How to Get South Korea CitizenshipKey facts
- Residence for naturalisation
- 5 years
- Language
- Required, no test
- Dual citizenship
- Not accepted
- Civic test
- Required, no test specified
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
- Income condition
- Income or economic resources must be shown
- Dual citizenship in detail
- Not acceptedNew citizens must give up their previous citizenship.Citizens who naturalise abroad lose their citizenship automatically.
- Available routes
- Region
- Asia
- Law in force as of
- 1 January 2024
- Last checked
- Not yet checked by our team
The rule text in the sections below was coded for the law on 1 January 2024. A November 2026 search found no later change for this country, but this has not been verified.
Naturalisation (residence)
Residence in South Korea is the basis of this route, together with the other conditions below. Authorities retain discretion and may refuse an application even when the conditions are met.
- Residence
- 5 years
Person has been domiciled in South Korea for a continuous period of 5 years and has permanent residence status.
- Previous citizenship
- New citizens must give up their previous citizenship
Renunciation of citizenship of a foreign country (unless unreasonable to request).
- Language
- Required, no test or certificate specified
Basic knowledge of Korean language.
- Civic knowledge
- Required, no test specified
Basic knowledge of Korean language and customs.
- Criminal record
- A criminal record or good character condition applies
Good character required. Person may not harm nationality security, public order or public welfare.
- Income or economic resources
- Income or economic resources must be shown
Sufficient means of support either in the person's own property or ability or that of his/her family.
Marriage or civil partnership
Marriage to a citizen of South Korea is the basis of this route, together with the conditions below. Authorities retain discretion and may refuse an application even when the conditions are met.
Person is the spouse of a citizen and has been domiciled in South Korea for 2 consecutive years while being married. Or the person has been married with a citizen for 3 years and has been domiciled in South Korea for 1 consecutive year. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except renunciation requirement and permanent residence status requirement) .
Descent (citizen parent)
For a person with a parent who is a citizen of South Korea, the rules below set out how this route works. The law of South Korea confers citizenship automatically, independent of any administrative decision.
Descent (born in country)
Person is born in South Korea to a citizen.
Descent (born abroad)
Person is born abroad to a citizen.
Birth in the country
This route concerns people born in South Korea, and only in the situations described below. Authorities retain discretion and may refuse an application even when the conditions are met.
Person is born in South Korea, has been domiciled there for a continuous period of 3 years, and one parent was also born in South Korea. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation.
Child of a new citizen
This route covers children of a person who becomes a citizen of South Korea, subject to the conditions below. Authorities retain discretion and may refuse an application even when the conditions are met.
Transfer to a child
Person is the (minor adopted) child of a citizen. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except requirements relating to age, residence and means of living and permanent residence status requirement).
Child coacquisition
Person is a minor who is included in the parent's application for naturalisation.
Adoption
For people adopted by citizens of South Korea, the rules below set out what applies. Authorities retain discretion and may refuse an application even when the conditions are met.
Person is adopted by a citizen while being an adult under South Korean law at the time of the adoption, and the person has been domiciled in South Korea for 3 consecutive years. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except permanent residence status requirement)
Other family members of citizens
This route covers certain family members not covered by the marriage or descent routes in South Korea.
Transfer from former citizen
Person is the child of a person who was a citizen, and has been domiciled in South Korea for a continuous period of 3 years. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except permanent residence status requirement).
Transfer from deceased citizen
Father was a citizen, but died before the child was born.
Transfer from deceased citizen
Person is the spouse of a citizen who died or disappeared while the couple was domiciled in South Korea. Residence requirements listed under the rules for marriage still apply, but may be fulfiled during marriage and/or during widowhood. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except permanent residence status requirement).
Former citizens (reacquisition)
This route covers people who previously held citizenship of South Korea, subject to the conditions below. Authorities retain discretion and may refuse an application even when the conditions are met.
Person is a former citizen. Reacquisition can be refused on grounds relating to disorderly behaviour, harm that was inflicted on the state or society, if citizenship was renounced to evade military service, or if reacquisition is deemed inappropriate for reasons of public security or national welfare. Person is required to take an oath.
