Korea F-6-1 marriage-visa guide

A Korean citizen living in Korea sponsors; their US-citizen spouse applies for the F-6-1 marriage-migration visa at a Korean consulate in the US. On the fastest verified path the whole run takes about 45–55 days from the day you order the FBI check. Throughout, “you” is the applicant and “your spouse” is the Korean sponsor.

Worked example: start on 17 August and the fastest path lands you in Korea in early October.

The gate question — is your marriage on Korea's family register? V-01

Every US-mission F-6 checklist conditions the application on the marriage already being registered in Korea. The controlling proof is your spouse's 혼인관계증명서(상세) — Certificate of Marriage Relation (Detailed) — showing you as their spouse (배우자), issued within 3 months of submission. Your US marriage certificate alone is not enough to apply.^HOU-F6^NY-F6

Ask your spouse today: (a) in which country was the marriage legally concluded? (b) does the applicant already appear as 배우자 on a freshly issued 혼인관계증명서(상세)? your spouse can pull it in minutes at efamily.scourt.go.kr (free).

Your branch

Branch A — married in the US, NOT yet in the Korean register.

Fastest fix (Route A-1): you order 2 certified copies of your county marriage certificate → courier one to your spouse (1–3 days) → your spouse prepares a Korean translation (translator's name/contact/signature; no notarization stated) → your spouse files the foreign-method 혼인신고 alone at their city office with the 혼인신고서 + the US certificate + translation + a copy of your passport. One spouse may file alone.^EASY-MR Open mechanics — whether the desk wants an apostille, days until the register reflects, and which marriage date gets recorded — are unresolved: V-13 (your spouse calls their 시(구)청 before you mail anything). The consulate route (A-2, ≈2 weeks + transmission to Korea, original not returned) is slower — use A-1.^HOU-MR Filing later than 3 months after the marriage risks only a fine ≤₩50,000; validity is unaffected — file regardless.

Branch B — married via Korean 혼인신고.

Already (or imminently) on the register; no US-side registration exists or is needed (the US keeps no registry of foreign marriages). Your spouse issues a fresh 혼인관계증명서(상세) inside the 3-month window and you proceed straight to documents. Three checks before you rely on it: ① it is the 상세 (detailed) version; ② you appear as 배우자 with romanized name and date of birth exactly matching your passport (a mismatch is a known supplement/rejection trigger — fix it before filing); ③ because of the 3-month validity window, have it re-issued free, same day at efamily.scourt.go.kr in the same week the application package ships.

Branch C — "married on paper" but registered NOWHERE.

You are not yet married for F-6 purposes. Complete a valid marriage in ONE jurisdiction first (Korea-method with you absent requires your signed 신고서 + a single-status-affidavit equivalent — exact formalities unresolved, V-14), then run Branch A or B.

Done: your spouse pulled a fresh 혼인관계증명서(상세) and we know our branch (A / B / C).

The whole process at a glance

Nine things have to happen. Most of them run at the same time as each other — only two are true handoffs. Open any row for the short task list; the detailed sections are linked from inside.

1 The confirmation gate Both Today Done when the three facts that steer everything are settled: the certificate matches your passport, your county is confirmed, and your spouse's questionnaire is in.

Your spouse pulls a fresh 혼인관계증명서(상세) and checks your romanized name and date of birth against your passport, character by character (branch gate).
Confirm your county + ZIP against the DFW list — it decides Houston mail-in vs Dallas in person (V-02).
Your spouse completes the intake questionnaire on their page.
Check your passport has ≥6 months validity; renew now if it expires within ~10 months.
Send the Houston question batch in ONE email — V-08, V-21, plus the gray-county question if you live in Hood, Somervell or Delta (§22).

2 Your US documents You Weeks 1–2 Done when the apostilled FBI certificate, the health certificate and the signed forms are all in your hands.

Register on edo.cjis.gov and get fingerprints captured — target day 2–3 (D09).
Send the result for the federal apostille by DC walk-in drop-off, ≈5 business days — this is the clock everything else waits on (D09).
Book and complete the health exam; the certificate is valid 6 months (D10).
Fill the visa e-form and get the 35×45 mm photo (D01).
Print and hand-sign D01, D06 and D07 (§6).
Never send the FBI check to the Texas SOS and never notarize it — both break the chain.

3 Your spouse's Korean documents Spouse Week 2, one sitting Done when one complete pile is stacked and ready to ship.

They issue every certificate in the same week so all the 3-month windows stay aligned.
efamily: 혼인관계증명서 · 가족관계증명서 · 기본증명서, all 상세 with full RRN (D16–D18).
정부24: 주민등록등본 with every household member and full RRN (D19).
홈택스 소득금액증명 and credit4u 신용정보조회서 (D22, D23).
iros 등기부등본 or the lease, for the housing requirement (D27).
건강진단서 and 범죄경력증명서 (D31, D32).
They wet-sign 초청장 and 신원보증서 and dates them that week (D20/D21).

4 Relationship evidence Both Alongside everything — finish in week 2 Done when the pack is printed. Hard cap: 5 A4 pages.

Build one timeline of 8–12 dated bullets: first contact → first meeting → visits → engagement → legal marriage → 혼인신고 (§12).
Choose 10–16 captioned photos, 6–8 per page, spanning the whole relationship — not 20 near-identical shots from one trip.
Add objective co-presence proof: passport stamps, itineraries, your spouse's I-94 history.
Align the 결혼배경진술서 narratives — you write D06 and your spouse writes D20 separately, and they must not contradict each other.
Add communication evidence per the §11 track.
Every date and place must match across D06, D20, the pack, your passport stamps and the 혼인관계증명서.
Print it. Nothing here ships between you.

5 The international shipment Spouse → you Ship end of week 2 · lands ~day 13 · sync point ① Done when the envelope is in your hands. This is the only physical merge in the whole project.

Everything the checklist wants as an original goes into ONE consolidated courier envelope (§15).
FedEx / UPS / DHL International Priority, 1–3 days.
Ship only after every 3-month item has been issued in the same week.
Keep full scans of every page before the envelope is sealed.
Track it; do not split the shipment.

6 Submitting the application You Day 15–19 · sync point ② Done when tracking shows delivered, or you have the receipt in hand.

Assemble against the application-day checklist and clear the DO-NOT-SUBMIT gate.
Money order for the $45 visa fee — cash or money order only, no card.
USPS Express to Houston with the prepaid trackable return envelope.
If you are DFW-resident: book g4k and go in person — no proxy, no mail (§13).
Scan the complete package before it leaves your hands.

7 The review Both — low activity Weeks 3–7 · about 30 days Done when the portal shows a decision.

Check visa.go.kr weekly — Houston gives no status by phone (§17).
Answer any 보완요청 in days, not weeks. One round adds 2–4 weeks and is the main tail risk.
Keep your email (D01) and your spouse's phone (D20) monitored daily — that is how a request arrives.
Your spouse can re-issue most Korean-side certificates the same day.
If ~5–6 weeks pass with no movement, email the visa desk quoting the receipt number.

8 Visa and entry You ~Day 45–55 Done when you have landed in Korea.

Visa Grant Notice around day 45–55 with your passport back — the notice IS the visa, there is no sticker (§17).
Verify on it the day it arrives: name, passport number, date of birth, status F-6-1, single entry, 90-day period of stay.
Book the flight inside the entry deadline — about 3 months from issuance.
File the e-Arrival Card within 72 hours before arrival (§18).
Pack the must-carry list in your cabin bag, not the hold.

9 After you land Both Within 90 days of entry Done when you are holding the residence card.

Book the HiKorea appointment the night you land — slots are scarce (§19).
외국인등록 within 90 days of entry — the penalty for missing it is severe.
File the 체류기간 연장 with the registration in one visit, before the 90-day stay expires.
Your spouse files 전입신고 within 14 days if you move into their household.
Any later move: 체류지 변경신고 within 15 days.
Carry the 외국인등록증 once it is issued.

Reference — everything in detail

Every section of the full system, folded. Open only what you need; printing opens all of it.

The plan: landing in Korea about 45–55 days after you start

Almost nothing here runs in series. Your side and your spouse's side are fully independent — nothing of theirs needs your wet signature and nothing of yours needs theirs — so the entire project has only two sync points: ① your spouse's single courier envelope reaching you at the end of week 2, and ② you submitting the assembled application around day 15–19. One chain sets the date; everything else floats alongside it with slack. Day 0 is the day you order the FBI check.

