NEW! How To Use Your Original Korean Passport or Travel Certificate Number For Birth Family Search - And To Check If Your Korean Citizenship Was Properly Revoked At The Time of Your Adoption.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be sure to READ this ENTIRE PAGE before either visiting a Gucheong Center (구청) or a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption, as this process can be complex.

There is a LOT of interrelated information on this page which you will need to know before requesting documents from a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea or from a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption .

Important Related Pages:

What Do The Terms “Passport”, Travel Certificate, and Visa mean for Korean Adoptees? 

Update - September 3rd, 2024:
Please be sure to read the NEW page linked below to understand the differences between a “Passport”, Travel Certificate, and Visa for Korean Adoptees:

What Do The Terms “Passport”, Travel Certificate, and Visa mean for Korean Adoptees? 

Also please see:

Korea’s Evolving Travel Document System

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Please Note: Please see the section at the bottom of this page titled:

”The Korean Dual Registry System”

This section is important for ALL Adoptees to read, but is particularly important for those Adoptees who are (or have been) IN REUNION with their Korean birth family.

Published September 1st, 2024:

NOTE: We know all of these various Number Types which we discuss on this page are CONFUSING. Basically just be sure that BEFORE you go to Korea or to a Korean Consulate in your home country, to CLEARLY PHOTOCOPY and / or PHOTOGRAPH the COVER AND ALL INTERIOR PAGES of your original Travel Document (“Passport” or Travel Certificate) that you had at the time of your adoption.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Depending on which Korean Consulate you visit and which consulate worker you deal with that day, you MAY be REQUIRED to bring your ACTUAL original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate from the time of your adoption.

We understand that not everyone has their original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate. If you DO NOT have your actual original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate, take what you have - whether that is a copy of the document, or a printed FOIA page which references the “PASSPORT” Number of your document. (Please note that FOIA is only for US Adoptees). For US Adoptees who DO NOT have their original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate nor any copies of this document, you can file a FREE FOIA Request. Please be sure to READ the ENTIRE page CAREFULLY BEFORE you file a FREE FOIA request:

FOIA Request For US Adoptees

Also please see the related section far below on this page titled:

”FOR US ADOPTEES:How To Identify Your Original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate Number And Issue Date In Your FOIA Documents”

Unfortunately, the FULL original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate is usually NOT completely replicated in your FOIA documents. What the Korean Government refers to in your FOIA documents as the “PASSPORT” Number is NOT the “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number which you may be REQUIRED to have in order to request your REAL Registration documents through a Korean Consulate.

Please be sure to read the section far below on this page titled:

”Visiting A Korean Consulate In The US (Or Other Western Country) To Request Korean Registration Documents Connected To Your “Passport” or Travel Certificate Number/s”

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If you have an older document from the 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s where there is a number with NO LETTERS or a number beginning with “T”, “R” or “MB” punched into the cover with little holes, we recommend also taking a photograph of this document HELD UP TO THE LIGHT so that the number can be CLEARLY SEEN. *For those with small rectangular paper Travel Certificates (some may be light green, some may be yellow or white), you have to UNFOLD the document, then HOLD IT UP TO THE LIGHT to see the punched in number at the top.

If you DO NOT have your original Korean Travel Document (“Passport” or Travel Certificate) and you DO NOT have any COPIES of it, then US Adoptees should see the information at the BOTTOM of this page about how to file a FREE FOIA request and how to IDENTIFY their “Passport” Number from their many FOIA documents once their request has been fulfilled. Be sure to take a copy of your FOIA documents which reference your “PASSPORT” Number when you go to Korea or a Korean Consulate. If you are not a US Adoptee, you will have to find out other methods of obtaining access to your original Korean Travel Document (“Passport” or Travel Certificate) if possible.

Basically you don’t want to get to Korea or a Korean Consulate, only to realize you don’t have the numbers that they can use to help you obtain more information about your history.

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We recently learned that the original Korean Passport / Travel Certificate Numbers of Korean Adoptees are tied to specific documents which can be obtained through a Gucheong Center (구청) OR through a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption.

(*Please note that we may sometimes refer to a Gucheong Center (구청) as a “Gu Office”).

*Please see the section “Known Korean Passport / Travel Certificate Numbers for Korean Adoptees By Year Of ISSUE, 1950s-2000s” at the bottom of this page to help you identify your Korean Passport / Travel Certificate Number.

*PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE NOT IMMIGRATION EXPERTS! We use the term “Passport” and “Travel Certificate” colloquially (in common language) to refer to the front cover TEXT on the KOREAN TRAVEL DOCUMENTS that Korean Adoptees traveled on from Korea to their Western country of adoption at the time of their adoption. Because the style / look of these travel documents CHANGED over time, and because these travel documents may alternately say “Passport” or “Travel Certificate” on the cover, we refer to these travel documents as the “Korean Passport / Travel Certificate”. A few examples of these documents are below. Please look through your documents to locate your Korean Passport / Travel Certificate. If you do not have this document and are a US Adoptee, you can file a FREE FOIA request - be sure to request your ALIEN FILE.

*Please note that even though your original Korean Travel Document may alternately say “Passport” or “Travel Certificate” on the front cover, that NEITHER of these documents were true Passports, in the sense that the travel documents used by the Korean Government for Adoptees were just ONE WAY EXIT documents, which would NOT have allowed us to travel BACK to Korea. So even if your Korean travel document says “Passport” on the cover, in actuality it was just a one way “Travel Certificate”.

