I started my other blog with the goal of posting about life as a married immigrant in Korea. However, I couldn’t really update it as much as I wanted to although I’ve thought of so many topics to post. There is a section for the “married immigrant” or people like us who’ve chosen to marry and live in Korea.
I once posted before that when I first came here, it was quite difficult for me to find information about living here as a married woman. “Altair”, whom I met on Pinoyexchange almost seven years ago before I even got married, was my source of information about Korean life. My husband is a good source too, but then he’d mostly focus on the culture and traditions rather than practical day-to-day living. He also didn’t know that there are government programs for married women. Duh!
Anyway, I’m thinking of merging the two blogs as I don’t have as much free time now. The “Married Immigrant” section of that blog contains info on Acquiring F-2, F-5 and Korean nationality. I have posted about the Mother-Child Welfare program of the Korean government and the National Basic Livelihood System. There is also a Reminder to Married Immigrants.
Fellow Pinay bloggers in Korea also have posted information useful for those planning to get married to or are already married to Koreans. Visit their sites for more info.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Have you seen this?
http://www.allkpop.com/index.php/full_story/the_philippines_love_kpop/
first time here…nice blog
may´s last blog ..Bible Bearer
It must be hard for you being married in another country. What are you thoughts on how it would be to be a Korean woman married in the phillipines?
hi, im working here in dubai and planning to have days stopover in korea before ill go home in Philippines.would that be allowed or what are the things i should prepare or must process to go there.i have a cousin married to korean for 3 years now.ty so much a 15
hi! ms. betchay ^^
). even though i am not a married migrant and just a plain filipina student in korea, i can truly relate to your experience of discrimination here. when i first came her in 2006, i was shocked on how koreans looked at filipinos. i’ve always thought that they are less discriminating that western people, but d*mn…i was wrong. people would often ask me, what are u doing here in korea? are u married to a korean? (in a condescending manner). i also had a teacher (yes, a Korean TEACHER for foreign students) who once told me that “you know, i don’t understand why filipinas would like to marry koreans. in my opinion, koreans are for koreans only.” (and then he goes to congratulate an american for finally tying the knot with a korean girl … in my face!). wow! my heart breaks every time i hear stories of our kababayans who are continuously being look down upon by koreans. and hey, i am not generalizing that all koreans are like that. there would always be good koreans.
i’m an avid fan for your blog. actually i came across your blogsite while doing a research paper for filipina married migrants. and i would say that your blog is indeed helpful for all filipinas in korea (and for researchers like me as well
anyway, i just would like to share some stories and thank you, ms. betchay for your blog posts. salamat po! mabuhay ang mga Pilipino!
Hi Katherine! I think you should return the question to her like: “Seriously, I don’t know why Koreans would like to marry Filipinas? They even flew to the Phils. In my opinion Pilipinos are for Pilipinos only. Period”.
I honestly believe that your teacher is an obnoxious kind of individual who’s life only revolves around his own narrow way of thinking. He is a perfect example of how mean can some people get.
This is a democratic country and your voice should be heard. Say something that might keep their big mouth close… and oh never be afarid of these roaches, ok
*** oopsss… daming typo! sorry for the booboos…
hi ms. betchay. i have some questions regarding marriage(korean-filipino) and others too. i don’t have any friends here in korea, i hope u could help me answer all my questions. my email is pinaskorea@yahoo.com. thank u
hi! i just have aquestion. hmmmm…
as i’ve gone through your blog it seems very informative for me and i just have this thing going oni n my mind that maybe you could help me find the answers to my question(s). i have stayed in korea for 3 years, it has been on and off since i regularly go back to our homeland (philippines). i had a korean boyfriend for 8 years but we have separated and now i’m in a relationship again with a korean lad. to cut the story short, we plan to get married any time soon, probably in january or february next year. i have been trying to locate the website of korea emabssy in makati however, i end up landing on weird sites (is the site really…phl.mofat.go.kr?) i don’t know. anyway, i’ve checked almost all the sites that i think i need but i just couldn’t get enough out of them. i just want to know the exact requirments on getting a marriage visa to korea and i wonder what the exact procedures are that i (or i and my future husband) should go through when i apply for a marriage visa. my boyfriend is now in korea, he just left the philippines last november. but our plan is he’d come back for our marriage and then we both leave for korea right after i get the visa or perhaps he’d go first and i ‘d do the things needed to be done. could you please help me?