The serial chain: FBI check → federal apostille (DC drop-off) → into the package → submit → ~30-day consular review

Parallel lanes, week by week

When	You — applicant lane	Your spouse — sponsor lane
Week 1 — Day 0–7No sync point. Nothing here blocks anything else.	You Register on edo.cjis.gov and get fingerprints captured — target day 2–3. This starts the only chain that sets the date. Line up the DC drop-off now — a trusted person in Washington or a courier service. Single biggest lever on the whole timeline (V-10). Book the health exam (D10). The certificate is valid 6 months, so early is safe. Confirm your county + ZIP (V-02) — this decides Houston mail-in vs Dallas in person. Check your passport has ≥6 months validity. Start the visa e-form (D01) and get the 35×45 mm photo (D02).	Spouse Fill in the intake questionnaire on their page. Pull a fresh 혼인관계증명서(상세) and check your romanized name and date of birth against your passport, character by character — a mismatch is a known 보완요청 trigger. Check their ≥1-year English-country stay evidence (communication track, §11) and any §2-EX exemption facts. Draft 초청장 / 신원보증서 and the 결혼배경진술서 narrative — you two align the story over chat. Nothing ships for this. Send the Houston question batch in ONE email: V-08, V-21, plus the gray-county question (V-02) if you live in Hood, Somervell or Delta.
Week 2 — Day 8–14Both lanes run at full speed, independently.	You FBI result arrives — days on the eDO route. Federal apostille via the DC walk-in drop-off, ≈5 business days — target in hand by ~day 11.^DOS-AUTH Health exam done; certificate into the file. Print and hand-sign D01, D06, D07.	Spouse Batch-issue every certificate in one sitting during week 2 — efamily (D16–D18), 정부24 (D19), 홈택스 (D22), credit4u (D23), iros (D27). Same-week issuance keeps all the 3-month windows aligned. Wet-sign 초청장 and 신원보증서 (D20/D21) and date them that week. Send the ONE consolidated courier by the end of week 2 — FedEx / UPS / DHL International Priority, 1–3 days (§15).
End of week 2	Sync point ① — the envelope lands with the applicant. This is the only physical merge in the entire project.
Week 3 — Day 15–21	You Final assembly against the application-day checklist (§16), including the DO-NOT-SUBMIT gate. $45 money order (D05). USPS Express to Houston with the prepaid trackable return envelope (D14) — or the g4k reservation (D15) and an in-person visit if you are DFW-resident.	Spouse Nothing blocking. They work the arrival side in parallel: housing readiness, the 외국인등록 document list, a flight shortlist on refundable fares.
Day 15–19	Sync point ② — application submitted. Everything after this runs on the consulate's clock.
Weeks 3–7 — review, ~30 daysBoth lanes parallel and mostly idle on the application itself.	You Check visa.go.kr weekly — Houston gives no status by phone. Answer any 보완요청 in days, not weeks. One round adds 2–4 weeks and is the main tail risk. Wrap up US-side life logistics.	Spouse Same 보완요청 discipline on the Korean-side items — they can re-issue most certificates the same day. Continues arrival prep.
~Day 45–55	You Visa Grant Notice around day 45–55, passport returned. Confirm the flight and fly (§18). On landing the post-arrival lane starts (§19): 외국인등록 within 90 days of entry; any later address change within 15 days.	Spouse Has the housing and registration paperwork ready for the week they land.

Honest read: the fast end of that range works only on the fast path — Branch B (confirmed above), the apostille started this week on the DC drop-off route, and no 보완요청; the verified fastest run is 45–55 days, the expected run is 65–90 days, and a mailed apostille instead of the DC drop-off pushes the landing out by roughly three to five more weeks.

Tick your actual actions in §1 below — this section is the schedule they roll up to. Full leg-by-leg durations and the three scenarios are in §14.

ACTION REQUIRED FIRST — confirm your exact residential address (city + county + ZIP) V-02

Nothing else can be locked in until this is answered. Your address — as it appears on your Texas driver's license / lease — decides:

Which office you apply to: all of Texas files at the Consulate General in Houston, except the DFW metro counties, which must file at the Dallas Consular Office.^DAL-JUR
Whether you can mail your application: Houston accepts mail-in (USPS Express + prepaid return envelope) — Dallas is in person only, no proxy, no mail, with DFW residence proof checked at the desk; non-DFW residents are refused outright.^HOU-F6^DAL-F6
What residence proof you need (driver's license copy for mail; originals shown at Dallas).

DFW counties per the Dallas jurisdiction page (13): Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Hunt, Wise, Hood, Somervell. The Dallas F-6 post's English list instead includes Delta and omits Hood/Somervell — an official-vs-official conflict (C-1). If you live in Hood, Somervell or Delta county, do not guess — email the Dallas office first (V-16). Whether a DFW resident may choose Houston mail-in instead is also unconfirmed (V-17).^DAL-JUR^DAL-F6

Done: I confirmed my county against the list above and know my controlling office (Houston / Dallas / gray-zone → V-16 sent).

§1What you need to do today (Day 0)

§3Verdict — the correct visa is 결혼이민 F-6-1 (Spouse of a Korean National)

Statutory basis: 「출입국관리법 시행령」 별표 1의2 (F-6 결혼이민); issuance requirements 「출입국관리법 시행규칙」 제9조의5.^EASY-F6 Sub-code F-6-1 (spouse, marriage validly registered in Korea, intending marital cohabitation in Korea) fits you exactly. F-6-2 (child-rearing) does not apply — no child on the case facts. F-6-3 (marriage severed) does not apply and is not issuable at overseas missions anyway.

Plans that were considered and rejected

Enter Korea visa-free and change status there → REJECTED. Mission pages state short-term entrants cannot change to F-6 in-country except narrow humanitarian exceptions (pregnancy/childbirth/child-rearing) — you have no exception facts. The current 2026 MOJ manual text on those exceptions is unconfirmed (V-19) — but do not build a plan on it.
C-3 / visa-free visit: lawful for a visit, not a residence path. Stay in the US during the application window — your passport will be with the consulate for ~a month anyway.
F-1 or other family statuses: not for spouses of Korean nationals.

What the consul actually examines

Under 시행규칙 제9조의5: genuineness of the relationship and marital intent; a validly formed marriage; your spouse's 5-year prior-invitation history; income; communication; housing; mutual health/criminal disclosure. Issuance is discretionary ("공관장 재량 발급"). Sponsor-side statutory bars (presumed clear — verify at intake): inviting a different foreign spouse within 5 years; unspent domestic-violence/sexual/violent/homicide records (10-year clock) or a false 혼인신고 (5-year clock). Applicant-side: no published bar list, but a live Korean entry ban (출입국관리법 제11조) blocks issuance — if you ever overstayed in Korea, check your 입국규제 status first (V-33).^EASY-F6

Which rulebook controls what: the Houston consulate's own F-6 checklist post (작성 2025-08-21 / 수정 2026-01-01 / 갱신 2025.12.31) controls submission mechanics; MOJ/Korea Immigration national instruments (시행규칙 제9조의5; 법무부고시 제2025-534호) control eligibility. If you turn out to be a DFW-county resident, the Dallas post (수정 2026-04-08) controls mechanics instead.^HOU-F6^DAL-F6^GOSI-534

§4Jurisdiction decision tree (Texas, August 2026)

All of Texas → Houston Consulate General, EXCEPT the DFW metro counties → Dallas Consular Office (a branch of Houston). No part of Texas belongs to any other Korean mission.^DAL-JUR

Where do you reside (per TX driver's license / lease)? │ ├─ DFW counties — jurisdiction page (13): Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, Denton, │ Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Hunt, Wise, Hood, Somervell │ (Dallas F-6 post's English list instead: …Delta, without Hood/Somervell │ → CONFLICT C-1) │ → Dallas Consular Office, 14001 N. Dallas Pkwy, Suite 450, Dallas TX 75240 │ F-6: IN PERSON ONLY, applicant himself (no proxy), g4k.go.kr │ reservation, DFW-residence proof checked; non-DFW refused outright. │ ├─ Anywhere else in Texas (Houston, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, …) │ → Houston Consulate General, 1990 Post Oak Blvd Suite 1250, Houston TX 77056 │ F-6: in-person (g4k reservation) OR MAIL-IN (USPS Express + prepaid │ trackable return envelope) — mail-in removes appointments from the │ critical path entirely. │ └─ Hood / Somervell / Delta county → gray zone (two official pages disagree) → email Dallas BEFORE choosing → V-16.

Whether a DFW resident may choose Houston mail-in instead: unknown → V-17. Full addresses, hours, fees and holiday calendars: §13.

§5Registered official-vs-official conflicts (planning posture: the stricter reading)

These are places where two official sources disagree. Until answered, this system plans to the stricter reading and marks the item with its verification lock.

