South Korea - Seoul Field Office
Field Office Director
Walter Haith
Service Area
The Seoul Field Office has jurisdiction over immigration benefits for Korea and Japan.
Street Address
United States Embassy
Third Floor, Window #3
32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu
Seoul, 110-710 Korea
Mailing Address from the U.S.
Field Office Director
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
c/o American Embassy
Unit 15550
APO-AP 96205-5550
Express Mail address
Field Office Director
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
c/o American Embassy
32 Sejong-no, Jongno-gu
Seoul, 110-710, South Korea
Office Location
We are located in downtown Seoul, near City Hall, directly across from the Sejong Cultural Center, and adjacent to the Korea Telecom and Kyobo Life Insurance Buildings. Please use the public entrance access.
Hours of Operation
The office is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM and from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. The office is closed on Korean and American holidays.
Phone, Fax Numbers & E-mail
Phone
For general inquiries in Korean or English, please call the following numbers:
(822) 397-4282 or (822) 397-4548 (within Korea)
11-822-397-4282 or 11-822-397-4548 (from the United States)
Fax
For specific case inquiries, a fax is preferable. Our fax number is (822) 720-7419.
E-mail
CIS-Seoul.Inquiries@dhs.gov
Visiting the office in person
Appointments
Appointments are necessary and have priority over walk-ins. Walk-ins appointments for I-130 petitions are allowed only for emergency reasons.
Walk-ins - General Inquiries
General Inquiries are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Email inquiries are preferred and USCIS Seoul can be contacted at CIS-Seoul.Inquiries@dhs.gov
Public Transportation
By Bus - Take Numbers 83, 28, 136, 8, 6, 59, 23, 5, 38 that stop near the Embassy. Get off at the Kyobo Building Stop or the Korean Telecom Building Stop. (The bus schedule subject to change.)
By Subway - Take Line #5 and get off at the Kwanghamun Station.
Parking & Handicap Accessibility
Parking
Parking is available near the building, but not within the Embassy compound.
Handicap Accessibility
Accessibility for individuals with special needs is available.
Paying Fees
Fees for applications and petitions are listed in the Forms section of the USCIS website. Payment may be made with Won or U.S. dollars, and postal money orders. Proper identification, a local address, or a telephone number may be requested for money orders. Certified checks are not accepted. The Embassy cashier will not accept personal checks.
Customer Feedback
We strive to provide quality service to our customers. If we have not lived up to this commitment or if we have met or exceeded your expectations, please let us know. To comment on the services provided at this office, please write to the Field Office Director at the address given above, or to the:
District Director
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
120-122 Wireless Road
Bangkok 10330 Thailand
If you feel you were mistreated by a U.S. immigration employee, or wish to make a complaint of misconduct by a U.S. immigration employee, you may write to the District Director, or write directly to the:
Department of Homeland Security
USCIS
Attn: Chief, International Operations Division
20 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 3300
Washington, DC 20529-2100
Forms
Immigration forms are available under the Forms section of the USCIS website which can be found on the right under related links.
Visas
For in-depth information about visas, please check the Visa Services section of the U.S. Department of State website.
Form I-407
The abandonment of lawful permanent resident status is irrevocable. An individual who relinquishes lawful permanent resident status must qualify again for such status. USCIS Seoul accepts I-407 applications every Wednesday. Appointments are not necessary.
If you wish to abandon your permanent residence and relinquish your Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), please contact us by phone or in writing for further instructions.
Forms I-600 & I-600A
Information on international adoptions may be found at the Department of State website and in the Adoption section of the USCIS website which can be found on the right under related links.
Form I-600 and I-600A may be filed locally by U.S. Citizen petitioners that reside in our area of jurisdiction.
Form I-130
U.S. citizens that reside locally may file an Immediate Relative Immigrant Petition at the USCIS Seoul Field Office. However, they must first schedule an appointment to file the petition at 02-397-4548 or via email at CIS-Seoul.Inquiries@dhs.gov. We do not accept applications by mail.
