Recently, one of our clients who reached out to HanGuk Visa was raising two children in the Philippines.

For Korean families living abroad due to international marriage or children born out of wedlock,

nationality issues for their children often become a major concern.

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In particular, for children born out of wedlock, the process is far more complicated than a simple visa application.

It involves multiple steps such as paternity acknowledgment, nationality acquisition,

issuance of the Certificate of Impossibility to Renounce Foreign Nationality, resident registration, and passport issuance.

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In this article, we will share the story of Mr. Choi and his family,

who were living in the Philippines and successfully completed the Korean nationality acquisition process for their children through remote procedures.

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Can Children Born Out of Wedlock Acquire Korean Nationality Remotely?

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[client information]

✔ Nationality: Filipino (born to a Korean father and Filipino mother)
✔ Family: Two children (out of wedlock)
✔ Service Requested: Full representation for Korean nationality acquisition (acknowledgment of paternity
→ nationality acquisition application → “Certificate of Impossibility to Renounce Foreign Nationality” → resident registration & passport issuance)
✔ Process Type: Remote consultation & contract (client residing in the Philippines)

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In December 2024, Mr. Choi and his family, who were residing in the Philippines,

came across HanGuk Visa’s YouTube video on “Nationality Acquisition for Children Born Out of Wedlock.”

They reached out to us via KakaoTalk to ask whether their children could obtain Korean nationality as well.

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Since they were based overseas, they were concerned about the complex process.

However, after watching our video, they felt reassured and decided to proceed with our support.

All consultations and the contract process were carried out remotely.

Through KakaoTalk and email, we provided them with a detailed step-by-step roadmap and document checklist,

guiding them through every stage of the journey.

Why Is Expert Support Essential in Nationality Acquisition?

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The nationality acquisition process for children born out of wedlock is much more complex than a simple visa application.

The steps include:

✔Paternity acknowledgment (인지신고)

✔Nationality acquisition application

✔Approval of nationality acquisition

✔Issuance of “Certificate of Impossibility to Renounce Foreign Nationality”
from the Philippine Embassy & submission to Immigration Office

✔Resident registration & passport issuance

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On top of this, there are multiple legal and administrative hurdles:

✔ Apostille authentication for overseas documents

✔ Philippine Embassy procedures

✔ Korean municipal offices & Immigration Bureau processes

✔ Complications when marriage registration has not been completed

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In this case, since the children were born out of wedlock and the parents’ marriage was not yet registered,

nationality acquisition could not be processed directly.

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The procedure had to begin with acknowledgment of paternity.

Moreover, without marriage registration, the required “Certificate of Impossibility to Renounce Nationality” could not be issued.

Thanks to our experience,

we identified this issue early and ensured that marriage registration documents were processed in parallel

– preventing unnecessary delays.

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Step-by-Step Support Provided

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✅ Overseas Document Preparation (Approx. 1–3 Months)

✔Birth certificates, certificate of no marriage, spouse’s birth certificate, etc. (issued in the Philippines)

✔Apostille authentication

✔Preliminary photo checks & document review → correction requests if necessary

*We helped the client confirm the validity of every document before submission, avoiding last-minute rejections.

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✅ Domestic Procedures (Upon Arrival in Korea)

✔Yongsan District Office: Paternity acknowledgment

✔Seoul Immigration Office (Nationality Division): Nationality acquisition application

✔Philippine Embassy in Seoul: Application & issuance of “Certificate of Impossibility to Renounce Foreign Nationality”

✔Re-submission to Immigration Office → resident registration → passport issuance completed

From Nationality Acquisition to Marriage Visa

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✅Timeline Overview

✔ Dec 2024: Watched YouTube video → contacted via KakaoTalk → contract signed, 50% down payment

✔ Jan–Mar 2025: Preparation of Philippine documents (with apostille & prior review through shared photos)

✔ Apr 2025: Arrival in Korea → paternity acknowledgment & nationality acquisition application

✔ May–Jun 2025: Certificate of Impossibility to Renounce Foreign Nationality (application & issuance)

✔ Jul 2025: Resident registration & passport issuance completed

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[Service Summary]

✅ Service Name: Full Representation for Nationality Acquisition of Out-of-Wedlock Children
(including acknowledgment of paternity, nationality acquisition, visa, Certificate of Impossibility, and Immigration submission)

✅ Service Fee: ₩1,500,000 (excludes government fees, embassy fees, and overseas document issuance costs)

✅ Timeline: Approx. 3–6 months (including issuance of the Certificate of Impossibility)

✅ Scope of Support: Consultation → document guidance → overseas document pre-review
→ paternity acknowledgment & nationality acquisition application → embassy procedures → resident registration & passport issuance

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[Who Is This Service For?]

✅ Families preparing first-time nationality acquisition for children born out of wedlock

✅ Cases where marriage registration is not yet complete

✅ Families who must handle both overseas documentation and Korean administrative procedures simultaneously

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Mr. Choi shared:

“Before coming to Korea, I was extremely worried.

But HanGuk Visa accompanied us every step of the way – even to the Embassy and government offices –

which gave us enormous relief. I am deeply grateful.”

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Both of Mr. Choi’s children have now successfully acquired Korean nationality.

HanGuk Visa is continuing to assist the family with the spouse marriage visa and upcoming naturalization applications.

Are you considering nationality acquisition for your child born out of wedlock?

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Cases like this are among the most challenging and detail-sensitive.

Fortunately, HanGuk Visa has extensive experience with such cases, enabling us to anticipate and prepare for potential issues in advance.

At HanGuk Visa, we go beyond simple visa services – we support your entire family’s journey to a stable life in Korea.

The more complex and uncertain the procedure, the more essential it is to have an experienced expert by your side.

📞 Tel: +82-2-3210-1113

✉ KakaoTalk Channel: 한국비자