The five registered conflicts, source by source

ID	Conflict	Sources (scope, dates)	Planning posture
C-1	DFW county list: Hood/Somervell (jurisdiction page) vs Delta (Dallas F-6 post EN list, 수정 2026-04-08)	Both Dallas-office official pages^DAL-JUR^DAL-F6	V-16 if you live in one of these counties
C-2	Criminal-record validity: 3 months (Houston checklist table, 갱신 2025.12.31) vs 6 months + federal apostille (Houston 2023-03-31 notice; Dallas post 2026-04-08)	Same mission, different documents^HOU-F6^HOU-CRIM^DAL-F6	Treat as 3 months AND federal apostille required (stricter union) → V-08
C-3	Houston mail-in allowed vs Dallas in-person-only	Office-specific mechanics — not a true conflict	Channel follows the controlling office (V-02)
C-F1/C-F2	Houston checklist cites a phantom notice "제2025-135호" and a stale 8+-person increment of ₩5,541,738	Houston post vs law.go.kr revision history + 4 other missions^GOSI-534	Correct instrument: 법무부고시 제2025-534호; 8+ increment ₩5,755,188
—	US marriage certificate mandatory (Houston item 1-14) vs on-request (Chicago)	Houston controls for you → plan as mandatory in Branch A^HOU-F6^CHI-F6	Confirm scope + apostille/translation → V-06

§6Master document database (D01–D36)

Every document in the case, in one table: who gets it, how, what it costs, how fresh it must be, what formality it needs, and whether it physically ships. "3 mo" / "6 mo" = must be issued/written within 3/6 months of the visa application date. Set each row's status as you work — it saves locally and can be synced with your spouse's page. Rows with a red lock cannot honestly be READY until the named verification item is answered.

Status legend: Not started In progress Ready Verify Problem — the nine READY tests are in §20.

What you personally must produce: D01–D12, D14, D15 (visa e-form, photo, passport, fee, the two Houston forms, US marriage certificate, FBI check + apostille, health certificate, residence proof, return envelope, g4k reservation). your spouse sends you D16–D34; D13, D35, D36 are joint. The full table below carries the fees, freshness windows and per-row status pickers.

Reference — the full D01–D36 table (36 rows, filterable, with status pickers)