There are three types of petitions that are commonly filed at this office
- for spouses and children of U.S. citizens
- for spouses and children of lawful permanent residents in the U.S. military
- for parents of U.S. citizens.
Please see the section “Information on Filing I-130 Petitions in Korea” near the bottom of the web page for additional information.
Form N-400
U.S. immigration offices overseas do not accept or adjudicate Naturalization applications. We are unable to receive or process naturalization applications from U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) living overseas. See the Citizenship section of the USCIS website for Naturalization eligibility criteria and the proper filing procedures.
EXCEPTION: Certain Active Duty Military members, Spouses of Active Duty Military, and Children of Active Duty Military can be naturalized overseas. However, the applications should be filed with the Nebraska Service Center. Inquiries regarding military naturalization can be made to CIS-Seoul.Natz@dhs.gov.
Form I-131 Parole
The Seoul Field Office does not issue Humanitarian Parole. Individuals must apply for Humanitarian parole by submitting their applications to:
For US Postal Service (USPS) Deliveries:
USCIS Dallas Lockbox
USCIS
PO Box 660865
Dallas, TX. 75266
For Express mail and courier deliveries:
USCIS
Attn: HP
2501 S. State Hwy 121, Business
Suite 400
Lewisville, TX 75067
Instructions on how to file an application for Humanitarian Parole are located on Form I-131.
Form I-131 Re-entry
The Seoul Field Office does not issue or extend Re-Entry Permits. Instructions on how to obtain or replace a Re-Entry Permit can be found in the How Do I Get A Travel Document section on the USCIS website which can be found on the right under related links.
Re-Entry Permits (Form I-131) must be filed while the applicant is physically present in the United States. Re-Entry Permits may not be filed overseas.
Form I-590
We are unable to receive refugee resettlement applications directly. These should be filed at the Refugee Resettlement Section (RRS) of the U.S. Consulate. We are also unable to check the status of any pending refugee resettlement application.
For general information and processing criteria please see the Department of State website and in the Refugee section of the USCIS website which can be found on the right under related links.
Forms I-601 and I-212
If you are outside of the United States and otherwise approved to immigrate to the United States, but a Department of State Consular Officer found you ineligible to enter because of one or more grounds of inadmissibility for which a waiver may be available, you may apply for a waiver by filing Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility.
If you left the U.S. voluntarily after being issued an order of deportation or removal, were deported or removed, or reentered the United States unlawfully after having cumulatively accrued more than one year of unlawful presence, you may apply for readmission the U.S. by filing Form I-212, Application for Permission to Reapply for Admission Into the United States After Deportation or Removal.
Where to File
USCIS has changed where waiver applications are filed. This may provide you with faster and more efficient application processing and will enable you to track your case status online. You may also request an email or text message confirming receipt of your waiver by completing and attaching Form G-1145, E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance to your application.
Please read the directions below carefully so we can process your application as quickly as possible.
If you have not yet submitted your application:
• Beginning June 4, 2012, you must mail your waiver application and supporting evidence directly to the USCIS Lockbox facility specified in the form instructions.
If you have an appointment to submit your application before July 4, 2012:
• You may keep your appointment.
OR
• You may cancel your appointment and mail your application to the USCIS Lockbox facility specified in the form instructions.
If you submitted your application before July 4, 2012, and:
• Our office received it between June 4 and July 3, 2012, we will process it.
• Our office received it on or after July 4, 2012, we will return it to you. Please mail your application directly to the USCIS Lockbox facility specified in the form instructions.
You may find the address for the appropriate USCIS Lockbox facility in the form instructions or see, Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, and I-212, Application for Permission to Reapply for Admission into the United States After Deportation or Removal.
I-601 Expedited Adjudication Requests
Applicants for Waivers of Inadmissibility, Form I-601, may request that the USCIS office expedite adjudication of the Form I-601 waiver application when there are extraordinary circumstances that are time-sensitive, compelling, and necessitate the applicant’s presence in the United States sooner than would be possible if the application were processed under normal processing times. The strong desire to immigrate to the United States as soon as possible is not by itself “extraordinary.”