Hi Ivy! I had the info on my other blog – that I couldn’t access anymore! Anyway, I’ll try to find the backup and post it tonight.
thank you so much ms. betchay!
i’ll be checking this site out again tonight.
and thank you for the quick response, really appreciate it.^^
ivy´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at
hi Ivy,sorry i don’t know your email ,that’s why i am writing you thru betchay’s blog…
if you’re going to get married in the philippines,your husband-to-be should first get a singleness certificate from the korean embassy in makati,that’s the first requirement when you get married there.to get that singleness,he needs to present there at the embassy his family census(호적등본 or 호적증명서)from his local govt office(동사무소) here in korea..he has to file it personally (daw)pero noong kami ng asawa ko e ako ang nagfile sa korean embassy..and pre-requisite daw these days na dapat ay at least 14days na nandyan sa pinas ang korean..kasi nga ang daming matched marriages dito.if you know someone from your locale,baka pwedeng makiusap sa mayor or judge na kung pwede kayo ikasal agad.kasi may time requirement pa rin yata kahit civil wedding e..pag nai file na yung marriage certificate mo ng local govt sa NSO,doon mo naman pupuntahan di ko alam kung ilang araw naman hintayan,kasi pre-requisite naman yung marriage certificate mo sa embassy to get your visa..it needs to be valid ..but before you can get a visa,of course you need to have a valid passport..the visa will be realeased 7days upon filing..i guess you will get F-1 or F-2 visa.di ko sure kung magkano o kung may bayad ba..
yun lang Ivy ang maii-share ko for now..
thank you so much Ning for responding to my query. the singleness certificate required by the embassy signifies that he is actually single in korea before getting married to me or to anybody or it’s just a proof that he’s really not married to anyone( in korea). right? so, does it really have to be that he should first go to the korean embassy to apply for the singleness certificate before getting married in the philippines? does it mean that when he comes here in the philippines, he should have already brought with him his family census from his local government in korea and then he or he and i can go to the korean embassy in makati to apply for the singleness certificate. after that, if we have already arranged a wedding , we get married and then file for a marriage certificate then bring the marriage certificate to the embassy of course with a valid passport and some id pictures. is that right?
hmmmm…i’ve heard and read that there’s this thing called cfo seminar and they said that it lasts for 2 days, there’s also an interview when applying for the marriage visa and that they require some wedding pictures ( which i don’t really mind, but i just wonder because if they really need it then i should bring some of those with me when i apply) and do they really need a certain statement or certificate showing one’s financial capacity. are these all true? if they are, then how are they done? i mean which comes first and which comes next? i wonder how long will all this take to get a visa because my boyfriend (future husband) needs to know how long should he ask for a leave from work.
ivy´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at
hi ivy! sorry i couldn’t put up a post last night… went home at around 11PM! anyway, ate ning is right, your fiance needs to apply for a certificate of singleness (proof that he’s free to marry) first that he could get at the korean embassy… then you should go to your city hall and apply for marriage license and attend a marriage counseling seminar… you need to wait 10 days for your license to come out before you can actually get married…
after the wedding… bring the marriage certificate to the embassy and apply for the spousal visa… the consul will interview you… then wait for an NSO copy of your marriage certificate… your husband should translate it and register in Korea… when your husband had send you his register bearing your name as his wife, bring that to the embassy and they will process your visa… it will only take 3 days… you won’t need to show any financial documents since you are married to a korean…
while waiting for your NSO or other papers, go to the CFO and take the seminar… when you get your visa, bring that to the CFO and they will place a sticker on your passport… do not lose the CFO certificate… some immigration official at the airport are strict about this…
your fiance should be in the philippines for AT LEAST 3 weeks…
thank you very much ms. betchay! sorry for the delayed reply. uhhmmmm…i understand now.
however, i won’t be getting married anymore. anyway, it’s a long story. sorry for bothering you about the marriage thing. but who knows, it will still be useful for me in the future and for other filipinas out there.
instead, i’ll be going back to korea to continue my masters in chung ang university.
i’d like to meet you someday if you wouldn’t mind. i’m very much interested in your site and i hope i could keep on learning more from you (not about marriage this time …^^).once again, thank you.
ello po kababayan,
I juz need some information bout korea, hope anyone here can help me.
1. Cost of leaving?
– How much do I need to spent everyday for food? transpo? accomodation and evrything?
How much do i need for 1 month?
Thanks and Best Regards ,
Lemuel
Hi!
Can I ask you if what agency in Korea that will help me answer my question regarding the status of my fiance.He said that he is divorced but I dont think he is. I was so terribly down because I found out that he’s ex-wife is pregnant with his baby but never admitted it. I really dont want to ruin a family.
I will appreciate your help.
Thank you!
hello always i liked marry with korean man.i love kore and culture of korea.i am single now.can i marry in korea?please answer to me