ID	Document	Whose	Required?	How to get it	Fee	Time	Freshness	Form / translation / apostille	Ships?	Depends on · notes
D01	Visa Application Form (e-form 별지 제17호서식, with barcode) 사증발급신청서	You	REQ	Fill the e-form on visa.go.kr → print in color → hand-sign (details: §7.1)	Free (fee is D05)	Same day	At submission	Original signed print; bilingual form; no apostille	No	Passport data final; your spouse's D16 data for spouse fields. Name must match passport MRZ exactly; status is checked only on visa.go.kr.^VISA
D02	Passport photo 35×45 mm (taken ≤6 months ago) 여권용 사진 1매	You	REQ (waived if e-form printed in color with embedded photo)	US photo counter — ask for "Korean visa 35×45" — or upload into the e-form	~$0–20	Same day	Photo ≤6 mo old	Original print, glued to D01	No	Size trap: US 2×2 in ≠ 35×45 mm. Get spares (3.5×4.5 cm) — reused at registration in Korea.^HOU-F6
D03	US passport — original, signed, ≥6 months validity 여권 원본	You	REQ	Renew via DS-82/online if expiring <~10 months out ($130; routine 4–6 wk, expedited +$60 2–3 wk + mail) — travel.state.gov	—	Renewal takes weeks	≥6 mo validity at application	Original surrendered ~1 month during review; returned with the Visa Grant Notice	US domestic mail only	Renewal FIRST if expiring. No travel while the passport is with the consulate.^HOU-F6
D04	Passport bio-page copy 여권 사본 1부	You	REQ	Photocopy	—	Same day	—	Photocopy	No	After D03 is settled.
D05	Visa fee US$45 비자 신청 수수료	You	REQ	Money order payable "Korean Consulate General" for mail-in; cash in person	$45	Same day	—	Cash or money order ONLY	No	Wrong payment form = package bounced.^HOU-EN
D06	Personal Details Form for a Marriage Migrant Visa (별지 제19호의3서식) 외국인 배우자의 결혼배경 진술서	You	REQ	Download from the Houston F-6 post (attachment 3), complete truthfully in English (Dallas: KR or EN), sign	Free	Same day	At submission	Original signed; prescribed English	No	Facts agreed with your spouse — dates consistent with D20/D13. Omissions delay/deny; false statements → ban + deportation exposure.^HOU-F6
D07	Checklist (confirmation sheet) for F-6 application 결혼이민 사증 접수 시 확인사항	You	REQ	Download (Houston attachment 2), check boxes — mark the 국제결혼 안내프로그램 rows 해당없음 (US is not a designated country) — sign	Free	Same day	At submission	Original signed; bilingual form	No	After your spouse's mutual-disclosure conversation is done.^HOU-F6
D08	US (Texas) marriage certificate — certified copy 결혼증명서 원본	You	REQ in Branch A (Houston item 1-14); n/a in Branch B	County Clerk of the recording county — in person (same day) / mail / online; order 2 copies (one for your spouse's 혼인신고)	~$10–25 per copy (county-varies)	Same day–2 wk	None stated by the checklist	County-certified copy = "original". Never notarize (public record). Apostille not stated for the visa; TX SOS $15 if ever needed (record <5 yrs). Korean translation + translator declaration only if used for the 혼인신고	Copy #2 → Korea (Branch A only)	Houston mandatory vs Chicago on-request. Cannot be READY until V-06 and V-13 answered
D09	FBI Identity History Summary + US Dept. of State federal apostille — CRITICAL PATH 범죄경력증명서 원본 (FBI) + 연방 아포스티유	You	REQ unless exemption (§2-EX below)	eDO at edo.cjis.gov ($18) + fingerprints (USPS capture ~$50 or FD-258 card) → DS-4194 + $20 to US DoS Sterling VA (mail) or DC drop-off (details: §7.2)	$18 + $20 (+ ~$50 prints)	FBI 1 d–3 wk; apostille 1–12 wk (volatile)	3 mo (stricter reading of C-2; 6-month texts exist)	Federal apostille, US DoS only. NEVER notarize (breaks the chain); NEVER send to the Texas SOS (auto-reject). Translation not stated → V-07	No	Start only inside the ~10-week window. eDO-PDF/channeler acceptability by DoS unknown (V-09); real turnaround unknown (V-10). Cannot be READY until V-08 and V-09 answered
D10	Health certificate — you (HIV/AIDS, STI, TB, mental-illness items) 건강진단서 원본 (신청인)	You	REQ unless exemption (§2-EX)	Any US hospital/clinic — signed letterhead letter covering the 4 items (equivalent-document rule; details §7.3)	~$150–450 (uninsured, est.)	2 d–2 wk	Issued ≤6 mo before application	Original; English accepted in practice → V-07; no notarization/apostille stated	No	Exemption check first. Prescribed form/test panel unknown. Cannot be READY until V-11 answered
D11	Proof of Texas residence (driver's license copy; lease) 거주지 증명	You	REQ-practical (jurisdiction); MANDATORY at Dallas	Copy of your TX DL in the mail package; originals shown at Dallas	—	Same day	Current	Copy (mail) / original shown (Dallas). Houston's notarized-copy rule is for non-citizens only — not you	No	Dallas refuses non-DFW residents. Cannot be READY until V-02 answered
D12	Statement of the foreign spouse's family income + proof 외국인 배우자의 가족소득현황 진술서	You	COND — only if income track ⑤ is used (your spouse short of threshold)	Consulate form (Houston table ② 2-12); attach US income proofs per consulate instruction	—	Days	At submission	Original; translation/notarization not stated	No	Do not rely on this track before the answer. Cannot be READY until V-24 answered
D13	Relationship-evidence pack, ≤5 A4 pages 교제 입증 서류 (교제사진·가족사진·SNS 대화 등)	Joint	REQ	Compile digitally per §12; you print it	Free	1–3 d	Recent	Prints; captions EN or KR recommended	No (digital transfer)	Narrative locked across D06/D20. HARD CAP 5 A4 pages.^HOU-F6
D14	Prepaid self-addressed trackable return envelope (USPS Express) 반송용 선불 봉투	You	REQ if mail-in (Houston route)	Buy a Priority Mail Express prepaid envelope — usps.com	~$32 (current rate — verify)	Same day	—	—	Inside the mail package	The consulate is not liable for lost mail — trackable both ways.^HOU-F6
D15	g4k.go.kr visit-reservation confirmation 방문예약 확인	You	REQ if filing in person	Book a per-service reservation at g4k.go.kr; no phone/email booking exists	Free	Lead time unknown → V-18	Booked date	Printout/screen	No	Which office first (V-02). Picking up a finished visa at Houston needs NO reservation.^HOU-RSV
D16	Certificate of Marriage Relation (Detailed) — shows you as spouse 혼인관계증명서(상세)	Spouse	REQ	efamily.scourt.go.kr free / 주민센터 ₩1,000 / kiosk ₩500 / Houston consulate $1 (details §7.4)	₩0–1,000 ($1 at consulate)	Same day (consulate 2–5 d)	Issued ≤3 mo before application	Printed issuance = original; Korean original to a Korean consulate — no translation/apostille	Yes (your spouse's single package) — or consulate fallback	The branch-gate document. 상세 version + full RRN; verify your name spelling/DOB vs passport. Consulate 상세/RRN capability unknown (V-22); PDF-reprint acceptability unknown (V-21).^EFAMILY^HOU-FR
D17	Certificate of Family Relations (Detailed) 가족관계증명서(상세)	Spouse	REQ	Same as D16	Same as D16	Same day	3 mo	Same as D16 — 상세, full RRN	Yes (same package)	—
D18	Basic Certificate (Detailed) 기본증명서(상세)	Spouse	REQ	Same as D16	Same as D16	Same day	3 mo	Same as D16	Yes	—
D19	Resident Registration Extract (full household; full RRN) 주민등록표 등본 원본	Spouse	REQ	정부24 free online / 주민센터 ₩400 (details §7.5)	₩0–400	Same day	3 mo	정부24 print with 문서확인번호 = original	Yes	전입신고 FIRST if your spouse is moving — the address must equal the housing-evidence address (D27/D28). Household composition on this document sets the income threshold (§9).^GOV24
D20	Invitation Letter for Foreign Spouse (income/asset declaration inside) 외국인 배우자 초청장	Spouse	REQ	Download from the Houston post (attachment 5), complete every field in Korean (해당없음 instead of blanks), wet-sign, date near shipping	Free	Same day	3 mo from 작성일 (date written)	Wet-signed original (safe course); prescribed Korean. Scanned-signature acceptability unknown → V-21	Yes	Income/asset figures must reconcile exactly with D22–D29; narrative consistent with D06/D13.^HOU-F6
D21	Letter of Guarantee (별지 제129호서식 layout) 신원보증서	Spouse	REQ	Download (Houston attachment 3), complete in Korean, wet-sign	Free	Same day	3 mo from 작성일 (treat same as D20)	Wet-signed original (safe course) → V-21	Yes	How to fill the 보증기간 (guarantee period) is unknown. Cannot be READY until V-23 answered
D22	Certificate of Income Amount (original) 소득금액증명 원본	Spouse	REQ (공통필수)	홈택스 instant issuance, Korean version, full disclosure — latest tax year (2025 assumed → V-25; details §7.6)	Free	Same day (08:00–22:00)	3 mo	Original print	Yes	The primary number tested against ₩25,195,752 (§9).^HOMETAX
D23	Credit Information Report 신용정보조회서 1부	Spouse	REQ (공통필수)	credit4u.or.kr (한국신용정보원) → identity verify → print. Dallas's "은행연합회" is the legacy issuer name — same document	Free	Same day	3 mo	Printed report	Yes	Screens debts for the net-asset rule (§9).^CREDIT4U
D24	Certificate of Employment 재직증명서	Spouse	ALT (wage-income track)	Employer HR, with company seal, inside the 3-month window	Free	1–5 d	3 mo	Original with company seal	Yes	—
D25	Wage-income withholding ledger/receipt 근로소득 원천징수부(영수증)	Spouse	ALT (wage-income track)	Payroll at current employer; 홈택스 print as backup	Free	1–5 d	— (shows tax year)	Original/print	Yes	Evidences current-year income beyond D22's tax year — include proactively if 2026 pay is higher (V-25).
D26	Business registration certificate copy (employer's; or your spouse's own if business income) 사업자등록증 사본	Spouse	ALT (wage/business track)	Ask HR, or self-print 사업자등록증명 at 홈택스	Free	Same day	—	Copy OK (checklist says 사본)	Yes (or scan-print — see V-21)	—
D27	Certified Copy of the Real-Estate Register 등기사항전부증명서 (등기부등본)	Spouse (you can self-issue as fallback)	REQ (housing; all tenure types) + asset/rental income	iros.go.kr → 발급(제출용) ₩1,000 — NOT 열람 ₩700 (view-only; details §7.8)	₩1,000	Same day	No explicit window — issue within 3 mo (safe) → V-29	Issued print, submission-grade	Yes	Housing address = D19 address; owner/lessee within the allowed names (§10). Anyone can issue by address — your fallback from Texas.^IROS
D28	Copy of lease contract 임대차계약서 사본 1부	Spouse	COND (rented 전세/월세; or family-leased)	Photocopy; lessee must be your spouse or their 직계가족·형제·자매	Free	Same day	Current contract → V-29	Copy	Yes	Name rule: §10.
D29	Bank balance certificate + 6-month transaction history 예금 잔액증명서·거래내역	Spouse	COND (asset track: items ≥₩1,000,000 held ≥6 months)	Branch/online at your spouse's bank	~₩1,000–2,000 each	Same day	3 mo (issue date); must evidence ≥6-month holding	Original	Yes	The account is frozen for the issuance day — plan around payment dates. 6-month seasoning must already be satisfied.
D30	your spouse's passport bio-page copy 한국인 배우자 여권 사본 1부	Spouse	REQ	Photocopy/scan — scan-print OK (copy by definition)	Free	Same day	Passport valid	Copy	Scan OK	—
D31	Health certificate — your spouse (AIDS·성병·결핵·정신질환 items; physician-signed) 건강진단서 원본 (초청인)	Spouse	REQ unless exemption (§2-EX)	병원급 hospital / 보건소 / civil-service-exam designated clinic — call ahead naming the purpose + 4 items (details §7.9)	~₩20,000–50,000 (est.)	Same day–1 wk	Issued ≤6 mo before application	Original; Korean; institution details + physician signature required	Yes	Prescribed-form question open. Cannot be READY until V-26 answered
D32	Criminal record certificate — your spouse 범죄경력증명서 원본 (초청인)	Spouse	REQ unless exemption (§2-EX)	crims.police.go.kr online print, or any 경찰서 민원실 (free)	Free	Same day–3 d	3 mo (C-2 stricter reading; 6-month texts exist)	Original; Korean	Yes	Scope (실효된 형)/purpose code/online-printout acceptability open. Cannot be READY until V-27 answered
D33	Communication-track evidence (couple's shared language — §11): your spouse's entry/exit fact certificate and/or personal statement; English test score 출입국에 관한 사실증명 / 자필진술서 / 영어 능력시험 성적	Spouse	REQ (ONE track) — likely track ② or ④	정부24 online (사실증명); statement self-written; test score if track ④	Free–test fees	Same day–weeks (test)	3 mo for the 사실증명 (general rule)	Original prints; English docs as-is	Yes	Track chosen per §11 tree. Statement-alone sufficiency and test thresholds unknown. Cannot be READY until V-28 and V-30 answered
D34	Official assessed-price sheet (real-estate valuation) 공시가격표	Spouse	COND (real-estate asset track)	realtyprice.kr printout, paired with D27	Free	Same day	Recent	Printout	Yes	—
D35	Introducer's ID copy 소개자 신분증 사본	Joint	COND (introduced by an acquaintance)	Photocopy from the introducer	Free	Days	—	Copy	Yes/scan	—
D36	Exemption evidence (child's certificates; ≥1-yr overseas-cohabitation proof; or your spouse's ≥6-month US stay proof: I-94, entry/exit records, utility bills…) 면제사유 입증서류	Joint	COND (only if claiming §2-EX / income exemption)	Per exemption ground — 정부24/efamily; CBP I-94; banks	Free	Days	Fresh	Originals/prints per ground	Yes	If an exemption applies, D09/D10/D31/D32 all fall away — the biggest schedule lever. Cannot be READY until V-03 answered

§2-EX — the health + criminal-record exemption (covers D09, D10, D31, D32 together)

You are exempt from all four if ANY ONE of these is true (Houston attachment 1):^HOU-F6

Your spouse stayed ≥6 months continuously in the US while you dated (I-94, entry/exit records, long-term visa/green card, utility bills, bank statements);
you both continuously stayed in a third country on long-term visas while dating;
you lawfully stayed ≥91 days in Korea on a long-term visa while dating (출입국사실증명, ARC copy).

The national rule adds a humanitarian prong (pregnancy/childbirth). Intake gate → V-03. The income exemption (§9.5) and communication exemption (§11) have their own separate lists.

