ADOPTION CERTIFICATES - NCRC Will Accept Applications From July 19th, 2025 — *Via Email!
Posted to Paperslip on July 21st, 2021.
Thanks to a Paperslip Contributor for the link.
Translation via ChatGPT.
IMPORTANT UPDATE —
August 3rd, 5th, 2025:
NCRC has provided some important clarity about the: “Adoption Verification Certificate”
and the
“Application for Certificate Confirming Eligibility to Receive Genetic Testing” (for Adoptees without Identifiable Birth Parents):
NCRC responded to our recent email with the response below. Please note that we have added in PDF links as BACKUPS for NCRC’s respective forms, though you should check NCRC’s official links below FIRST to see if you can download their forms. We take NO responsibility if NCRC updates their forms on their official notices after August 4th, 2025, when we uploaded the PDF backup forms to Paperslip. We will not be notified if NCRC updates its forms.
NCRC wrote:
”We would like to clarify the current process regarding the Adoption Verification Certificate and other related procedures.
Adoption Verification Certificate – Required for Certain Legal Purposes:
The Adoption Verification Certificate issued by the NCRC is required for the following purposes:
- Obtaining an F-4 Visa
- Korean Nationality Reinstatement
Please refer to the official notice for application instructions and required documents:
https://ncrc.or.kr/ncrc_en/na/ntt/selectNttInfo.do?mi=1248&bbsId=1086&nttSn=9090&cataGori=&tabName=\
(end of NCRC quote “)
Paperslip Note:
*If you can’t download the PDF documents from the bottom of the NCRC official notice page linked above please see our backups of NCRC’s forms below.
*Please note that these .PDF uploads were made to Paperslip on August 4th, 2025. We take NO responsibility if NCRC uploads new forms, as we will receive NO notice. Please be sure to check NCRC’s official notice link above directly to try to download their original forms.
1. Application for Adoption Verification.pdf
2. Personal Information Collection and Usage Agreement.pdf
*Please note that NCRC has NOT specified if there is any expiration date on the Adoption Verification Certificate. We have asked NCRC, and will update this page when we learn more.
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NCRC wrote:
DNA Testing – A Separate Process
For the following purposes:
- DNA testing at a Korean police station
- The Adoption Verification Certificate is not required for birth family search involving DNA identification.
Instead, DNA testing follows a separate administrative process, and applicants must complete the following form to obtain a relevant certificate:
(The) Application for Certificate Confirming Eligibility to Receive Genetic Testing (for Adoptees without Identifiable Birth Parents).
You can find detailed information and the application form at the following link:
https://ncrc.or.kr/ncrc_en/na/ntt/selectNttInfo.do?mi=1248&bbsId=1086&nttSn=9117&cataGori=&tabName=
(end of NCRC quote “)
Paperslip Note:
*If you can’t download the PDF documents from the bottom of the NCRC official notice page linked above please see our backups of NCRC’s forms below.
*Please note that these .PDF uploads were made to Paperslip on August 4th, 2025. We take NO responsibility if NCRC uploads new forms, as we will receive NO notice. Please be sure to check NCRC’s official notice link above directly to try to download their original forms.
[양식] 무연고 신청서[Application for Certificate Confirming Eligibility to Receive Genetic Testing].pdf
[양식] 개인정보동의서[Consent to Collection and Use of Personal Information].pdf
*Please note that NCRC has NOT specified if there is any expiration date on the Adoption Verification Certificate. We have asked NCRC, and will update this page when we learn more.
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IMPORTANT UPDATE —
August 5th, 2025:
NCRC has provided some additional important clarity about the length of use and various possible uses of the:
“Adoption Verification Certificate”
and the
“Application for Certificate Confirming Eligibility to Receive Genetic Testing” (for Adoptees without Identifiable Birth Parents):
“1) Validity of the Adoption Verification Certificate and the Certificate Confirming Eligibility for Genetic Testing
The Adoption Verification Certificate issued by the NCRC has no specified expiration date, meaning it does not automatically become invalid after a certain period.
This certificate may be issued upon request for purposes such as applying for an F-4 visa or reinstating Korean nationality.