*Please note that, depending on the context, the Korean Government will likely think of / refer to your “Passport” / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID number as a “PASSPORT NUMBER”.

A Gucheong Center (구청) is a higher up government office than a Jumin Center (주민센터). A Gucheong Center (구청) apparently has a department that deals with PASSPORT related issues.

*There are apparently at least 3 major orders of Korean Government offices, ranked from largest to smallest:

시청 SiChong - City Hall
구청 Gucheong - District Office
주민센터 Jumin center - For Local Residents

You can find these Korean Government offices even on Google Maps - just pinpoint a location in Korea where you want to search, then enter the Korean text from above into a “Nearby” location, for example we entered “구청” (to find Gucheong / District Offices) and several locations will appear on Google Maps. In this example, we first selected Seoul as our location to find NEARBY 구청 (Gucheong / District Offices) - but you can choose another city or area as your starting point to find NEARBY government offices. Be sure to use the KOREAN text to find NEARBY locations of these government offices.

You can try the same for 시청 (SiChong Offices) and 주민센터 (Jumin Centers).

To learn how to use Jumin Centers (주민센터) for birth family search, please see:

Pro-Active Birth Family Search Tips for KSS (Korea Social Service) and ALL Korean Adoptees (see Tip 1A for info on Jumin Centers):
https://www.paperslip.org/birth-family-search-tips-1

Please read ALL of the information below CAREFULLY BEFORE acting on this information. If you are NOT prepared with your documents and current ID, then this will NOT work. Doing this would require taking a Korean translator with you to a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea, or visiting a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption.

The Adoptee who advised us about this tip was able to obtain their own Household Registration (새대별주민등록표) and Hojuk (호적) using their own original Korean Passport Number / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID Number at a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea.

This Adoptee says that other numbers on the original Korean Passport or Travel Certificate are also connected to documentation in Korea. For this reason it’s best to take photos / copies of the COVER AND EVERY INTERIOR PAGE of your original Korean Passport or Travel Certificate when you visit a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea or a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption.

How To Obtain Your Household Registration (새대별주민등록표) and Hojuk (호적) Using Your Original Korean Passport Number / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID Number At A Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea OR Through A Korean Embassy In Your Country. 

We owe a debt of gratitude to a generous non-KSS Adoptee for the following information:

*IMPORTANT NOTE - Please be sure to read the section towards the bottom of this page titled:

”The Korean Dual Registry System”

*The section mentioned above is an ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT to read for Adoptees who are IN REUNION with Korean birth parents.

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PRACTICAL PREPARATORY STEPS:

Anytime you visit government offices or police stations in Korea OR a Korean Embassy in your Western country of adoption, be sure to take your ACTUAL CURRENT WESTERN passport (so that officials can confirm your identity) AND COPIES of your original KOREAN passport or Travel Certificate which you had when you were first adopted. (We are not sure if a Korean Embassy would require you to have your ACTUAL Korean Passport, but be prepared that they might require this). Be sure to pre-identify your Passport Number / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID Number, which, depending on the year of ISSUE of your travel document, may be styled in one of the following ways:

#1234, #12345; 12345; T.12345; MB 1234, MB 12345, MB 123456; R 12345, R 123456, R 1234567; 12345, 123456, 1234567; TC 1234567, etc.

This passport number may appear on the front cover of your Passport or Travel Certificate, or it may be punched into the front cover with little holes. It may alternately be typed on the interior pages of your Passport or Travel Certificate.

It’s best to photocopy ALL pages of your original Korean Passport or Travel Certificate AND the front cover with the Passport Number / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID Number - IF this number is punched into the cover with little holes, it’s best to ALSO photograph the document held up to the LIGHT so that the number can be CLEARLY SEEN.

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How to obtain your Household Registration (새대별주민등록표) using your original Korean Passport Number / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID Number at a Gucheong (구청) center in Korea:

In addition to the Hojuk (호적), there's a second vital registration type of document that adoptees should request from Korea, which is the Household Registration (새대별주민등록표) document. The Family Register/ Hojuk (호적) establishes familial relationships, while the Household Registration (새대별주민등록표) documents living status to both related OR unrelated individuals. This record can encompass caregivers, extended family members, and in the case of adoptees - orphanages, foster homes, and other temporary care arrangements.

You can request a copy of the Household Registration (새대별주민등록표) through the Korean Embassy in the Western receiving adoptive country, or from the Jumin (주민센터) or Gucheong (구청) centers in Korea. However, the Household Registry / Registration (새대별주민등록표) MUST be requested by the KOREAN DOCUMENT NAME or it will NOT be released. If you have not yet received a copy of your Hojuk (호적), you should request BOTH documents when making your request.

You do NOT need to obtain these documents from your KOREAN Adoption Agency. Your Korean Adoption Agency has typically withheld the Household Registry from records provided to adoptive parents, adoptees, and receiving country immigration agencies. 

The easiest way to access these records is by locating the National ID Number (for Adoptees who arrived to their receiving countries in the late 1980s, 1990s, 2000s) or Passport Number / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID Number (for Adoptees who arrived to their receiving countries in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, early 1980s) on your original Passport or Travel Certificate from Korea. It usually looks like a Passport, but for older adoptees, your Travel Certificate may be a paper document (see examples at the top of this page). Depending on when you were adopted, the ID number can be located in the punched numbers on the cover, following your documented birthdate, or directly listed as "National ID". The "National ID" will NOT likely appear on documents for older Adoptees who arrived to their receiving countries in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, or early 1980s, though of course check your documents.

