South Korean Birth Certificate for AoS

[JS_2013 0]

Hello,

I am a South Korean living in the U.S., and I plan to adjust my status shortly via marriage to a USC. However, neither of us have birth certificates.

My to-be spouse was adopted from China, and only has a US passport and adoption papers. On the other hand, South Korea does not provide birth certificates.

• Will my future spouse's US passport and adoption papers be enough?
• From what I have found online, South Korea provides a document that draws out a family tree instead of a birth certificate. However, they seem to have an identification paper that can be used as well. I may be totally wrong about this, so if any South Koreans went through the process, can you please let me know the names of the documents I will need in English and Korean? I want to go to the consulate here in my city to request these papers, and I need to know what ask for to begin.

Thanks in advance!

[embay16 12]

I cannot say anything to your South Korean birth certificate documents, but in regards to your soon to be spouse's birth certificate, as the US Citizen you are only required to submit either a birth certificate or a passport copy, not both so you will be fine on the USC side. You should not need to submit any adoption papers, but you will need either the naturalization or certificate of citizenship number (usually a part of international adoption papers). Also be sure to select on the forms that your spouse got US citizenship through adoption.

Edited November 29, 2016 by embay16

[POM 21]

You'll need the "full" version of the Family relations document that you can obtain at your city hall or district office.

I would STRONGLY suggest you have the document translated and notarized to avoid further issues down the line with USCIS. IIRC the document is all in Korean so I would think that a translation is required.