It’s one thing many adoptees don’t know about.
There is a possibility that you are still considered a Korean citizen even though you are a citizen of your adoptive country.
There are probably several reasons for this situation. Either when you acquired your new citizenship, nobody cared to let the Korean authorities know. Maybe within the Korean system there had been some communication problems. In any case, it happens actually more often than I ever thought. Adoptees arrive in Korea, they apply for the F4 visa and in that process they also get their Korean family registry.
Take a good look at it. If there is a Korean ID number on it, then you’re still considered a Korean citizen. The number is easily identifiable. It starts with your birthdate (YYMMDD), then comes a dash and then it starts with a 1 for male and 2 for females.
Being dual citizen is officially illegal and only under certain circumstances allowed (for example children from an international marriage can be dual citizens up to the age of 20 and then they have 2 years time to decide). G.O.A.’L is trying to lobby for a Korean citizenship for adoptees where we could still keep our adoptive country’s citizenship. And of course the issue of the military service needs to be discussed. There was recently also a discussion on K@W about the pros and contras of a dual citizenship.
In any case, so far none of the adoptees has given up his/her adoptive citizenship and everybody renounced their Korean citizenship, although many after much consideration since it’s not only just a matter of military service or so but it’s also a matter of heart.
Giving it up is actually just a form you fill in and then you hand it in prior to the whole paperwork for the F4 visa.