ID numbers were likely only included on travel documents for Adoptees who arrived to their receiving countries in the late 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s - but of course, check to see if your passport says “National ID”.

To learn how to identify your Passport Number / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID Number please see:

Korea’s Evolving Travel Document System:
https://www.paperslip.org/koreas-evolving-travel-document-system

(*More information will be added here to help you identify this number. Please see the examples at the top of this page).

Please note that older Adoptees from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s may have the Passport Number / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID Number handwritten or embossed on the cover, or it may be punched into the front cover of their travel document with little round holes - in which case, the document has to be held up to the light in order for the number to be read clearly.

Please note that younger Adoptees from the later 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s may have the Passport Number / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID Number typed onto an INTERIOR page of their document.

If you do NOT have your original Korean Passport or Travel Certificate and you are a US Adoptee, you can obtain a copy by first placing a FOIA request with US Customs and Immigration Services in the US. *Please note that a FOIA request can take several MONTHS to process.

*For US Adoptees who file a FOIA request: Please note that when you receive a copy of your Korean Passport or Travel Certificate, you will NOT receive the document reproduced in full. You will however be able to identify the “Passport Number” which is usually listed next to a black and white photocopy of the baby / child photo used for your Korean Passport or Travel Certificate. Look for text that says “Passport Number”. This number can be hard to find unless you know what to look for specifically. An example will be added here to help you identify this number).

If you are Australian, you can obtain a copy of your original Korean Passport or Travel Certificatefrom your Territory Office in Australia. 

Once you have your Travel ID number from your original Korean Passport or Travel Certificate:

1. Contact the Korean Embassy or Consulate in your receiving adoptive country if living abroad, or the local Jumin (주민센터) or Gucheong (구청) Center if living in Korea.

2. Ask for ALL records associated with your ID number. Request the  Household Registry / Registration (새대별주민등록표) and Family Register/ Hojuk (호적) specifically by their KOREAN names.

   1. It’s wise to bring printed copies / printed photgraphs of the FRONT COVER AND ALL INTERIOR PAGES of your Passport or Travel Certificate!

   2. If your Passport Number / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID Number is punched into the front cover with little round holes, hold the document up to the LIGHT and take a clear photograph so that the number is clearly legible.

3. Once you have obtained your hojuk and household registration, you should compare both documents and check for any inconsistencies between the two. 

4. The government office in Korea can also tell you if you are still registered as a member of your Korean Adoption Agency’s Household Registry. You should have been removed from their household registry as soon as your foreign citizenship was reported to the Korean government by your Korean Adoption Agency when you were sent abroad. 

If you are still listed as a member of your Korean Adoption Agency Household Registry:

1. Verify that your Korean citizenship status as it may NOT have been properly cancelled. For men, this is especially important as it may have implications for mandatory military service in Korea. Though adoptees sent abroad are exempt from compulsory service, you may need to take additional steps to ensure that your exemption was properly documented. 

2. Remove your name from your Korean Adoption Agency’s Household. You can establish your own registry, if living in Korea. For overseas adoptees, the Korean Consulate should be able to advise on next steps for removal of your name from your Korean Adoption Agency’s registry. Some adoptees have discovered that the Korean Adoption Agency has updated the adoptee's household information multiple times over several decades, without their knowledge or consent.

If you are unable to obtain your Household Registration or Hojuk, keep a record of when you requested your documents, along with the date of the response received and who provided it. These are identity establishing documents in Korea. Even if your identity was falsely reported / falsified, you still have registered personhood when these documents are provided to the government. The absence of these documents may prevent you from obtaining other important information and services that others are entitled to. If you discover this is you, then seeking advice from an immigration attorney is recommended. 

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The person who shared this information with us said that when they requested and received their Household Registration (새대별주민등록표) and Hojuk (호적) based on their PERSONAL ID Number at a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea there were two notable things:

Their Household Registration (새대별주민등록표) contained the (partly redacted) names and birthdates of their "cribmates" from their (non-KSS) Korean Adoption Agency. And it also listed the various places where they had been moved to / housed.

The Hojuk (호적) may indicate from the Gucheong Center (구청) - (NOT from the adoption agency) whether or not one had really lost Korean citizenship or not at the time of adoption.

They say the "PERSONAL NUMBER" is the Korean "NATIONAL ID" Number.

NOTE: This is about what we know, as with all things, everyone may have different experiences in requesting / obtaining information this way. It's never about ONE person's experience, it's about MANY peoples' experiences over time as they attempt to get this information. One never knows what one will get, and this may be different depending on the person.

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Related Links:

FOIA for US Adoptees:
https://www.paperslip.org/foia-request-for-us-adoptees

Korea’s Evolving Travel Document System:
https://www.paperslip.org/koreas-evolving-travel-document-system

Known Korean Passport / Travel Certificate Numbers for Korean Adoptees By Year of ISSUE, 1950s-2000s:

The Years Indicated are the Passport / Travel Certificate ISSUE DATE:

The Korean Government CHANGED the style of the numbering / lettering system it used for Korean Adoptee Passports / Travel Certificates over time. Prior to Paperslip’s original research, most Korean Adoptees were not aware of these numbers on their travel documents. Prior to September 2024, we were not aware of their significance for birth family search - we are indebted to a non-KSS Adoptee for this very helpful tip.