In relation to this, we confirmed with the Overseas Koreans Agency (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) that:
“For documents that do not have a specified expiration date, the general administrative guideline is to submit them within 3 months from the date of issuance.”
Please note that this does not imply that the certificate issued by NCRC itself expires; rather, this reflects the administrative standards of the receiving institution.
Therefore, we recommend that you check in advance with the specific institution where you plan to submit the certificate (such as immigration offices or consulates) to confirm their requirements and timeline.
Similarly, the Certificate Confirming Eligibility to Receive Genetic Testing also does not have a designated expiration date.
2) Improvements to the KAS (Kadoption) Website
As part of the recent restructuring of Korea’s adoption system, all responsibilities related to the management of adoption records and the petition process for adoption information disclosure have been transferred to NCRC.
We are aware that there is significant public interest and high expectations regarding the stability and accessibility of the KAS website. Ensuring smooth and reliable service is a top priority for us, and we are actively working to improve the system.
We greatly appreciate your feedback and will take it into consideration as we continue to enhance the platform.
3) Format and Use of the Adoption Verification Certificate
NCRC issues a single standardized format for the Adoption Verification Certificate, which includes the following information:
- Name (at the time of adoption / current name)
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Adoption agency
- Country of adoption
- Names of adoptive parents
- Purpose of issuance (visa application / nationality reinstatement / submission to public institutions / other)
This certificate may be used for various purposes requiring verification of adoption-related facts and can be issued at any time upon the adoptee’s request.
Paperslip Note:
*In other words, you must request an Adoption Verification Certificate for “on-the-ground” birth family search activities such as visiting:
-Jumin Centers
-City Halls
-Missing Persons Departments at Korean Police Stations
To apply, please refer to the following link for the application form and detailed instructions:
https://www.kadoption.or.kr/en/board/board_view.jsp?no=169&listSize=10&pageNo=1&bcode=41_7
Note:
If your purpose for visiting a police station is to proceed with genetic testing, please be advised that you must submit the Certificate Confirming Eligibility to Receive Genetic Testing, not the Adoption Verification Certificate.
For more details, please refer to the link below:
https://www.kadoption.or.kr/en/board/board_view.jsp?no=170&listSize=10&pageNo=1&bcode=41_7
Should you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out at any time.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Ahn, Seo Hee
National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC)”
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Update — July 30th, 2025:
Please see:
NCRC NOTICE: DNA Testing for Adoptees Without Identifiable Birth Family Information
Red tape, anyone?
ADOPTION CERTIFICATES - NCRC Will Accept Applications From July 19th, 2025 — *Via Email!
Please click the link above to see the original NCRC Notice (ENGLISH).
Paperslip Note:
We interpret NCRC’s NOTICE to mean that:
NCRC will accept applications for ADOPTION CERTIFICATES through email from July 19th, 2025 - sometime in December 2025.
Starting sometime in December 2025, NCRC will accept applications for ADOPTION CERTIFICATES through the KAS website only (not through email). Please note that we assume that what NCRC calls the “Adoption Services Management System” is basically the KAS website.
For a link to the KAS website, please see:
How To Use NCRC (National Center For The Rights Of The Child) For Birth Family Search
It’s important to understand some key concepts BEFORE you make any requests to NCRC via the KAS website.
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*Please note that Adoptees will be allowed to submit a “Petition for Adoption Information Disclosure” (birth family search request) to NCRC via the KAS website starting September 16th, 2025. A “Petition for Adoption Information Disclosure” is SEPARATE from a request for an Adoption Certificate.
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Hurray! Finally some news from NCRC about Adoption Certificates!
(Previously, when we had asked NCRC about Adoption Certificates during our June 2025 visit, NCRC had said they were unsure about how Adoption Certificates were going to be handled after July 19th, 2025. We are glad to see they have finally made an announcement!)
Adoption Certificates (which are not historical documents — they are only instruments of bureaucracy) are required for various things such as obtaining an F-4 Visa, Nationality Reinstatement, etc.
However there are OTHER VERY IMPORTANT uses for Adoption Certificates which you need to read about below!
