비전 아포코리아Korean Document Apostille:
Where and How Do I Get One?
Apostilles are issued at the Integrated Civil Service Center of the Overseas Koreans Agency, in person, by mail or online.
We start by checking whether translation or notarization is needed first, based on your purpose of submission.
3-Second Summary — Member countries use an apostille; non-member countries or countries where the Convention has not yet taken effect may need consular authentication and embassy legalization instead. Not sure which applies to you? Check in 30 seconds with our Path Finder.
Where do you get an apostille in Korea?
Apostilles for Korean documents are issued by the Overseas Koreans Agency and the Ministry of Justice, and applications are filed at the Integrated Civil Service Center of the Overseas Koreans Agency, 15th floor, Twin Tree Tower A, 6 Yulgok-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The Overseas Koreans Agency apostilles public documents issued by the national government and local governments, while the Ministry of Justice apostilles notarized documents and documents from Ministry of Justice affiliated agencies. Some public documents can be apostilled online free of charge via e-Apostille (apostille.go.kr), with no visit required.
For the meaning and legal effect of an apostille, see What Is an Apostille? Definition Guide; for processing times and government fees, see Apostille Processing Time and Government Fees; and to arrange it from overseas, see Remote Apostille Service for Overseas Residents. Countries that are not party to the Convention (or where it has not yet taken effect) require consular confirmation and embassy legalization.
Which Documents Need an Apostille?
Family / Personal: Certificate of Family Relations · Basic Certificate · Certificate of Marriage Relations
Education / Career: Diploma · Transcript · Degree Certificate · Career Certificate
Criminal / Identity: Certificate of Criminal Record, etc.
Corporate / Business: Business Registration Certificate · corporate documents · contracts · powers of attorney, etc.
Depending on the document type, translation or notarization may be required first. See apostille guidance by document →
Apostille Issuance Process
The process runs: document review → translation/notarization (if needed) → apostille application → issuance → submission abroad.
STEP 01 · Prepare Documents
First we confirm which country issued the document and which country it will be submitted to. If it was issued long ago or only a copy is available, a fresh original may need to be reissued.
STEP 02 · Check Public vs. Private
Public documents can go straight to apostille application, but private documents such as powers of attorney or contracts almost always need notarization first. Skipping this step can get the apostille application rejected outright.
STEP 03 · Translation & Notarization (if needed)
If translation into the destination language is required, it is translated to match the original exactly, and certified translation is added if the receiving institution requires it. Private documents are notarized at this stage.
STEP 04 · Apply for the Apostille
If the destination country is a member (Convention already in effect), the apostille is applied for through bodies such as the Overseas Koreans Agency or the Ministry of Justice. For non-member countries or ones where the Convention has not yet taken effect, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' consular authentication process is used instead.
STEP 05 · Apostille Issuance
For non-member countries, authentication is only complete once the destination country's embassy/consulate in Korea has added its own certification after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' consular authentication. It is safest to re-confirm each country's detailed requirements at the time of application.
STEP 06 · Submit Abroad
Once authentication is complete, the original document is delivered either for domestic pickup or by international shipping. Since the same document may be needed again for another purpose later, we recommend keeping a copy of the fully authenticated version.
Apostille Member Countries
The apostille system authenticates public documents between member states under the Hague Apostille Convention. It can be used when a document issued in Korea is submitted to a country where the Convention is in effect.
See detailed procedures for major countries such as the United States, China, and Japan in our country guide.
All Apostille Member Countries
Check member countries by region below.
Asia & Oceania30 countries⌄
Apostille Convention member countries in Asia & Oceania, including South Korea.
Latin America31 countries⌄
Apostille Convention member countries in Latin America, including Caribbean nations.
Guyana Guatemala Grenada Nicaragua Dominican Republic Dominica Mexico Barbados Bahamas Venezuela Belize Bolivia Brazil Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Kitts and Nevis Suriname Argentina Antigua and Barbuda Ecuador El Salvador Honduras Uruguay Jamaica Chile Costa Rica Colombia Trinidad and Tobago Panama Paraguay PeruEurope46 countries⌄
Member countries covering most of Europe, including France and Germany.
Greece Netherlands Norway Denmark Germany Latvia Russia Romania Luxembourg Lithuania Liechtenstein Monaco Montenegro Moldova Malta Belgium Belarus Bosnia and Herzegovina North Macedonia Bulgaria San Marino Serbia Sweden Switzerland Spain Slovakia Slovenia Iceland Ireland Andorra Albania Estonia United Kingdom Austria Ukraine Italy Czech Republic Kosovo Croatia Cyprus Turkiye Portugal Poland France Finland HungaryMiddle East & Africa21 countries⌄
Includes Saudi Arabia and others; Qatar, the UAE, and Kuwait are non-members.
North America2 countries⌄
The United States and Canada are member countries.
ⓘ This list is based on the official HCCH (Hague Conference on Private International Law) list of Convention member states as of 2026-08-26. Membership and effective status can change, so please confirm the latest status before submission.
ℹ️ Apostille by Country
- Membership status and issuance procedures can vary by country.
- Always confirm your destination country's apostille requirements before submission.
- For accurate guidance and agency service, contact Vision ApoKorea.
Want to check a country right away? Enter your destination country in our Path Finder. Even countries not on this list can be confirmed accurately via consultation.
Request a Consultation
※ If the form doesn't work for you, you can also reach us by email. apokorea@kakao.com
※ Vision ApoKorea is a private agency service, not a government agency, that handles document issuance and authentication procedures on your behalf. Government issuance fees (KRW 1,000 per copy for apostille/consular authentication) are charged separately from our agency fee, and country-specific requirements may change, so please confirm details before applying.