비전 아포코리아Procedure guide · e-Apostille
How to Get an Apostille in Korea Online (e-Apostille)
The short answer: if you are wondering how to get an apostille in Korea online, designated public documents can be apostilled free of charge with no office visit through e-Apostille (apostille.go.kr) — for example Supreme Court family relation certificates, resident registration certificates (full or abridged), elementary, middle and high school diplomas, National Police Agency criminal record reports and National Tax Service certificates of business registration. Documents not on the list, such as university diplomas or notarized documents, must be submitted in person or by mail to the Integrated Civil Service Center of the Overseas Koreans Agency (KRW 1,000 per document).
At a glance
- The Overseas Koreans Agency issues online apostilles free of charge, with no office visit, for certain public documents only.
- Covered documents are selected certificates issued by the Supreme Court, Government24, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, the Military Manpower Administration, the National Tax Service, the National Police Agency, the National Pension Service, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, HRD Korea, the Korea Coast Guard and the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
- The Ministry of Education category covers only elementary, middle and high school documents and qualification exam documents, so university diplomas and transcripts are not eligible.
- You can verify an issued apostille with its issuance number and issuance date under 'Certificate Verification' on the same website.
Which documents can I get through e-Apostille?
Only documents listed under the 'Certificate Application' menu of the e-Apostille website can be issued online. The list by agency as of October 3, 2026 is shown below. The website has announced recent additions — three National Pension Service certificates (November 27, 2025) and the Ministry of Health and Welfare Certificate of Disability (August 31, 2026) — so the list may keep growing.
| Issuing agency | Documents eligible for e-Apostille |
|---|---|
| Supreme Court | Family Relation Certificate, English-language certificate, Basic Certificate, Marriage Relation Certificate, Adoption Relation Certificate, Full Adoption Relation Certificate, Removed Family Register (full copy), Removed Family Register (abridged copy) |
| Government24 | Resident Registration Certificate (full copy), Resident Registration Certificate (abridged copy) |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Certificate of Passport Issuance Record, Confirmation of Passport Invalidation, Certificate of Passport Application Documents, Passport Information Certificate |
| Ministry of Education | Elementary, middle and high school Certificate of Graduation and Certificate of Enrollment; middle and high school Transcript; qualification exam (GED-equivalent) Transcript and Certificate of Passing |
| Military Manpower Administration | Certificate of Military Service Record |
| National Tax Service | Certificate of Business Registration, Certificate of Business Suspension, Certificate of Business Closure, Tax Payment Certificate, Certificate of Tax Payment History, Certificate of Income Amount, Certificate of VAT Tax Base, Certificate of Revenue of VAT-Exempt Business, Certificate of Standard Financial Statements, Certificate of Subordinate Place of Business under Business-Unit Taxation |
| National Police Agency | Criminal and Investigation Record Report, Criminal Record Report, Investigation Record Report, Certificate of Driving Record |
| National Pension Service | Certificate of Subscription (for subscribers), Confirmation of Subscription History for Pension Calculation (individual), Certificate of Benefit Receipt (payment history) |
| Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency | Certificate of Vaccination |
| HRD Korea (Human Resources Development Service of Korea) | Confirmation of National Technical Qualification |
| Korea Coast Guard | Water Rescue Technician License, Boat Operator License Certificate |
| Ministry of Health and Welfare | Certificate of Disability |
Source: 'Certificate Application' menu of the e-Apostille & Consular Confirmation service (checked 2026-10-03).
Why are university diplomas not on the list?
The Ministry of Education category of e-Apostille covers only elementary, middle and high school documents and qualification exam documents. University diplomas, degree certificates and transcripts must be submitted in person or by mail to the Integrated Civil Service Center of the Overseas Koreans Agency. Since June 1, 2024, original academic records issued by national universities can be submitted without notarization, while documents issued by private universities must be notarized first.
Documents that require notarization — such as powers of attorney, contracts and translations — are not eligible for e-Apostille either. Notarized documents fall under the Ministry of Justice apostille and are filed at the Integrated Civil Service Center of the Overseas Koreans Agency.
How do I apply?
Go to apostille.go.kr → Log in and verify your identity → Choose the issuing agency and document under 'Certificate Application' → Follow the prompts to issue the document and request the apostille → Save and print the issued copy
Accepted identity verification methods are listed in the website FAQ under 'e-Apostille identity verification methods'. If identity verification is difficult because you are abroad, a representative can apply at the Overseas Koreans Agency in person or by mail.
Will the receiving institution accept an online apostille?
The Overseas Koreans Agency uses separate forms for offline and online apostilles. Most receiving institutions in Convention countries can check an online apostille, but some prefer a paper original. Confirming whether they accept the online copy before you submit saves you from doing the work twice.
How can I verify an apostille I received?
The Overseas Koreans Agency states that the authenticity of an apostille can be checked through the e-Apostille & Consular Confirmation service. Enter the issuance number and issuance date under 'Certificate Verification' on the website. The verification page is available in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, French and Spanish, so a receiving institution abroad can check it directly.
Can documents for non-Convention countries also be done online?
As the website name 'e-Apostille & Consular Confirmation service' suggests, online consular confirmation is also offered for some public documents. However, non-Convention countries additionally require embassy legalization at their embassy in Korea after consular confirmation, so first check whether the embassy accepts the online copy.
Check before applying for e-Apostille
- Your document appears on the 'Certificate Application' list
- The destination country is a party where the Apostille Convention is in force
- You have an identity verification method (if not, consider applying through a representative)
- The receiving institution accepts online apostilles
- You also have documents outside the list, such as university documents or notarized documents
If some of your documents are not on the list, start by sorting out the right route for each.
Check my authentication routeWe pick out only the documents that cannot be done online
and handle them for you by in-person or mail submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is e-Apostille really free?
- Yes. The Overseas Koreans Agency states that it issues online apostilles free of charge, with no office visit, for certain public documents only. Documents that are not covered are filed in person or by mail for KRW 1,000 per document.
- Can I get a university diploma apostilled through e-Apostille?
- No. The Ministry of Education category covers only elementary, middle and high school documents and qualification exam documents. University documents are filed in person or by mail at the Integrated Civil Service Center of the Overseas Koreans Agency; original academic records from national universities need no notarization, while documents from private universities must be notarized first.
- Can I get a criminal record report apostilled online?
- Yes. The National Police Agency's Criminal and Investigation Record Report, Criminal Record Report, Investigation Record Report and Certificate of Driving Record are eligible for e-Apostille (checked 2026-10-03).
- Can I use e-Apostille from abroad?
- Yes, if you can complete identity verification. See 'e-Apostille identity verification methods' on the website for accepted methods. If that is difficult, a representative can apply at the Overseas Koreans Agency for you.
- Will the receiving institution accept an online apostille?
- Many institutions can check it, but some want a paper original. Confirm that they accept the online copy before you submit. Authenticity can be checked under 'Certificate Verification' on the website using the issuance number and issuance date.
- How do I verify an apostille?
- Enter the issuance number and issuance date under 'Certificate Verification' on the e-Apostille website. The verification page is available in 7 languages.
Official referencese-Apostille & Consular Confirmation service · Overseas Koreans Agency — Apostille issuance procedure · Overseas Koreans Agency — Overview of apostille and consular confirmation
⚠️ This article is for general information only. Eligibility, covered documents and fees may change, so always check the official guidance of the Overseas Koreans Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the receiving institution at the time you apply. Vision ApoKorea (Vision Administrative Agency) is a private agency service, not a government body.