Below is a short summary original research on Korean Adoptee Passports / Travel Certificates from the 1950s - 2000s. For our complete research please see:

Korea’s Evolving Travel Document System

Please note that our research is based on limited data, and that we do not currently have much data for the 2000s. However, you can use this as a GUIDE to determine YOUR Korean Passport / Travel Certificate Number, so that you can use this number at a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea or at a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption to obtain your Household Registration (새대별주민등록표) and Hojuk (호적) by their KOREAN names.

Find the DATE OF ISSUE on your Korean Passport or Travel Certificate, then check the list below to see WHICH STYLE of number we are calling the “Passport / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number”. (Please note that earlier Korean Passports / Travel Certificates may not list “Issue Date” but may only list a “Date”). THIS is the number you need for the Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea or at a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption. However, if possible, be sure to take copies of the FRONT COVER AND ALL INTERIOR PAGES of your ORIGINAL Korean Passport / Travel Certificate when you visit a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea or a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption. If the
Passport / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number is punched into the front cover with little holes, then you should ALSO take a good quality photo of your document held up to the LIGHT, so that the number is clearly visible. You don’t want to get to Korea or to a Korean Consulate only to realize you can’t read the number from your photocopy!

Younger Korean Adoptees may ALSO have their NATIONAL ID listed on their Korean Passport or Travel Certificate. This is an important number to show any Korean government officials IF you have this number. Older Korean Adoptees (from the 1970s and prior) are NOT likely to have a NATIONAL ID on their Korean Passport or Travel Certificate, but one never knows - individual cases may vary.

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Known Korean Passport / Travel Certificate Numbers for Korean Adoptees By Year of ISSUE, 1950s-2000s:

The Years Indicated are the Passport / Travel Certificate ISSUE DATE: 

1950s:

*Please note that prior to original Korean Travel Documents ISSUED in the 1980s, we do not believe that we see “Personal Numbers” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Numbers listed on these documents. However, please note that we have not done much research into “Personal Numbers” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Numbers for Korean Travel Documents ISSUED in the 1950s, so we may be mistaken.

In the 1950s, the type of “Passport” / Travel Certificate Number we DO see is what we refer to as the “Passport” / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number. These types of numbers appear on ALL “Passports” / Travel Certificates ISSUED between the 1950s-2000s.

1956: #1234 numbers (#4 digit numbers)

1957 - 1958: 12345 (5 digit numbers with NO LETTERS)

1959: No Data

1960s:

*Please note that prior to original Korean Travel Documents ISSUED in the 1980s, we do not believe that we see “Personal Numbers” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Numbers listed on these documents. However, please note that we have not done much research into “Personal Numbers” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Numbers for Korean Travel Documents ISSUED in the 1960s, so we may be mistaken.

In the 1960s, the type of “Passport” / Travel Certificate Number we DO see is what we refer to as the “Passport” / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number. These types of numbers appear on ALL “Passports” / Travel Certificates ISSUED between the 1950s-2000s.

1960-1961: T12345 (T 5 digit numbers)

1962: No Data 

1963-1964: T.12345 (T 5 digit numbers)

*1965 - 1974: MB1234 / MB12345 / MB123456 numbers (MB 4, 5, 6 digit numbers)

1970s:

*Please note that prior to original Korean Travel Documents ISSUED in the 1980s, we do not believe that we see “Personal Numbers” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Numbers listed on these documents. However, please note that we have not done much research into “Personal Numbers” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Numbers for Korean Travel Documents ISSUED in the 1950s, so we may be mistaken.

In the 1970s, the type of “Passport” / Travel Certificate Number we DO see is what we refer to as the “Passport” / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number. These types of numbers appear on ALL “Passports” / Travel Certificates ISSUED between the 1950s-2000s.

*1965 - 1974: MB1234 / MB12345 / MB123456 numbers (MB 4, 5, 6 digit numbers)

1975-1978: R123456 (R 6 digit numbers)

1979: No Data 

1980s:

*Please note that in the 1980s in addition to the “Passport” / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Numbers, present on ALL “Passports” / Travel Certificates ISSUED between the 1950s-2000s, we ALSO begin to see 7 digit (ex: 1234567) “Personal Numbers” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Numbers listed to the IMMEDIATE RIGHT of the Birthdate. There does NOT appear to be any identifying text to indicate that this 7 digit number (ex: 1234567) is a “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number. However a Korean Consulate worker in the US CONFIRMED in September 2024 to a US Adoptee whose Passport” / Travel Certificate was ISSUED in the 1980s that this 7 digit number (ex: 1234567) to the immediate right of her Birthdate IS INDEED her “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number.

1980: R123456 (R 6 digit numbers)

*January 1981 - At Least September 1981: Oddly, there was a change sometime in LATE 1981 from an R 6 digit passport number to a 7 digit passport number with NO LETTERS.

*1982: *1982 is also an anomaly year compared to previous years which used R 6 digit passport numbers. We think the Korean Government may have RESET the Korean Passport number at least for Adoptees, as suddenly in 1982, some Korean Adoptees have 5 digit passport numbers with NO LETTERS.

*1983: In 1983 the Korean Government appears to have begun to use TC 7 digit passport numbers, at least for Korean Adoptees. We do not know if TC 7 digit numbers were also used for non-Adoptee Korean nationals, but TC is a known / non-secret Korean passport code. 

