Korea eases spousal visa requirements for foreigners

A foreigner applying for a spousal visa in South Korea will have a higher chance if the Korean spouse learns his or her native language, the Ministry of Justice said Monday.

The ministry has eased the assessment criteria for a foreigner's spousal visa application if his or her Korean partner takes classes in the spouse's native language for more than three months, or passes a proficiency test in that language, it said in a statement.

Until now, the foreign spouse had to obtain a Korean proficiency test certificate or take Korean lessons for over 120 hours to be eligible for the visa.

The easing of the visa requirements will allow the couple to replace the Korean test result with the Korean spouse's interview in the foreign language with an official from the diplomatic mission.

Such a system had only been applied to foreigners who either gave birth or were expecting a child.

The move is to provide couples with equal opportunities to learn each other's first languages so that they will better communicate and understand each other, which will eventually work to benefit the family, the ministry said. (Yonhap)