§7Per-document step-by-step instructions

§7.1 · D01 — the visa e-form (yours)

Go to visa.go.kr → (EN) "e-Form Visa Application" / (KR) 전자서식 사증발급신청 (menu names may shift — verify live).
Fill: Personal Details; Passport; Contact; Marital status = 기혼/Married with your spouse's Korean address and phone; Education; Employment; 8.1 Purpose of entry = 결혼이민 Marriage Migrant [√]; 2.1 = 장기체류 Long-term (90일 이상) [√]; 2.2 Status = F-6-1; 9. Inviter = your spouse (관계: 배우자); 10. Funding.
Print in color (an embedded photo waives D02) → hand-sign and date section 12 (Declaration). Answers in Korean or English block letters. False statements → revocation / criminal punishment / entry ban.
Results are checked ONLY at visa.go.kr (조회/발급 → 진행현황 조회 및 출력 → 재외공관; passport no. + exact name + DOB).^VISA

§7.2 · D09 — FBI check + federal apostille (yours — CRITICAL PATH)

Step 1 — FBI Identity History Summary ($18):

Apply at edo.cjis.gov (eDO), pay $18 by card.
Fingerprints, either: (a) USPS electronic capture — select "USPS fingerprinting" in eDO → register at ips.usps.com/IdentityCapture → visit a participating post office with the confirmation + photo ID (~$50 on site; availability near you → V-12) → FBI response is often <24 h electronically; or (b) mail an FD-258 ink card (days–weeks).
A channeler route (1–3 days) exists BUT apostille acceptance of channeler output is unconfirmed — do not use it before V-09 is answered.

Step 2 — Federal apostille (US DoS Office of Authentications, $20/doc):

Only the US Dept. of State can apostille a federal document — never send the FBI check to the Texas SOS (auto-reject) and never notarize it (breaks the chain).
Mail route: Form DS-4194 + FBI result + $20 check/money order to "U.S. Department of State" + prepaid trackable return label → Office of Authentications, 44132 Mercure Cir., PO Box 1206, Sterling, VA 20166-1206. Destination country = "Republic of Korea (South Korea)". Published processing "5+ weeks"; 2026 third-party reports range ~2–12 weeks → V-10.^DOS-AUTH
Fast route: walk-in drop-off, 600 19th St NW, Washington DC, Mon–Thu 7:30–9:00 a.m. (2–3 weeks stated; some captures say 1–3 business days; courier drop-off permissibility → V-10). Appointments are urgent-travel-only.
Window discipline: under the stricter C-2 reading the FBI check must be issued, apostilled AND submitted inside 3 months — do not start more than ~10 weeks before the planned submission unless the apostille backlog forces it; if the backlog threatens the window, ask Houston BEFORE ordering (V-08).

Re-verify before paying: the fbi.gov / travel.state.gov figures above were captured via search-index extracts because the pages were geo-blocked to the research environment. Open each page yourself from your US connection before paying (V-31).

§7.3 · D10 — your health certificate

Book any US clinic / urgent care / travel clinic. Request a signed letter on letterhead (English) stating your name/DOB, exam date, and results for: HIV test; syphilis/standard STI screen; TB test (IGRA blood test or chest X-ray); a statement that no mental illness impeding normal married life was found. Basis: Houston attachment 1 (별표 5) — the applicant may substitute "similar evidentiary documents in common use in his country". No designated-clinic list exists. Format/panel specifics → V-11. Valid 6 months.^HOU-F6

§7.4 · D16/D17/D18 — your spouse's three family-register certificates (상세)

Your spouse: efamily.scourt.go.kr → 증명서 발급 → identity verification (공동/금융인증서 or 간편인증). (Live menu wording → V-20; helpline 1899-2732.)
Per certificate: type (혼인관계/가족관계/기본) → 증명서 유형 = 상세 (Detailed) → 주민등록번호 = 전부 공개 (full RRN) → reason "사증(비자) 발급 신청 제출용" → print directly from a PC (the print = an original; carries a 발급확인번호 verifiable for 90 days). Free online; 주민센터 ₩1,000; kiosk ₩500.
Pre-ship checks: D16 shows you as 배우자 with spelling/DOB matching your passport; issue dates within 3 months of planned submission; RRN fully visible.
Your fallback: as the spouse you can have D16–D18 issued AT the Houston consulate — $1/copy, cash or money order, in person or by mail, ready in 2–5 days; you need your spouse's 등록기준지 or RRN. Whether the consulate prints 상세 with full RRN → V-22. Use this if a certificate lapses past 3 months.^HOU-FR^EFAMILY

§7.5 · D19 — your spouse's 주민등록등본

정부24 (gov.kr) → search "주민등록표 등본" → 발급하기 → login (간편인증). Options: include ALL household members; reveal full RRN digits; include 세대구성 사유/일자. Print (문서확인번호 = original). Free online / ₩400 at the counter. If your spouse is moving to the marital home: 전입신고 FIRST, then issue — the 등본 address must equal the housing-evidence address (D27/D28). The household composition on this document sets your income threshold (§9).^GOV24

§7.5b · D20/D21 — invitation letter + letter of guarantee (your spouse)

Download from the Houston post attachments (file_seq=5 and 3). Your spouse completes them in Korean, fills every field ("해당없음" instead of blanks), enters income/asset figures that reconcile exactly with D22–D29, wet-signs, and dates them within days of shipping (the 3-month clock runs from 작성일). 보증기간 entry → V-23; scanned-signature acceptability → V-21 (until answered: wet-ink originals shipped).^HOU-F6

§7.6 · D22 — 소득금액증명 (your spouse)

홈택스 login → 국세증명·사업자등록·세금관련 신청/신고 → 즉시발급 증명 → 소득금액증명 → issuance type 국문; 증명구분 matching your spouse's income type (근로/종합); tax year = latest available (2025 assumed for an Aug-2026 filing → V-25); RRN 공개; purpose 관공서 제출용/재외공관 → print. Free, instant, 08:00–22:00.^HOMETAX

§7.7 · D23 — 신용정보조회서 (your spouse)

credit4u.or.kr → 본인신용정보 열람 → identity verification → print the 신용정보조회서. Free. (Houston says 한국신용정보원; Dallas's "은행연합회" is the pre-2016 issuer name — same document.)^CREDIT4U

§7.8 · D27 — 등기부등본 (your spouse; you as fallback)

iros.go.kr → 부동산등기 → 발급(제출용) ₩1,000 (열람 ₩700 is view-only, NOT submission-grade) → search by the marital-home address → choose the matching 집합건물 / 건물+토지 register → pay by card → print. No owner authorization needed — you can self-issue from Texas as a fallback. Issue within days of shipping (validity window unstated → V-29).^IROS

§7.9 · D31 — your spouse's health certificate

Your spouse calls the 보건소 or a 병원급 hospital first: "결혼이민(F-6) 사증 신청용 건강진단서 — 에이즈·성병·결핵·정신질환 항목 포함." Accepted institution classes: 병원급 의료기관 (의료법 §3②3호), 보건소 (지역보건법 §10), civil-service-exam designated clinics. The certificate must carry the institution's name/address/contact + physician signature, computer-prepared. Results may take days. Valid 6 months. Prescribed-form question → V-26.

§7.10 · D32 — your spouse's criminal record

Online: crims.police.go.kr → 간편인증/공동인증서 login → select the issuance purpose → print at home (free). Or any 경찰서 민원실 with ID (free, usually same day). Open points → V-27: whether the 실효된 형 포함 version is required, whether the online printout is accepted, which purpose code to select. Plan to the 3-month window (C-2).^CRIMS

§7.11 · D08 — your US marriage certificate

Order 2 certified copies from the County Clerk of the recording county (same day in person; ~$10–25 each, county-varies). Copy 1 → your spouse for the 혼인신고 (Branch A); copy 2 → stays in the visa package. Do NOT notarize. Apostille only if the V-06/V-13 answers require it (TX SOS: $15, Form 2102, record <5 yrs old; Austin walk-in Mon/Fri same day, mail ≤2 weeks).^TXSOS

D13 (relationship pack): full design in §12. D33 (communication evidence): decision tree in §11.

§8Apostille / notarization / translation matrix

Reference — apostille framework, terminology, the per-document matrix and US logistics

Framework: the US and Korea are both Hague Apostille Convention parties (US in force 1981-10-15; Korea 2007-07-14) → an apostille is the correct and sufficient legalization; consular authentication (영사확인) is never needed between these countries. Anyone prescribing "embassy legalization" is wrong.^HCCH

Terminology (use precisely): Apostille = a competent-authority certificate on a public document (US federal docs → US DoS Office of Authentications; state docs → that state's SOS). Notarization = a notary act on a private document (it converts it into something a state SOS can apostille); never applied to public records. Certified copy = a custodian-issued sealed copy (what gets apostilled for recordable docs). Translator's declaration = a Korean translation bearing the translator's name, contact and signature — Korea has no sworn-translator register; no notarized translation is demanded anywhere in this case.