1984-1986: TC 1234567 (TC 7 digit number)

1987: No Data 

1988: TC 1234567 (TC 7 digit number)

1989: No Data 

1990s:

*Please note that in the 1990s in addition to the “Passport” / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Numbers, present on ALL “Passports” / Travel Certificates ISSUED between the 1950s-2000s, we ALSO CONTINUE to see 7 digit (ex: 1234567) “Personal Numbers” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Numbers listed to the IMMEDIATE RIGHT of the Birthdate. There does NOT appear to be any identifying text to indicate that this 7 digit number (ex: 1234567) is a “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number. However it has been confirmed by a Korean Consulate worker in September 2024 that this is INDEED the “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number.

1990: No Data

1991: TC 1234567 (TC 7 digit number) and 7 digit “PERSONAL Number” (1234567) listed to the immediate right of the Birthdate. *This is presumed to be the format for all Korean Adoptee “Passports” / Travel Certificates ISSUED in the 1990s.

1992: TC 1234567 (TC 7 digit number)

1993-1995: No Data 

1996: TC 12345678 (TC 8 digit number)

1997-1999: No Data 

2000s:

*Please note that in the 2000s in addition to the “Passport” / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Numbers, present on ALL “Passports” / Travel Certificates ISSUED between the 1950s-2000s, we ALSO CONTINUE to see 7 digit (ex: 1234567) “Personal Numbers” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Numbers listed to the IMMEDIATE RIGHT of the Birthdate. In the 2000s, there DOES appear to be identifying text which says “PERSONAL NO.” to indicate that this 7 digit number (ex: 1234567) is a “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number.

2000 - No Data
*2001 - 1234567 (7 digit number with NO LETTERS and 7 digit PERSONAL NUMBER which is the Korean NATIONAL ID Number )
2004: No Data
2005: TC 1234567 (TC 7 digit number and 7 digit PERSONAL NUMBER which is the Korean NATIONAL ID Number)
2006-Present: No Data 

Please Note That You Are MOST Likely To Have A “Personal Number” -Which Is The SAME THING As Your Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number -(Likely 7 Digits, ex: 1234567) IF Your Original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate Was ISSUED In The 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s.

Please See The Examples of “Passports” / Travel Certificates Issued In The 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s BELOW To Help You IDENTIFY 2 Different Types of Travel Document Numbers:

1) “Personal Number”/ Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number

2.) “Passport” / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number

IF You Are A Korean Adoptee Whose Original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate Was ISSUED In The 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s, Please Note That You May NOT Have A “Personal Number”/ Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number Listed On Your Original Korean Travel Document.

You WILL However Have A “Passport” / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number Written Or Punched Into The Cover Of Your Document With Little Round Holes.

For YOUNGER Korean Adoptees Whose Original Korean “Passports” / Travel Certificates Were ISSUED In The 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s:
Check Your “Passport” / Travel Certificate To See If A “PERSONAL NUMBER” Appears On Your Document! This Is Your Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number. These (Likely 7 digit, ex: 1234567) Numbers May Be HARD TO FIND If Your Document Was ISSUED In The 1980s or 1990s! It Will Most Likely Be To The Immediate RIGHT Of Your Birthdate!
Please See Document Examples Below.

Example Travel Document:
Korean Adoptee “Passport” / Travel Certificate ISSUED in 2005 at time of Adoption.

Graphic above: Example Travel Document: Korean Adoptee “Passport” / Travel Certificate ISSUED in 2005 at time of Adoption. (Thank you to the Adoptee who allowed us to share this document).

Note the 7 digit TC Number (example: 1234567) which is what we call the: “Passport” / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number.

Note the 7 digit “PERSONAL NUMBER” (example: 1234567) which is what is called in Korea the “NATIONAL ID” Number.

Depending on the ISSUE Date of your original “Passport” / Travel Certificate from the time of your adoption, your travel document may have similar or different types of numbers.

If you have a “PERSONAL NUMBER”, which is your “NATIONAL ID” Number on your original “Passport” / Travel Certificate, you should be able to request your Household Registration (새대별주민등록표) and Hojuk (호적) using your own original “NATIONAL ID” Number or your Korean Passport Number / Travel Certificate Number / Travel ID Number at a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea or through a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption.

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NOTE: We know all of these various Number Types which we discuss on this page are CONFUSING. Basically just be sure that BEFORE you go to Korea or to a Korean Consulate in your home country, to CLEARLY PHOTOCOPY and / or PHOTOGRAPH the COVER and ALL INTERIOR PAGES of your original Travel Document (“Passport” or Travel Certificate) that you had at the time of your adoption.

If you have an older document where there is a number beginning with “R” or “MB” punched into the cover with little holes, we recommend also taking a photograph of this document HELD UP TO THE LIGHT so that the number can be CLEARLY SEEN.

Basically you don’t want to get to Korea or a Korean Consulate, only to realize you don’t have the numbers that they can use to help you obtain more information about your history.

*Important NOTE For 1980s Adoptees: Your Original Korean Travel Document WILL Likely Have Your Likely 7 digit (1234567) “Personal Number” (Korean National ID Number) Printed NEXT To Your Birthdate.

HOWEVER The Text “PERSONAL NUMBER” Will Likely NOT Appear There To Identify It As Such.

Younger KSS Adoptees from the 1980s:

We just learned from two Adoptees from the 1980s that their original Korean Travel Documents ("Passports" / Travel Certificates) DO have their Personal Number typed onto an interior page NEXT TO THEIR BIRTHDATE, but WITHOUT the identifying text "PERSONAL No. / Personal Number". 