Stateless persons
Statelessness, or the risk of it, is the basis of this route in South Korea. The law of South Korea confers citizenship automatically, independent of any administrative decision.
Foundlings
Person is born in South Korea of unknown parentage.
Otherwise stateless (born in country)
Person is born in South Korea to parents without citizenship.
Special achievements
For people whose achievements or contributions are recognised by South Korea, the rules below set out what applies. Authorities retain discretion and may refuse an application even when the conditions are met.
Person contributed greatly to South Korea or has special abilities in fields such as science, education, culture, and sports. Other conditions: see the rules for ordinary naturalisation (except requirements relating renunciation requirement, age, residence, and means of living and permanent residence status requirement).
Not available in South Korea: Citizens of specific countries, Ethnic or cultural affinity, Residence during childhood, Very long residence, Refugees, Public or military service, Investment. Coded by GLOBALCIT for 1 January 2024 and updated with in-force changes.
Dual citizenship
As a general rule, the law of South Korea does not allow a second citizenship in either direction.
- New citizens
- New citizens must give up their previous citizenship
- Citizens who naturalise abroad
- Citizens who naturalise abroad lose their citizenship automatically
Person has voluntarily acquired citizenship of another country. Does not apply in the following cases if the person makes a declaration within 6 months of acquiring foreign citizenship to retain South Korean citizenship: person acquired the same citizenship as the spouse through marriage, the citizenship of an adoptive parent, the citizenship of another country after acknowledgment by a foreign father or mother, or the person is a minor child or spouse of a citizen who lost citizenship due to the acquisition of citizenship of another country.
Compare with neighbours
The period of 5 years set under the law of South Korea is also the most common one in Eastern Asia.
See how South Korea compares with every country in the residence ranking
| Country | Residence | Language | Dual citizenship |
|---|---|---|---|
 China | No route | No route | Not accepted |
 Japan | 5 years | None | Not accepted |
 Mongolia | 5 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
 North Korea | No route | No route | Citizens abroad only |
 Taiwan | 5 years | Required, no test | Citizens abroad only |
Official sources
This page was located by search and has not yet been checked by our team.
Naturalisation provisions: Nationality law: Art. 4, 5, 10.
Cite this page
TravelDecl. (n.d.). How to Get South Korea Citizenship. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/south-korea/
<a href="https://traveldecl.com/citizenship/south-korea/">How to Get South Korea Citizenship</a> (TravelDecl, retrieved 5 November 2026)
Sources and licence
Vink, van der Baaren, Bauböck, Džankić, Honohan, Manby (2025). GLOBALCIT Citizenship Law Dataset v3.1. Global Citizenship Observatory, https://hdl.handle.net/1814/73190. CC BY 4.0. Modified by TravelDecl.
Modified by TravelDecl: updated with changes after 1 January 2024.
GLOBALCIT codes the law as written. Fees, processing times, quotas and how officials apply the rules in practice are not in this dataset: check them with the official authority.
FAQ
How many years to become a South Korean citizen?
The residence period for ordinary naturalisation in South Korea is 5 years. Other legal conditions also apply.
Does South Korea allow dual citizenship?
Not as a general rule. The data codes dual citizenship as not accepted in South Korea.
Do I need a language test for South Korean citizenship?
Language ability is required for South Korean citizenship, though no test or certificate is specified.
Is there a civic knowledge test for South Korean citizenship?
Civic knowledge is required for South Korean citizenship, though no specific test is defined.
Do I have to give up my current citizenship to get South Korean citizenship?
Yes, you must give up your current citizenship to get South Korean citizenship.
Can I get South Korea citizenship by marriage?
Yes, South Korea provides a marriage route. Procedure: discretionary.
Can I get South Korea citizenship by descent?
Yes, the law of South Korea provides citizenship by descent from a citizen parent. Procedure: automatic.
Can I get South Korea citizenship by investment?
The data shows no investment route for South Korea.
Related pages
Also see: South Korea passport, visa-free access and entry rules. Latest law changes.
Corrections to this page are handled by Sarah Kim, Fact-Checker.