KOREAN DOCUMENT TRANSLATION
Korean Death Certificate Translation for USCIS
A certified translation of a Korean death certificate (사망진단서 (Samang Jindanseo / Death Diagnosis Certificate)) for USCIS costs about $15–25 and is delivered in 24–48 hours, with a signed Certificate of Accuracy that meets 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). Translation HelpDesk uses native Korean-speaking specialists, and if USCIS rejects our translation we fix it free and cover your resubmission fee.
Updated July 11, 2026 · Reviewed by Victor Luján, Founder — certified translations since 2018
WHAT WE TRANSLATE
The Korean Death Certificate (사망진단서 (Samang Jindanseo / Death Diagnosis Certificate))
In South Korea only a physician, dentist, or oriental-medicine doctor may certify a death, so the primary record is the 사망진단서 (Death Diagnosis Certificate) issued by the treating hospital; when a body is examined without prior treatment, an identical form titled 시체검안서 (postmortem examination report) is used. It is a standardized Ministry of Health and Welfare form, typically one A4 sheet whose top half is the death report and bottom half the medical certificate. After the family files the 사망신고 (death report) within one month at a 주민센터, the death is entered as a marginal note in the decedent's 기본증명서, generating a 폐쇄기본증명서 (closed Basic Certificate) — which USCIS also accepts as proof of death. We translate the physician's cause-of-death coding, the hospital and doctor's license seal, and the decedent's 주민등록번호, romanize the name to match other filings, and certify whichever version you hold — the medical 사망진단서 or the family-register 기본증명서 — for USCIS.
WHO ISSUES IT
Where Your Korean Death Certificate Comes From
In South Korea, civil-status records come from the 가족관계등록부 (Family Relations Register), administered by the Supreme Court of Korea and issued through local Si/Gu/Eup/Myeon government offices. South Korea has been a party to the Hague Apostille Convention since 2007, so its public documents are authenticated with a single apostille — issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Overseas Koreans Agency for government-issued civil records and by the Ministry of Justice for court and notarized documents — rather than U.S. embassy consular legalization. Full South Korea apostille & authentication guidance →
USCIS REQUIREMENTS
How USCIS Wants Your Korean Death Certificate Translated
For your Korean death certificate, USCIS requires a complete English translation of everything on the page — the issuing office’s details, seals, and any marginal notes included — plus a signed certification of accuracy under 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). Machine translation cannot sign that certification. We reproduce the document's exact layout so an officer can compare it line by line against your Korean original.
WATCH OUT FOR
Common Korean Death Certificate Pitfalls
Korean death certificates use medical and cause-of-death terminology that must be rendered precisely, and the decedent has to be clearly identifiable to support a widow(er) or prior-marriage claim.
Native Korean Specialist
A native speaker of your document's language handles it — not a generalist or a machine.
Format-Matched to the Original
The original layout, seals, and stamps reproduced in position.
USCIS Acceptance Guaranteed
If USCIS rejects it citing the translation, we fix it free and cover your resubmission fee.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Korean death certificate translation cost?
A standard Korean death certificate is typically $15-25 total, certified and formatted, delivered in 24-48 hours. Pricing is $0.05 per word; longer or multi-page documents are quoted exactly before you pay.
Is your Korean death certificate translation accepted by USCIS?
Yes. Every translation includes a signed Certificate of Accuracy meeting 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3). If USCIS rejects it citing the translation, we correct it free and reimburse your resubmission fee.
How will my Korean name appear in the translation?
Korean names are written surname-first and can be romanized several ways (Kim/Gim, Lee/Yi/Rhee, Park/Bak). We match the romanization on your passport and other USCIS documents, then note the Korean original — heading off the name-discrepancy RFEs that commonly trip up Korean cases. A free 250-word sample lets you confirm the spelling before we finish.
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