Document	Apostille	Notarization	Translation	Original form
D09 FBI check	YES — federal (US DoS, $20) (Houston 2023 notice + Dallas post; not restated in the Houston checklist table → C-2)	NEVER (voids it)	Not stated → V-07	FBI-issued original result
D08 US marriage certificate	Not stated for the visa filing → V-06; unresolved for your spouse's domestic 혼인신고 → V-13 (TX SOS $15 if needed)	NO (public record)	For the 혼인신고 only: Korean translation + translator's name/contact/signature (no notarization stated); who may translate (spouse self-translation?) → V-15	County-certified copy
D10/D31 health certificates	Not stated	Not stated	Not stated (your English letter accepted in practice) → V-07	Originals
D32 your spouse's criminal record	No	No	n/a (Korean)	Original
D16–D19, D22–D29, D34 (your spouse's Korean certificates)	None (Korean documents to a Korean consulate — no legalization concept applies)	No	No	Issued prints/originals per §6
D06/D07/D20/D21 (forms)	—	None stated	Language prescribed per form (초청장 Korean; 결혼배경진술서 English at Houston)	Signed originals
Notarized affidavits (only if the case ever needs one, e.g. Branch C single-status affidavit)	YES if destined for a Korean authority — Texas SOS, $15, Form 2102	YES — Texas notary first (wet-ink preferred; RON acceptability by Korea unverified → V-32)	Korean translation + declaration if filed to a domestic Korean office	Typed statement + notarial certificate

Observed fact: a full-text search of the live Houston F-6 checklist (수정 2026-01-01) found zero occurrences of 번역/공증/아포스티유 — the FBI-apostille rule lives only in the 2023 notice + the Dallas post. Silence on everything else is presumed "not required" but is swept by V-07.^HOU-F6^HOU-CRIM

US apostille logistics

Federal (FBI check): US DoS Office of Authentications — DS-4194, $20/doc, mail (Sterling VA, "5+ weeks" published; 2026 reports 2–12 weeks) or DC drop-off Mon–Thu 7:30–9:00 a.m. (faster). No paid expedite tier exists. → V-09/V-10.^DOS-AUTH
Texas state docs: TX SOS Authentications Unit — Form 2102 (Rev. 06/2026), $15/doc, mail P.O. Box 13550 Austin ("up to two weeks from receipt") or 400 W. 15th St Austin: walk-in Mon & Fri same day (≤10 docs), appointments Tue–Thu. Recordable docs must be <5 years old (order fresh certified copies); federal documents are rejected. A Houston pop-up apostille event was scheduled 2026-08-26 (appointments only).^TXSOS
Korea-side apostilles: NONE needed anywhere in this plan (no Korean public document goes to a US authority).

§9Financial requirement (2026 figures + worked examples)

The number to hit: ₩25,195,752 — the 2026 annual-income threshold for a 2-person household. Your spouse proves it with D22 소득금액증명 + D23 신용정보조회서 (always), plus D24–D26 on the wage track.

Controlling instrument: 법무부고시 제2025-534호 「결혼동거 목적의 사증 발급에 필요한 요건 및 심사면제 기준 고시」 (issued 2025-12-31, effective 2026-01-01) — the 2026 amendment changed only the income table. Legal chain: 시행규칙 제9조의5제1항제4호 → an annual MOJ notice keyed to 기준중위소득 (threshold = 6 × monthly median-income standard = 50% of annualized median income). Houston's checklist cites a phantom "제2025-135호" and a stale 8+-person increment — its 2–7-person figures are nevertheless correct.^GOSI-534^MOHW-26

§9.1 2026 income table (applications filed through 2026-12-31)

Your spouse's gross (세전) annual income for the 1 year preceding the application date:

Household	2026 minimum (KRW/yr)	≈USD (₩1,350–1,400, illustrative)
2 people (your spouse + you, no co-registered direct family)	25,195,752	≈ $18,000–18,660
3	32,154,216	≈ $22,970–23,820
4	38,968,428	≈ $27,830–28,870
5	45,340,314	—
6	51,335,712	—
7	57,090,900	—
8+	7-person figure + 5,755,188 per added member	—

Do NOT use 2025 figures (2-person ₩23,595,948) or Houston's printed 8+-increment ₩5,541,738 (a 2025 value). If filing slips past 2026-12-31, a new 고시 with higher figures applies — re-pull this section before filing.

§9.2 Household counting

Baseline 2 (your spouse + you). Add every direct family member registered in your spouse's 주민등록 household (grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren — NOT siblings) as of the application; each added member raises the threshold but may also contribute income/assets. The consulate reads the composition straight from D19. Intake gate → V-04: who is on your spouse's 등본 today? Snapshot-timing questions (pre-filing 세대분리) → V-25.

§9.3 What income counts

Your spouse's trailing-1-year gross wage + business (incl. agriculture/fisheries) + real-estate rental + interest + dividend + pension income; non-regular income excluded. Your US income is nowhere recognized in the 고시 — a plan relying on your Texas salary is unsupported by the controlling text. Houston's item 2-12 (the D12 statement) is the only ambiguity → V-24, decision-critical if your spouse is short. Tax-year vs trailing-12-month friction (2025 certificate low, 2026 payroll high) → V-25.

§9.4 Assets & combination

Shortfall bridging: 5% of net assets counts as income. Assets (deposits/insurance/securities/bonds/real estate) must be held ≥6 months and are counted net of debts (that is what D23 screens). Houston granularity: items ≥₩1,000,000 held 6 months only. Real estate valued by 공시가격 (D27 + D34).
Combination: income + 5%-of-net-assets may be summed; same-household direct family's income/assets may be added (their proof documents = per-member D22/D23/D24-type sets). Exact combination arithmetic / 6-month documentation format → V-24 group.
Presumed-income route (건강보험 지역가입자 only; premium ÷ 0.03545 × 12; cannot combine) — likely irrelevant; the 2026 divisor is unverified.

§9.5 Income-requirement exemptions

고시 list: (1) a child born to you two; (2) ≥1 year of post-marriage cohabitation abroad making recent Korean income impossible; (3) the Minister's catch-all. Houston's operational list adds "prior F-6 stay in Korea by the applicant". Pregnancy (20+ weeks) appears on some missions' income lists but NOT Houston's → V-24 group. On current facts no exemption applies — ₩25,195,752 must be met. Intake could flip this → V-03.

Worked income examples (E1–E6) and the full proof-set mapping

§9.6 Worked examples (2-person household, threshold ₩25,195,752)

E1 PASS (salary alone): your spouse earned ₩30.0M gross in the trailing year → submit D22, D23, D24, D25, D26; declare in D20. No asset docs needed.
E2 PASS (salary + savings): your spouse earned ₩20.0M; shortfall ₩5,195,752 → they need ≥ ₩103,915,040 net assets held ≥6 months (5% = ₩5.2M). Submit the E1 set + D29 (6-month statement); D23 must not show debts erasing the net assets.
E3 (assets only, theoretical): ₩503,915,040 net assets held ≥6 months. Expect genuineness scrutiny.
E4 (parents on the 등본): your spouse + both parents = 4-person household, threshold ₩38,968,428 — parents' income can pool (per-member proof), but co-registration without co-income makes the test harder. Siblings change nothing.
E5 (exemption): ≥1-yr post-marriage US cohabitation (I-94, joint lease/utilities) or a child → income requirement exempt; also cascades into the §2-EX and §11 exemptions.
E6 FAIL pattern: moving ₩30M into the account a month before filing — fails the 6-month / sham-deposit screen; the shortfall stands.

§9.7 Proof-set mapping

Always: D22 + D23. Wage track: + D24, D25, D26. Business: D26 (own) + income proofs. Other income: per type (rental: D27+D28; interest: bank statements). Assets: D29 (+ insurance/securities balance certificates), D27+D34 for property. Family combination: per-member equivalents. The declaration lives inside D20 — figures must reconcile. All 3-month-windowed items issued in the same week as shipping.

§10Housing requirement

Required — plan as unconditional (Houston prints no housing exemption; the national-layer waiver scope is unverified → V-29 group).

Standard: a normal dwelling where you two will continuously live together — judged on area, room count, non-spouse cohabitants. Fails: 고시원/고시텔, motels, vinyl-greenhouse-type spaces. Name rule: owned/leased by your spouse or their 직계가족·형제·자매 (employer housing is a recognized exception; its proof package unverified → V-29). Address rule (mechanical): the dwelling address MUST equal your spouse's 주민등록등본 address — if they are moving, 전입신고 first, then issue D19 + D27 together.^HOU-F6^CHI-F6

Scenario	Required evidence
① 자가 (your spouse/family owns)	D27 등기부등본 (owner within the allowed names; family link already proven by D17)
② 전세 (deposit lease)	D27 + D28 lease copy (same evidence as 월세 — Houston treats all leases identically)
③ 월세 (monthly rent)	D27 + D28
④ Living with your spouse's parents/family	The family member's D27 (or D27+D28 if the family member leases); your spouse registered at that address
⑤ Employer housing (사택)	Not specified — practical package: employer confirmation letter + D27 + D19 at that address → V-29

Recommended: keep 3–5 dwelling photos ready for a supplementary request (the Swiss mission requests photos; Houston reserves general supplement rights); issue D27 within days of submission.

