What are the requirements at the Korean embassy in Manila to go to Korea as a US military spouse??

Question

My bf is coming here in Philippines to get marry what are the steps and the requirements for the civil marriage. He is staying here for 21 days and to process my Visa for Korea. What are the ways we have to do and the documents we have to show at the Korean embassy in Manila as a US military spouse..and how long it will take..please help me,,I dont know what are the stpes,,thank you Guys....

Answer 1

The last I checked, military spouses were not allowed to travel to Korea while the soldier served in Korea.  the military did not approve, nor provide travel or housing at the time that I served.

things may have changed since then, but if you are allowed, I believe your standard paperwork would be needed, such as marriage certificate, photo id, your birth certificate, ss#, visa for travel to be approved, (first off), and he would have to get approval/authorization for your to travel there as his spouse.

He will need to have prior approval before bringing you to Korea.  they will be in the form (most likely) in orders for him allowing your travel, and paperwork will be needed in place for that to happen.

have him check with his section chief, or chain of command.  

good luck.

Answer 2

First, does your boyfriend have all the necessary approvals from the Area Commander to get married in the Philippines?  The US embassy will NOT issue a certificate of legal capacity if he hasn't taken care of this.

Second, for you to go to South Korea on a SOFA stamp (like a visa only for spouses/children of US military stationed in South Korea) you will have to be command sponsored.  The Korean embassy will not grant you a SOFA stamp unless he's got official orders clearly showing you as being command sponsored.

He can't get you command sponsored until after you are married.  Even then, the odds are it will not be approved because almost all tours in South Korea are unaccompanied.

So, to do it properly he must first make sure he has permission to get married in the Philippines.  After he gets married he needs to go back, alone, and request command sponsorship for you.  If it's approved he'll get a set of orders showing he's on an accompanied tour, plus, his tour will be extended.  Once he gets these orders you can go to the Korean embassy in the Manila and get a SOFA stamp in your Philippine passport.  This will allow you to live in South Korea with him.