2MOFA apostille — standard 3–5 business days, express 1–2 business days
3Certified English translation
4Submit to the US county clerk, USCIS, or the relevant court

Requirements for United States

혼인관계증명서 with the divorce entry visible, or the Family Court divorce judgment for contested cases
MOFA apostille
Certified English translation
USCIS and US courts generally want the full record showing both the marriage and its legal termination

What to look for in a specialist

Experience distinguishing administrative (mutual-consent) from court-mediated Korean divorces — the required documents differ

Familiarity with USCIS documentation standards for prior-marriage termination proof

Certified English translation of both civil records and Family Court judgments

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between an administrative and a court-mediated Korean divorce for apostille purposes?

An administrative (mutual-consent) divorce is recorded directly on the 혼인관계증명서 and needs no separate court document. A contested or court-mediated divorce also requires the Family Court's divorce judgment, which needs its own apostille and translation alongside the civil record.

Do I need my ex-spouse's involvement to get the divorce certificate apostilled?

No. The 혼인관계증명서 is a personal civil record you can request yourself from any 시·군·구청 or Government24, regardless of your ex-spouse's location or involvement.