Please note that in its NOTICE about Adoption Certificates, NCRC has NOT specified whether there is now just ONE type of Adoption Certificate to cover all possible needs, or if there are still DIFFERENT types of Adoption Certificates which must be requested for different types of needs. You will need to read below and ask NCRC for clarification. We will share more information as we can.
*Please note that Adoption Certificates are required if you wish to take the Korean Police Missing Persons (KNPA) DNA Test in Korea at a police station. An Adoption Certificate is also required if you want to take the same KNPA DNA test at a Korean Consulate in your home country. Prior to July 19th, 2025, such Adoption Certificates were only good for 3 months — however we are not sure if the same is true now. You will have to ask NCRC. You also may experience difficulty obtaining an Adoption Certificate if there is known birth parent information in your adoption file.
However, NCRC has not specified these specific DNA Test taking uses in its NOTICE. We would assume that you can request Adoption Certificates from NCRC for these DNA test taking purposes — especially given that there’s nowhere else to request them from, now that the Post-Adoption Services of all 4 major Korean Adoption Agencies are closed as of July 19th, 2025. Please ask NCRC about your specific needs.
For more info. about DNA Testing in general please see:
DNA Testing
Adoption Certificates are additionally required for on-the-ground birth family search at places in Korea such as:
Jumin Centers, City Halls, and Police Stations (Missing Persons Departments).
You will not be able to do things at such places — like request that they search for a specific birth family member in their systems — without having an Adoption Certificate.
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NOTE: Please READ the Notice below CAREFULLY BEFORE you email NCRC! NCRC has very few birth family search workers to serve the needs of ALL Korean Adoptees worldwide! Please organize your information BEFORE you email NCRC and do not send them excessive, frivolous emails — thank you!
NOTE: Please see the original Korean Notice here.
UPDATE: Please see the original ENGLISH Notice here.
You will need to download the PDF forms from the link above.
Please note: We have downloaded the PDF forms from the link above and provided them below as a BACKUP ONLY. Please note that we have downloaded these forms on July 21st, 2025, and that if NCRC updates the forms on their original page above, we may not be aware, and may not have updated our links!
It is up to YOU to double check to make sure you have downloaded the MOST CURRENT forms!
1. Application for issuance of adoption confirmation certificate.pdf
2. Consent to collection and use of personal information for issuing adoption confirmation certificate.pdf
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*Update — Please Note: You can also refer to the original ENGLISH Notice here.
Below: Our ChatGPT Translation of the original Korean Notice:
Some bolding and all red highlighting ours.
Notice
[Information] Issuance of ‘Confirmation of Adoption’ Certificate for Visa (F-4), Nationality Reinstatement, etc.
Posted by: Administrator-in-Chief
Date: July 21, 2025
Due to the restructuring of the official adoption system, as of July 19, 2025, the issuance of the Confirmation of Adoption certificate (Adoption Certificate) is now centralized under the National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC).
Please refer to the information below for application procedures and required documents.
1. How to Apply
Submit application documents via individual email.
(Note: Online application and issuance through the Adoption Services Management System will be available from December 2025)
2. Application Start Date
Saturday, July 19, 2025
3. Submission Email
📧 familysearch@ncrc.or.kr
4. Required Documents (Refer to attached forms)
One completed Application for Issuance of Confirmation of Adoption
One Consent Form for the Collection and Use of Personal Information
One copy of applicant’s valid ID
(e.g., Passport or Korean Resident Registration Card that can verify identity)
5. Issuance Process
Email submission → Review of documents & identity verification → Verification of adoption records → Certificate issuance
6. Important Notes
Only the adoptee themselves can apply for the certificate, and a handwritten signature is required on the application form.
(Exception: If the adoptee is a minor, adoptive parents may apply.)The certificate will be issued within 7 days from the date of application.
(If any documents are missing, a request for correction will be made, and the application date will reset to the date of completion.)
7. Contact Information
Adoption Information Disclosure Support Division, NCRC
📧 Email: familysearch@ncrc.or.kr
☎ Phone: +82-2-6454-8649
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Below: Original Korean Notice.
