- Korea is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention.
- Documents from member countries need notarisation and an apostille; others need consular legalisation.
- Typical items: power of attorney, passport copy, director consent, corporate shareholder papers.
- Corporate certificates should usually be no older than three months.
Korean authorities accept foreign documents if they can trust where they came from. The apostille is a single certificate, attached by the issuing country, that does exactly that. Since Korea joined the Hague Convention, documents from other member countries need nothing more.
Which documents
| Who | Document | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Individual shareholder | Power of attorney | Notarised + apostille |
| Individual shareholder | Passport copy | Certified + apostille |
| Director | Consent to act, signature specimen | Notarised + apostille |
| Corporate shareholder | Certificate of incorporation, register of directors | Apostille |
| Corporate shareholder | Board resolution to invest | Notarised + apostille |
| D-8 applicant | Criminal record certificate | Apostille |
Get it right once and it is a day’s errand. Get it wrong and it is a month.
How long it takes
Notarisation is usually same-day. Apostille times range from a few minutes at a counter to several weeks by post, depending on the country and the authority. Legalisation through an embassy adds a further step and usually more time. Courier to Korea takes a few days.
Translations
Foreign documents are filed with certified Korean translations. We arrange them in Korea, so you do not need to find a Korean translator at home.
Questions readers ask
Is Korea part of the Apostille Convention?
Yes. Documents from other member countries need an apostille rather than embassy legalisation.
Which documents need an apostille for a Korean company?
Typically the power of attorney, passport copies, director consent and corporate shareholder documents.
Do I need a Korean translation?
Yes, certified Korean translations are filed with foreign documents; we arrange them in Korea.
How old can the documents be?
Corporate certificates are usually expected to be issued within the last three months.