In other words IF your original Korean Travel Document was ISSUED in the 1980s, you may have a likely 7 digit "Personal Number" (with no letters) next to your Birthdate (to the right of your birthdate). However there may be no identifying text that SAYS "Personal Number", you may just have a 1234567 type of number next to your birthdate. This IS your PERSONAL NUMBER. 

Please note that this number (likely a 7 digit number) IS your PERSONAL NUMBER, which is the SAME thing as your Korean NATIONAL ID Number. 

This number is DIFFERENT from what we call the "Passport" / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number. 

We believe that both your PERSONAL Number and your "Passport" / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number can be used at a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea (or possibly through a Korean Consulate in your home country) to obtain your Household Registry / Registration (새대별주민등록표) and Family Register/ Hojuk (호적) IF requested specifically by their KOREAN names.

*Update: BEFORE visiting Gucheong Center (구청) or Korean Consulate in your Western Country of adoption, please be sure to READ the section below titled:

”Visiting A Korean Consulate In The US (Or Other Western Country) To Request Korean Registration Documents Connected To Your “Passport” or Travel Certificate Number/s”

*Important NOTE For 1990s Adoptees: Your Original Korean Travel Document WILL Likely Have Your Likely 7 digit (1234567) “Personal Number” (Korean National ID Number) Printed NEXT To Your Birthdate.

HOWEVER The Text “PERSONAL NUMBER” Will Likely NOT Appear There To Identify It As Such.

Younger KSS Adoptees from the 1990s:

We just learned from an Korean Adoptee from the 1990s that their original Korean Travel Document ("Passport" / Travel Certificate) DOES have their Personal Number typed onto an interior page NEXT TO THEIR BIRTHDATE, but WITHOUT the identifying text "PERSONAL No. / Personal Number". 

In other words IF your original Korean Travel Document was ISSUED in the 1990s, you may have a likely 7 digit "Personal Number" (with no letters) next to your Birthdate (to the right of your birthdate). However there may be no identifying text that SAYS "Personal Number", you may just have a 1234567 type of number next to your birthdate. This IS your PERSONAL NUMBER. 

Please note that this number (likely a 7 digit number) IS your PERSONAL NUMBER, which is the SAME thing as your Korean NATIONAL ID Number. 

This number is DIFFERENT from what we call the "Passport" / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number. In the example graphic above, the "Passport" / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number is the TC1234567 number.

We believe that both your PERSONAL Number and your "Passport" / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number can be used at a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea (or possibly through a Korean Consulate in your home country) to obtain your Household Registry / Registration (새대별주민등록표) and Family Register/ Hojuk (호적) IF requested specifically by their KOREAN names.

*Update: BEFORE visiting Gucheong Center (구청) or Korean Consulate in your Western Country of adoption, please be sure to READ the section below titled:

”Visiting A Korean Consulate In The US (Or Other Western Country) To Request Korean Registration Documents Connected To Your “Passport” or Travel Certificate Number/s”

*Important NOTE For 2000s Adoptees: Your Original Korean Travel Document WILL Likely Have Your Likely 7 digit (1234567) “Personal Number” (Korean National ID Number) Printed NEXT To Your Birthdate. There likely WILL Be Identifying Text Which Says “PERSONAL No.” Above Your “Personal Number”. This Is Your Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number.

For US Korean Adoptees Who Do NOT Have Their Original Korean “Passport” or Travel Certificate.

For those US Korean Adoptees who do NOT have their original Korean “Passport” or Travel Certificate, and do NOT have any copies of this document, you can file a FREE FOIA request which will help you to obtain a record of your original Korean “Passport” or Travel Certificate Number.

Please READ this entire page CAREFULLY BEFORE filing a FREE FOIA Request. Be sure to request your ALIEN FILE or you will NOT obtain ALL possible documents:

FOIA Request For US Adoptees

FOR US ADOPTEES:
How To Identify Your Original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate Number And Issue Date In Your FOIA Documents.

This can be tricky, as your original Korean “Passport” or Travel Certificate will NOT be reproduced in FULL in your FOIA documents. The easiest thing to do is to look for a black /white photocopy of your BABY / CHILD PHOTO. Usually to the right of the photo will be SMALL text that says “PASSPORT” and beneath that is your original “Passport” or Travel Certificate Number. 

Where it says “ON” this is the ISSUE DATE of your original “Passport” or Travel Certificate.

Please recall that ALL Korean Adoptees originally traveled on TRAVEL CERTIFICATES at the time of adoption - however, the FOIA form will say “PASSPORT” Number. This is a reference to EITHER your original “Passport” or Travel Certificate Number.

This is the number that you can use at a Gucheong Center (구청) or at a Korean Consulate in your Western home country to obtain the Korean documents discussed at the top of this page.

IF you do not have copies of your ORIGINAL Korean Travel Documents (“Passport” or Travel Certificate"), please be sure to take a COPY of your FOIA documents which show your PASSPORT information, as well as your adoption documents AND your CURRENT Passport when you go to a Gucheong Center (구청) or at a Korean Consulate in your Western home country to request your ousehold Registry / Registration (새대별주민등록표) and Family Register/ Hojuk (호적) by their KOREAN names.

Request Your Hojuk (호적) From A Gucheong Center (구청) OR Through A Korean Consulate In Your Western Country of Adoption To Confirm That You Are No Longer A Korean Citizen.