§11Language / communication requirement

Required, but satisfiable by your shared language — you need NO Korean. Pick ONE track (Houston items 3-1…3-10):^HOU-F6

Track ① — your Korean: TOPIK level 1+ (score valid 2 years, printed from topik.go.kr within validity), 한국교육원 stage-2 / 세종학당 beginner 120 h+, KIIP stage 2+, a Korean-related degree, or your prior 1-year continuous Korea stay (출입국사실증명 or personal statement). Do NOT start TOPIK/KIIP just for the visa — the lead time exceeds the marginal value.
Track ② — your spouse commands English (your likely track): your spouse's ≥1-year continuous stay in an English-official country — evidence: that country's entry/exit records / 출입국에 관한 사실증명 or a personal statement (Houston 3-7); strengthen with I-94/visa/transcripts. Whether the personal statement ALONE suffices → V-30.
Track ③ — shared third language: both of you ≥1 year in that country — n/a.
Track ④ — other: "상대 언어 능력시험 점수 등" at "일정 수준 이상" (which tests/scores count at Houston: unknown → V-28) — with the printed caveat "(검토후 인터뷰 혹은 추가자료 요청 가능)". Chicago states that passing a consulate interview in the shared language itself satisfies the requirement — an interview is a cure, not only a risk.^CHI-F6

your spouse lived ≥1 continuous year in the US / another English-official country? ├─ YES → Track ② : 출입국에 관한 사실증명 (정부24) and/or personal statement │ (+ RECOMMENDED: I-94 history, English test score) ├─ NO, but you hold TOPIK 1+ (≤2 yrs) or a 120-hr certificate → Track ① └─ NO to both → Track ④ : best English evidence for your spouse (test score — confirm accepted tests/threshold V-28; degree taught in English; employer certification) + a detailed communication section in D20. Expect a possible English interview — treat it as normal.

Exemptions (Houston printed list): a child born to you two; your prior F-6 stay (void if the spouse changed / the marriage was interrupted). The Swiss page adds pregnancy >20 weeks — unconfirmed at Houston → V-28 group. None applies on current facts — a track must be satisfied.

Recommended regardless of track: your spouse's English test score as backup; English message samples inside D13 (double duty); your D06 written naturally in English (already mandatory).

§12Relationship-evidence pack (D13) — max 5 A4 pages

Legally required: D06 (you, in English), D20 (your spouse, in Korean), D21, and the evidence pack — "교제사진, 가족사진, SNS 대화 내역 등을 A4용지에 자유롭게 편집, 5쪽 이내" (HARD CAP: 5 A4 pages). Conditional: D35 introducer's ID (acquaintance introduction); marriage-broker items n/a.^HOU-F6

Design principle: the consul reads D06, D20 and the 5-page pack side by side — verifiable chronology and consistency beat volume. Every date/place/fact must match across all three AND your passport stamps AND the 혼인관계증명서 marriage date (if the register shows a report-receipt date rather than the ceremony date, explain the mechanism in one line in both statements — see V-13). Genuineness doubt is the #1 practitioner-reported refusal driver; your long-distance profile makes over-investment here rational.

The 5-page layout (recommended build)

Page 1 — Relationship timeline (8–12 dated bullets: first contact → first meeting → visits → engagement → legal marriage date/place/county → Korean 혼인신고 date) + a facts box (languages used; total in-person meetings; contact cadence).
Pages 2–3 — 10–16 photos, 6–8 per page, captioned (date + place + who), spanning the whole relationship; ≥1 with each side's family if it exists; wedding photos if any. Not 20 near-identical shots from one trip.
Page 4 — Objective co-presence proof: passport stamps, itineraries, your spouse's I-94 travel history (doubles as §2-EX-① and Track-② evidence), your Korea entry stamps / 출입국사실증명 if any.
Page 5 — Curated communication samples: 4–8 short screenshots across different months/years, names/dates visible; optional 1–2 remittance / joint-booking receipts.

DO NOT: dump chat archives, unlabeled photos, or notarized "love letters" — they exceed the cap and invite inconsistency scrutiny. If the consul wants more, they will ask.

Consistency pre-check (run BEFORE issuing the 3-month certificates)

N-1 passport vs marriage-certificate spelling
N-2 passport vs FBI-result name
N-3 passport MRZ vs e-form
N-4 passport vs your entry in D16 (Hangul transliteration reasonable; DOB/nationality exact)
N-5 ONE canonical marriage-date story across D08 ↔ register ↔ D06 ↔ D20 ↔ timeline
N-6 your spouse's names across their records

§13Consulate logistics (Texas)

§13.1 Houston Consulate General — controlling unless you are DFW

Address: 1990 Post Oak Blvd, Suite 1250, Houston, TX 77056. Phone +1-713-961-0186; fax +1-713-961-3340; visa e-mail con-hu04@mofa.go.kr. Web: overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-houston-en.^HOU-LOC
Hours: Mon–Fri 09:00–12:00, 13:00–16:30 (window). Parking: surface free; garage $7/day.
Submission: in person by g4k.go.kr reservation (one per service per person; no phone/email booking) OR mail-in: "Consulate General of the Republic of Korea, ATTN: VISA, 1990 POST OAK BLVD STE 1250, HOUSTON, TX 77056" with a prepaid self-addressed trackable USPS Express return envelope (the consulate is not liable for loss). Picking up a finished visa needs NO reservation.^HOU-F6^HOU-RSV
Fee: US$45 (US citizens, any visa type), cash or money order only ("Korean Consulate General").^HOU-EN
Passport: the original is retained during review (~1 month) and returned with the Visa Grant Notice — a letter-size paper that IS the visa (sticker visas abolished).
Status: online only at visa.go.kr ("We do not provide application status updates by phone").
Interview: not standing; reserved ("검토후 인터뷰 혹은 추가자료 요청 가능"). Whether mail applicants can be summoned / whether your spouse or an agent may hand-deliver → V-18.
Processing statements: F-6 "about a month" (checklist post) vs "2 weeks" (EN general page). The current actual number → V-05.
Holidays: observes BOTH US federal + Korean holidays (2026: 1/1, 1/19, 2/16, 5/25, 6/19, 7/3, 9/7, 10/12, 11/11, 11/26, 12/25 + 3/1, 7/17, 8/15, 10/3, 10/9). Check the 영사민원 공지 board the week of any visit.^HOU-LOC

The Houston F-6 page redirect-looped for automated retrieval during research; the transcription used here is from a successful live fetch, but you two should pull the current checklist + attachments directly → V-05.

§13.2 Dallas Consular Office — only if you are DFW-resident

14001 N. Dallas Pkwy, Suite 450, Dallas, TX 75240; +1-972-701-0180~2; koreadallas@mofa.go.kr (e-mail preferred over phone). Jurisdiction: 13 counties (C-1 conflict on Hood/Somervell/Delta → V-16).^DAL-F6^DAL-JUR
F-6: applicant in person ONLY, no proxy, no mail, g4k reservation, DFW-residence proof (driver's license/lease) checked; non-DFW refused. "비자 발급은 2~3주가 소요됩니다" (general statement). The criminal/health rule is restated there with 6-month + federal-apostille wording (C-2).^DAL-OPS

§13.3 Practical consequences for you

Outside DFW → Houston mail-in means you may never have to travel — but all originals (passport included) ride USPS Express both ways.
Your passport is out of your hands ~1 month — no travel during review.
All of your spouse's certificates carry the 3-month clock — synchronize issuance with the submission date.
The visa issued is a single-entry, ≤90-day-stay F-6 → registration + extension inside Korea (§19).

§14Timeline engineering

§14.1 Four parallel tracks (each starts Day 0)

Track K (your spouse / Korea docs): branch gate (V-01) → [Branch A: receive D08 → translation → 혼인신고 → register reflects] → issue D16–D19, D22–D29, D31–D34 in one week → write/sign D20/D21 → ship.
Track U (you / US docs): confirm county (V-02) + passport validity gate → order D08 ×2 (Branch A) → fire the V-09/V-08 queries → FBI eDO → federal apostille → D10 health exam (~2–4 weeks pre-submission) → forms D01/D06/D07.
Track R (relationship evidence): compile D13 digitally; lock the narrative across D06/D20; run the §12 consistency pre-check.
Track F (forms/logistics): e-form, photo, money order, envelopes, g4k booking if in person.