A request to expedite adjudication must be made in writing and delivered to the USCIS Field Office Director. The applicant must provide evidence of the extraordinary and compelling circumstance. If the request to expedite the adjudication of an I-601 waiver is approved, the USCIS office will notify the applicant within 15 days of receipt of the request. If no response is received with 15 days, the applicant must presume the request for the expeditious adjudication has been denied.
Please be aware that approval to expedite adjudication of an I-601 waiver application does not guarantee approval of the I-601 waiver application, but only that consideration and adjudication of the I-601 waiver application will be expeditiously handled. If the request for expedited processing is denied, the waiver will be adjudicated within normal processing times.
For current I-601 processing times for international offices, please select the "Processing Times" link on the right, under “More Information.”
Special Registration
Special Registrations are handled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Additional information regarding Special Registration can be found at the following website: http://www.ice.gov/pi/specialregistration/index.htm
Transportation Boarding Letters
Transportation Letters are issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). For transportation letter inquiries, please e-mail CBP at CBP.Seoul.Inquiries@cbp.dhs.gov and phone number (02) 397-4973.
Information Notification Updates
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q. How do I get my Korean Identification card back?
A. You first need to relinquish your U.S. lawful permanent resident status. Then inquire with the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Passport Office.
Q. When is it necessary to come in person to the Seoul office?
A. It is necessary to come in to our office to file the Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130).
INFORMATION ON FILING I-130 PETITIONS IN KOREA
Prior to Filing the I-130 petition:
Before filing the I-130 petition for your spouse, you (the petitioner) must make sure that you have followed the requirements for reporting your marriage in Korea. If you have married your spouse outside of Korea, you must ensure that you have followed the rules of the country where you were married. If your spouse is a Korean citizen, the marriage should be reported on his/her family census register. The Korean government will then establish a new branch family for her.
Who May File in Korea
Military and civilian members with orders to Korea
U.S. citizens employed with private companies
Students studying in the various universities
English teachers
(The last three categories must present a residence card, and/or employment documents.)
Filing the I-130 Petition
Along with the I-130 petition, you must also submit originals of
- Your marriage certificate
- Proof of U.S. citizenship/lawful permanent residence card
- Proof of termination of any prior marriage(s)
- Photographs, one for yourself and one for your spouse to be attached along with the Form G-325A (Biographic Information). Please note that failure to provide complete and accurate information could result in a delay in processing the petition and subsequent immigrant visa.
-Birth certificate of your alien spouse. (If your spouse is a Korean citizen, you should submit two different Family Census Registers; one that shows all of her family members with his/her name removed from the register due to the report of your present marriage; the other one is a new Family Census Register which was established due to the report of your present marriage; both Family Census Registers must be accompanied with an English translation.)
NOTE: The petitioner is required to bring copies and originals when filing. Originals will be returned to the petitioner. The filing fee can be paid in U.S. or Korean currency. NO personal checks are accepted by the Embassy cashier per local State Department policy.
On the day you file the petition, your petition will be reviewed for completeness and verification of information provided. If there are any concerns, you will be referred to an Immigration Officer who will go over the petition with you and your spouse.
After the petition has been approved, it will be sent to the Immigrant Visa Branch. They will then send you a Packet of instructions and forms that should be completed by your spouse in support of your spouse's application for immigration (Packet 3).
Please note that Spouses of Lawful Permanent Residents will not be eligible for immigration immediately; instead, he/she will be assigned a preference category and a priority date. Please contact the Immigrant Visa Branch for information on the preference categories and the waiting period.
For inquiries on this or any other information, please contact the immigration office at (822) 721-4548 or (822) 397-4548 (commercial).
For inquiries on the Immigrant Visa process, please contact Immigrant Visa Branch directly at (822) 721-4252 or (822) 397-4252 (commercial).