Over the years we have been surprised to hear several anecdotal stories from Korean Adoptees who have discovered that, much to their surprise, their KOREAN CITIZENSHIP was NEVER REVOKED at the time of their adoption. The normal process SHOULD have been that Korean Adoptees would acquire citizenship in their Western country of adoption, and thus LOSE their Korean citizenship. However, there are cases where, for whatever reason, the Korean citizenship of an Adoptee was NEVER ACTUALLY / PROPERLY REVOKED.

Therefore, one IMPORTANT reason to officially request your Hojuk (호적) from a Gucheong Center (구청) OR through a Korean Consulate in your Western Country of Adoption (even if you already have a copy of this document from your adoptive parents, who likely received a copy of it at the time of your adoption - or through FOIA) is to CONFIRM that you are NO LONGER A KOREAN CITIZEN. We received the following advice from the Adoptee US Immigration expert:

”Adoptees should still verify their officially registered Hojuk (호적). If there is a big, BLACK “X” on the left side of the document, their Korean citizenship was registered as REVOKED. If there is NO “X”, they are STILL registered as a Korean citizen.”

*Please note that you should request your Hojuk (호적) from a Gucheong Center (구청) OR through a Korean Consulate in your Western Country of Adoption, and NOT from your Korean Adoption Agency - at least not for this specific purpose of confirming your loss of Korean citizenship at the time of your adoption.

The Korean Dual Registry System.

It appears to be that Korea used TWO DIFFERENT Registration systems for their citizens:

1) A REAL ONE for citizens who would reside permanently in Korea and who were acknowledged by their family. The REAL ONE is called:
“Family Relationship Certificate (Detailed)” / “가 족 관 계 증 명 서 ( 상 세 )”

2) A FAKE ONE for citizens who were NOT administratively acknowledged and registered by their family. This group became paper orphans, fully stripped off from their Korean family lineage. The FAKE ONE is called:
Household Registry / Registration (새대별주민등록표)

Please note that it is STILL WORTH REQUESTING your “FAKE” Household Registry / Registration (새대별주민등록표) and Hojuk (호적) from a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea.

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This dual registration system has been known to some Adoptees, but not broadly to the community. If you would like to request BOTH Registries:

*You will need to go to TWO DIFFERENT Gucheong (구청) Centers / Offices. They will ONLY give you ONE registration per office!

1) REAL: “가 족 관 계 증 명 서 ( 상 세 )” / “Family Relationship Certificate (Detailed)”

*Please NOTE: If you request this REAL document, you should NOT make it known that you are an Adoptee.

Some Adoptees who have DNA matches confirming relationship to birth parent/s have still NOT been able to obtain the real Registration records - even WITH their Korean birth parents present to give consent. It is luck of the draw - Adoptees’ experiences may vary. If you do not have luck with one place, we recommend that you go to another. Such is Korea. This is the case not only for Adoptees, but also for expats (expatriates) who have changed their names. You must have documents proving that your name matches the one in the REAL Family Registry - “가 족 관 계 증 명 서 ( 상 세 )” / “Family Relationship Certificate (Detailed)” - in order for them to release it. 

AND 

2) FAKE: The Household Registry / Registration (새대별주민등록표) + Hojuk (호적)

Visiting A Korean Consulate In The US (Or Other Western Country) To Request Korean Registration Documents Connected To Your “Passport” or Travel Certificate Number/s:

Update - September 9th, 2024

*Please note that IF you are able to visit KOREA and go to a Gucheong Center (구청) then we think that this would be BETTER than going to a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption. However, if you are NOT able to go to Korea, then you can also request your Korean Registration documents at a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption.

*IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be sure to read this ENTIRE PAGE before either visiting a Gucheong Center (구청) or a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption, as this process can be complex.

Please note that the Korean Consulate REQUIRES your “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number in order for you to request Korean Registration documents connected to this number. We have so far only found reference to this “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number on the original Korean Travel Documents (“Passports” / Travel Certificates) ISSUED in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. We have NOT found any examples of a Korean Adoptee’s “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number on such documents which were ISSUED in the 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s. If you have your original Korean Travel Document or a copy of it FROM ANY ISSUE YEAR, please be sure to CHECK this document for your “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number. Please read sections above this page about HOW TO IDENTIFY this elusive number if your Travel Document was ISSUED in the 1980s, 1990s, or 2000s.

If you are a Korean Adoptee whose “Passport” / Travel Certificate was ISSUED in the 1950s, 1960s, or 1970s and your document does NOT have any reference to a “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number (which it will likely not) you can still TRY to visit a consulate with your original or copies of the COVER and ALL pages of your original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate, after you IDENTIFY the “Passport” / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number - which we discuss earlier on this page as having a STYLE which EVOLVED / CHANGED over time. To help you identify your original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate Number, please see the section toward the top of this page titled:

”Known Korean Passport / Travel Certificate Numbers for Korean Adoptees By Year of ISSUE, 1950s-2000s”

However, we think it’s likely that you will only be able to request Korean Registration documents IF you have a “Personal Number” / Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number. Your experiences may vary. All you can do is TRY at a Korean Consulate with the information you HAVE. Please read this ENTIRE PAGE to be as prepared as possible when you visit a Korean Consulate to try to request Korean Documents connected to your original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate Number/s.

