Child's nationality selection (자녀 국적선택)
This page is machine translated from Ieumi's guide written in Korean. If the meaning is confusing, please look at the Korean original text. View original text (Korean)
Children with multiple nationalities must select their nationality before turning 22 years old.
📍 Where to go
The nationality desk at your immigration office (appointment required)
⚠️ Things to watch out for
Children living in Korea cannot renounce their nationality (국적이탈). If you make a 'Pledge Not to Exercise Foreign Nationality (외국국적불행사 서약)', you can keep both nationalities. Many people miss the deadline because they do not know this fact. If the procedure is confusing, please call 1345.
❗ What happens if you don't
This cannot be undone
If you miss the deadline, an Order to Choose Nationality (국적선택명령) will be issued. If you do not make a choice within 1 year, you will lose your Korean nationality.
If it is already late
If you have received a nationality choice order, you still have 1 year. You may make your choice within that time. And if it is hard for you to give up your foreign nationality, there is another path called the 'pledge not to exercise foreign nationality' — you keep both nationalities and promise not to use the foreign one in Korea. Please ask 1345, or the nationality section of the immigration office, which path is open to you.
What to bring
See also
Basis
- 국적법 제12조 (법제처 — 현행 판(시행 2022-10-01 그대로) 2026-10-05 대조)
- 국적법 시행규칙 제11조(국적선택 신고서의 서식 및 첨부서류) 제2항 (법제처 국가법령정보센터 — 현행 시행 2026-10-02 판으로 2026-10-05 대조 · 이 조문은 그 개정에 안 걸림(2026-10-02 개정은 별지 서식 문구뿐))
This content was checked on 2026-10-03.