The South African Embassy in Seoul can conduct a marriage between TWO South African citizens. The Department of Home Affairs must authorise one of our diplomats as a marriage officer to conduct the ceremony for the couple. Both South African parties send us the request to get married at the Embassy at least three months prior to the marriage: consular.seoul@dirco.gov.za . Please attach a scanned copy of your South African identity documents and passports with two or three suggested dates of your marriage. The couple must produce their ORIGINAL South African identity document to our officials when they get married at the Embassy.

After the solemnisation of a marriage, two witnesses and the marriage officer will sign a marriage register (DHA-30). And, the officer will issue the parties with a handwritten marriage certificate (DHA-27) free of charge. The marriage officer will then submit the marriage register to the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria, where the marriage details will be recorded in the National Population Register (NPR).

If you are planning on getting married in the Republic of Korea, you need to follow the procedure for civil marriages governed by the Civil Act & Registration of Family Relationships Act of the Republic of Korea. Before entering into a marriage in Korea, you must ensure that you are legally allowed to marry, understand the legal consequences of a marriage, and make sure that your marriage will comply with all the legal requirements for a valid marriage. For further assistance and advice, please consult with the relevant officials at the nearest Community Center or Gu Office in your region. You may find the contact details of your district office: https://www.hikorea.go.kr/Main.pt?locale=en

1. REQUEST FOR CONFIRMATION OF MARITAL STATUS (LETTER OF NO-IMPEDIMENT)
If you are required to submit a confirmation letter or affidavit of eligibility of marriage to register a marriage in Korea, you may apply for a letter of no-impediment (or a confirmation letter of marital status) at the South African Embassy in Seoul. It is an official document confirming your marital status in the National Population Register (NPR) and issued by the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria. Your application submitted to the Embassy will be forwarded to the Department of Home Affairs to process. It takes 3-6 months in general cases, or longer in some cases.

2. REPORT OF A FOREIGN MARRIAGE
Marriages solemnised outside the Republic of South Africa shall be reported to the Department of Home Affair through the South African diplomatic missions abroad. It will be noted on the National Population Register (NPR) as a foreign marriage and the marital status will be updated accordingly. The Department does NOT issue a South African marriage certificate for a foreign marriage of South Africans, nor any acknowledgement of receipt. If you have registered a marriage with a country other than South Africa, you may use a foreign marriage certificate issued by the competent authority of that country. In the case of countries that do not issue a marriage certificate, you may obtain the equivalent document containing the particulars of your marriage.

South African women may assume her husband's surname, revert to her maiden surname, or join her surname with that of her husband's as a double-barrelled surname. No application to the Department of Home Affairs is necessary in these instances, but to enable the Department to update the National Population Register (NPR), women should notify the Department of such changes in writing.

3. REPORT OF A FOREIGN DIVORCE
If you have divorced in the Republic of Korea, you may report it to the Department of Home Affair through the Embassy. It will be noted on the National Population Register (NPR) as a foreign divorce and your marital status will be updated accordingly. The Department does NOT provide any document confirming your divorce report, nor any acknowledgement of receipt of your documents.

All civic applications must be submitted in person, by each applicant, with prior appointment bookings. Walk-in services are NOT available. Applicants must be physically present to the South African Embassy in Seoul on their scheduled appointment day.

If your marriage was solemnised in the Republic of South Africa, you may request for an abridged or unabridged marriage certificate by the completed form(s) with the prescribed fee. Your application submitted to the South African Embassy in Seoul will be forwarded to the Department of Home Affairs to process. It takes 6-12 months in general cases, or longer in some cases.

All civic applications must be submitted in person, by each applicant, with prior appointment bookings. Walk-in services are NOT available. Applicants must be physically present to the South African Embassy in Seoul on their scheduled appointment day.