IMPORTANT for those who DO NOT have their original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate or any copies, but DO have FOIA documents:

Please note that unfortunately US FOIA documents with a reference to your original Korean “Passport / Travel Certificate” likely DO NOT have a reference to your “Personal Number” / Korean NATIONAL ID Number, EVEN IF your ACTUAL original Korean “Passport / Travel Certificate” DID have your “Personal Number” / Korean NATIONAL ID Number listed. Your FOIA documents will often ONLY reference your “Passport Number” which is NOT the same thing as your “Personal Number” / Korean NATIONAL ID Number. Your “Passport” Number is what we discuss in the section toward the top of this page titled:

”Known Korean Passport / Travel Certificate Numbers for Korean Adoptees By Year of ISSUE, 1950s-2000s”

The US Korean Adoptee who recently visited the Korean Consulate in Chicago was told that she could ONLY use her “Personal Number” / Korean NATIONAL ID Number to request / obtain her Korean Registration document. In her case, she fortunately DOES HAVE her original Korean Travel Document - “Passport” / Travel Certificate - so she was able to successfully make a request for her Korean Registration document.

We DO NOT KNOW if a Korean Adoptee who does NOT have their “Personal Number” / Korean NATIONAL ID Number, but DOES have their Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate / Travel ID Number would be able to get their Korean Registration document/s from a Korean Consulate in their Western country of adoption OR PREFERABLY from a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea. We appreciate if Korean Adoptees report their experiences back to us, so that we can inform others! Please emai us at paperslipadoptee@gmail.com if you TRY this process, and would like to share your experiences with others.

We recommend still TRYING at either a Korean Consulate in your Western country of adoption OR PREFERABLY at a Gucheong Center (구청) in Korea using WHATEVER documentation of your original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate that you HAVE. Individual experiences may vary, so it can’t hurt to try using what you have got.

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A non-KSS / US Korean Adoptee recently visited the Korean Consulate in Chicago, Illinois (US) to request her Korean Registration documents connected to her original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate from the time of her adoption. Her original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate was ISSUED in the 1980s, and her “Personal Number” - which is the SAME thing as her Korean “NATIONAL ID” Number - is typed to the IMMEDIATE RIGHT of her BIRTHDATE on her Travel Document, but does NOT have text to identify it as her “Personal Number” or “NATIONAL ID” Number. This appears to be the case for the Travel Documents which were ISSUED in the 1980s for other Korean Adoptees.

Below is her report on her experiences, shared with her permission:

She took her CURRENT passport for ID (you may be able to take a Drivers License if you do not have a passport - we don’t know if this would be accepted as valid ID, but assume so) and her ACTUAL original Korean Travel Document - “Passport” / Travel Certificate - to see if she could get either her:

1) REAL “Family Relationship Certificate (Detailed)” / “가 족 관 계 증 명 서 ( 상 세 )”

OR her:

2) FAKE Household Registry / Registration (새대별주민등록표) and Hojuk (호적)

Below is what she wrote to us (we have paraphrased / added info to make it more clear):

”So I just finished my appointment at the Korean Consulate in Chicago. A few things to note:

I was told that the only document that I could apply for was the REAL ONE: “Family Relationship Certificate (Detailed)” / “가 족 관 계 증 명 서 ( 상 세 )”.

The FAKE household registry - Household Registry / Registration (새대별주민등록표) - and Hojuk (호적) are not available.”

*Paperslip Note: Please see the section above this one titled “The Korean Dual Registry System” for more info.

”Your Korean ID number (“PERSONAL Number” / Korean NATIONAL ID Number) is REQUIRED to apply for the “Family Relationship Certificate (Detailed)” / “가 족 관 계 증 명 서 ( 상 세 )”. Without the Korean ID Number they cannot even submit the application. My Korean ID number from my original Korean Travel Document (“Passport” or Travel Certificate) ISSUED in the 1980s was the 7 digit number next to my BIRTHDATE in my original Korean “Passport” / Travel Certificate.

The application is fully in Korean and almost all of it needs to be filled out in Korean with the exception of your current address, reason for request and signature.  The consulate employee was kind enough to fill out the Korean parts for me and walk me through where to fill out my address, reason and signature. 

They CAN take PHOTOCOPIES of original documents, so I believe copies (of your original Korean Travel Document - “Passport” or Travel Certificate - should be fine. Take ORIGINALS if possible though! I did need to use their computer to print out one page of my FOIA documents (visa application) showing the name change from (former name) to (current name), and they were fine with that being a copy. They did also need my marriage certificate to prove name change from (maiden name) to (married name). They did specifically request my CURRENT passport as ID, though I didn’t ask if state ID would have been sufficient.

He said that it would be 3-5 business days to process, and he would call me to let me know when they hear back.”

Non-Adoptee Korean National “Resident Registration” Numbers.

Read about the usually 13 digit “Resident Registration” Numbers for Non-Adoptee Korean Nationals here:

Resident registration number (Wikipedia)

These usually 13 digit “Resident Registration” Numbers for Non-Adoptee Korean Nationals are the numbers which typically Korean Adoption Agencies claim not to have collected / recorded from Korean birth parents when they relinquished their child/ren for adoption. It’s only in rare cases that Korean Adoptees are able to obtain such “Resident Registration” numbers for a birth parent. IF an Adoptee who is NOT already in reunion is able to obtain a “Resident Registration” number for a birth parent, please know that you can work with Korean Police in Korea (in person) to see if they can locate your birth parent in their National Database, to which every major Police Station’s “Missing Person’s Unit” has access.