🇰🇷 South Korea · Citizenship
Naturalization rules: required residence years, language and civics requirements, and each country's dual-citizenship policy.
Quick answer
General naturalization in South Korea requires about 5 years of continuous residence, passing the Korea Immigration & Integration Program (KIIP) or a naturalization test and interview, showing Korean-language ability and means of support. Korea generally requires renouncing your former nationality within one year, though limited dual nationality is allowed (e.g. marriage migrants, special-merit, and returnees aged 65+).
South Korean citizenship by general naturalisation is available to adults (19+) who have maintained domicile in Korea for at least five consecutive years, are of good conduct, show financial capacity (income above GNI per capita or assets of at least KRW 60 million) and basic knowledge of Korean language and society — completing the KIIP can satisfy this. New citizens must generally renounce their former nationality within one year, with exceptions (e.g. marriage migrants, special-contribution cases, applicants aged 65 or older).
- General naturalisation: at least five consecutive years' domicile in Korea, aged 19 or over, good conduct and financial capacity.
- Basic Korean language/society knowledge is required; completing the KIIP can fulfil it and exempt the written test.
- New citizens generally must renounce their former nationality within one year — exceptions include marriage migrants, special-contribution cases and applicants aged 65+.
- Applications and appointments are handled through the immigration service / HiKorea.
Step-by-step
- 1
Confirm your route and residence
Hold about 5 years of continuous residence (shorter for spouses of Korean nationals or special-merit cases).
- 2
Meet language and knowledge tests
Pass the KIIP or the naturalization written test and interview, showing Korean-language ability.
- 3
Meet good-character and other conditions
Have means of livelihood (assets, employment or family support) and good conduct.
- 4
Apply to the nationality authority
Apply to the Ministry of Justice (through HiKorea / an immigration office) with residence, income and record documents.
- 5
Attend interview / test and formalities
Attend interview/tests; on approval, take the oath of allegiance at a ceremony.
- 6
Receive citizenship and a passport
You become a Korean national and must renounce your former nationality within one year (unless a dual-nationality exception applies); apply for a Korean passport.
Checklist
- Eligible route + qualifying residence period
- Continuous / legal residence conditions met
- Language + civic knowledge test passed
- Good character / clean record
- Application + documents + fee
- Interview / oath / formalities completed
- Dual-nationality / renunciation rule handled
- Citizenship confirmed; passport applied
Official authorities
- HiKorea (Korea Immigration Service)
Official e-government immigration portal for naturalisation steps.
Frequently asked questions
How long until Korean citizenship?
General naturalization needs about 5 years of continuous residence; it is shorter for spouses of Korean nationals.
Does Korea allow dual nationality?
Generally you must renounce your former nationality within one year, but limited dual nationality is allowed (marriage migrants, special-merit, returnees aged 65+).
Is there a test?
Yes — you pass the KIIP integration program or a naturalization written test and an interview, showing Korean-language ability.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- Government of Korea — Korea's integrated government portal — policy, administrative services, e-government
- Korea Immigration Service (HiKorea) — Visas, residence status changes, work permits, and alien registration in Korea
- National Tax Service (NTS) — Korean income tax, corporate tax, VAT filing; annual comprehensive tax return for foreigners (May); foreign taxpayer incentive lookup