🇺🇸 United States — USCIS / National Visa Center / US Embassy Seoul

US Green Card — Korean Documents Required

Obtaining US permanent residence (green card) is the most document-intensive US immigration process for Korean nationals. Whether you are applying through family sponsorship, employment, or a diversity visa, USCIS and the National Visa Center require a comprehensive set of apostilled Korean civil documents and criminal background checks — all with USCIS-compliant certified English translations. Apostille First specialists handle complete green card document packages for Korean applicants.

Required Korean Documents

Basic Certificate (Birth Certificate)

기본증명서Required

Apostilled 기본증명서 with certified English translation. Required for all immigrant visa categories. Must be issued within 1 year of the NVC submission deadline.

Family Relations Certificate

가족관계증명서Required

Apostilled 가족관계증명서 (detailed version) with certified English translation. Required to document family relationships for family-based petitions.

Marriage Certificate (혼인관계증명서)

혼인관계증명서Required

Apostilled detailed 혼인관계증명서 showing all marriage history with certified English translation. Required for all applicants — even those who have never been married (shows no record).

Step-by-Step Process

1
Your sponsoring family member or employer files the immigrant petition (Form I-130 or I-140) with USCIS
2
Upon approval, the case transfers to the National Visa Center (NVC) for document collection
3
NVC sends a checklist of required civil documents — gather apostilled Korean documents per the checklist
4
Submit all documents to NVC via the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) portal
5
NVC forwards the case to the US Embassy in Seoul once all documents are approved
6
Attend the medical examination and then the immigrant visa interview at the US Embassy in Seoul
7
Upon visa approval, enter the US as a legal permanent resident — your green card will be mailed after entry

Tips & Common Mistakes

NVC document requirements are strict about document age — civil documents must typically be issued within 1 year of submission. Order fresh documents for each application stage
The police clearance must specifically be the combined 범죄·수사경력 회보서 (both conviction and investigation records), not just the conviction-only version
If you lived in any other country for 12 months or more after age 16, police clearances from those countries are also required — not just Korea
All translations must include the translator's certification statement — USCIS has specific requirements for the certification language
Start preparing documents at least 6–8 weeks before your NVC submission deadline to account for university processing, MOFA apostille, and translation time

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to apostille every document submitted to NVC for a green card?

Yes. NVC requires that all foreign civil documents be apostilled (for Hague Convention countries like Korea) or legalized (for non-Hague countries). Korea is a Hague member, so a MOFA apostille is the correct authentication for all Korean documents submitted to NVC.

I was born in Korea but have lived in the US on an H-1B for several years. What Korean documents do I still need?

Regardless of how long you have lived in the US, NVC requires your original Korean civil documents — birth certificate (기본증명서), marriage history (혼인관계증명서), and police clearance from Korea for the period you lived there. These must be newly issued, apostilled, and translated.

How long does it take to prepare a complete green card document package?

For a full Korean document package (5–6 documents with apostille and translation), allow 3–4 weeks from start to having everything ready for NVC submission. This accounts for document issuance, MOFA apostille (same-day walk-in), certified translation, and any courier time if you are processing from abroad.