The tracks are fully parallel; nothing your spouse-side needs your wet signature and vice-versa — the only physical merge is your spouse's single KR→US courier shipment (plus D08 US→KR in Branch A).

§14.2 Per-leg durations (optimistic / typical / conservative)

#	Leg	Opt.	Typical	Cons.	Blocking?
A	Korean marriage registration reflected (Branch A only)	3 d	7 d	21 d	Gates everything (no official figure → V-13)
A′	US marriage certificate ×2 + ship to your spouse (Branch A)	1–2 d	~1 wk	4 wk	Feeds A
B	FBI eDO check	1 d	3 d	14 d	Feeds C
C	DoS federal apostille	5 d (DC drop-off)	20 d	60–84 d	Critical path
D	Health certs both sides + your spouse's criminal/income/credit/housing docs	3 d	7 d	14 d	No
E	Korea→US consolidated courier	2 d	3 d	5 d	After max(A…D)
F	Assembly + mail/appointment at Houston	2 d	4 d	10 d	Sequential
G	Consular F-6 review (Houston's own figure: ~1 month)	14 d	30 d	45 d (+14–30 d per supplement request)	Irreducible
H	Passport / Visa Grant Notice return + flight	3 d	5 d	10 d	Sequential
—	(Only if triggered) US passport renewal	2–3 wk	4–6 wk + mail	10 wk	Blocks everything

Parallelism: A ∥ B→C ∥ D; E–F wait on max(A…D); G–H sequential.

§14.3 Three scenarios

Fastest plausible (~45–55 days): marriage already registered (Branch B); FBI+apostille started Day 0 with the DC drop-off; no supplement request → prep ~2–3 weeks, review ~30 days. ≤60 days: YES, barely.
Expected (~65–90 days / 9–13 weeks): mail-in apostille 3–4 weeks; 1-month review; no supplement round. ≤60 days: NO.
Delay case (100–150+ days): apostille backlog 8–12 weeks, or one supplement round, or the marriage not yet registered, or (worst) a refusal → practitioner-reported 6-month re-application bar (official at the South-Africa-embassy level; Houston's application of it → V-35).^SA-F6

Honest ≤60-day verdict: plausible only on the favorable branch; not the expected outcome. Binding constraints in order: (1) marriage-registration status (unknown at intake — V-01), (2) DoS federal apostille volatility (2–12-week spread — V-09/V-10), (3) the ~1-month consular review (irreducible), (4) supplement-request tail risk. If §2-EX applies (e.g., your spouse's documented ≥6-month US stay while dating), legs B–C vanish and ≤60 days becomes genuinely likely — check the exemption facts on Day 0 (V-03). your spouse's document set and all shipping are days, not weeks — never the constraint.

The Day-0 action list is at the top of the page: §1.

§15Shipping strategy

US→KR (Branch A only): one certified US marriage-certificate copy to your spouse for the 혼인신고 — FedEx/UPS International Priority, 1–3 business days (prefer courier over postal for this gating document).
KR→US (the single merge shipment): everything the checklist demands as originals — D16, D17, D18, D19, D22, D23, D24, D25, D26 (copy), D27, D28 (copy), D29, D31, D32, D33, D34 + wet-signed D20/D21 + D30 — in ONE consolidated trackable courier envelope (FedEx/UPS/DHL International Priority, 1–3 days; EMS documents 4 days as the cheaper fallback — EMS US-lane document acceptance must be re-verified the week of shipping because of 2025–2026 US tariff disruptions → V-36). Ship only after every 3-month-window item is issued in the same week. Keep full scans of every page.^EMS
What never ships internationally (digital/US-side): D13 (compiled digitally, you print it), D01 e-form, D06/D07, D08 copy 2, D09, D10, D30 (scan-print OK), drafts for mutual review.
Within the US: your package → Houston by USPS Express (1–2 days) with the prepaid Express return envelope inside (the consulate's stated instruction); the $45 money order inside. DoS apostille round-trip: USPS Express both ways, or DC drop-off via a trusted person.
Redundancy: if any of D16–D18 lapses past 3 months, you re-issue at the Houston consulate ($1, 2–5 days) instead of a new trans-Pacific mailing (V-22 confirms the 상세/RRN capability).

Elimination question (V-21): whether Korea-issued online certificates may be PDF-emailed and re-printed by you in Texas, and whether D20/D21 need wet ink. If Houston answers "yes, re-prints acceptable", international shipping drops off the critical path almost entirely. Until answered: physical prints + wet ink ship.

§16Application-day checklist (your final gate before submitting)

Required before you submit

§17After you submit

While you wait: check visa.go.kr every 1–2 business days, and keep your e-mail (D01) and your spouse's phone (D20) monitored daily — that is how a 보완요청 arrives.

Detail — tracking, supplement requests, interview, passport return, refusal

Track status online only: visa.go.kr → 조회/발급 → 진행현황 조회 및 출력 → application type "재외공관"; passport no. + exact English name + DOB. Check every 1–2 business days; results appear the decision day (after ~17:00 per Atlanta guidance). Houston gives no phone status.^VISA
Supplementary requests (보완요청) arrive via the contacts on the forms — your e-mail on D01 and your spouse's phone on D20 must be correct and monitored daily. Respond immediately (the clock effectively pauses). Korean-side items: your spouse re-issues same day and sends per the officer's instruction. Channel: con-hu04@mofa.go.kr (Dallas: koreadallas@mofa.go.kr).
Interview: discretionary; a consistency exercise (dates, communication language, living plan, your spouse's job/income, family awareness) against D06/D20 — re-read both beforehand. An English interview can CURE thin communication evidence (§11).
Passport return & the visa: no sticker — the Visa Grant Notice (letter-size paper) IS the visa; returned with your passport (mail: in D14; in person: pick-up without reservation). Reprintable anytime at visa.go.kr; B/W or color both valid.
Verify on the Visa Grant Notice the day it arrives: name/passport no./DOB/nationality exact vs passport; status F-6-1 결혼이민; entries: Single (단수); validity (entry deadline ~3 months from issuance); period of stay 90일; any 비고 annotation. Report errors before travel.
If delayed: ~5–6 weeks with no movement → e-mail the visa desk quoting the receipt number.
If refused (불허): the portal shows the result; grounds are stated summarily. No mission-level appeal exists; the designed remedy is cure + re-apply after the 6-month bar (urgency exceptions: pregnancy/childbirth etc.) — Houston-specific mechanics → V-35. Never falsify (5-year+ entry-ban exposure). Keep a complete copy of everything submitted.

§18Before the flight & landing in Korea (August 2026 rules)

Detail — K-ETA does not apply to you; how and when to file the e-Arrival Card

K-ETA: NOT applicable to you. K-ETA is for visa-free entry only; a visa holder is outside the system entirely (and US citizens are anyway within the temporary K-ETA exemption through 2026-12-31). Ignore airline prompts; avoid copycat paid "K-ETA agent" sites.

e-Arrival Card (전자입국신고): file at e-arrivalcard.go.kr (free, official; beware look-alike sites) from 3 days (72 h) before arrival — a filing lapses if entry doesn't occur within 72 h, so file at the departure airport or the day before. You are NOT exempt (no ARC, no K-ETA). You'll need: passport details, e-mail, flight, your spouse's exact Korean address + phone. Paper-card availability in Aug 2026 is conflicting → carry a pen (V-37).^EAC

Must carry (cabin bag)

Passport Visa Grant Notice printout ×2 e-Arrival confirmation (screenshot) Your spouse's address/phone written down

Recommended backup

Fresh 혼인관계증명서 copy and/or marriage-certificate copy Spare passport photos 3.5×4.5 cm (reused at registration) Copies of the application package (consistency backup) USD/KRW cash Korean SIM/eSIM plan

Inspection: age-17+ biometrics (fingerprints + face) at the counter; purpose answer: "joining my wife — F-6." The officer grants a 90-day stay; the entry date starts the Day-90 clock — photograph the stamp/records page (some airports stamp nothing; a 출입국사실증명 via 정부24 can evidence the date later).

§19After you land — registration, extension, deadlines

Master deadlines

#	Obligation	Deadline	Penalty
D-1	Enter within visa validity	Date on the Visa Grant Notice	Visa lapses; re-apply
D-2	외국인등록 (alien registration)	Within 90 days of entry (book in week 1 — appointment scarcity)	≤1 yr imprisonment / ≤₩10M fine (출입국관리법 제95조7호); removal possible
D-3	체류기간 연장 (the visa grants ≤90 days of stay)	Before the 90-day stay expires — file WITH D-2 in one visit	Overstay: deportation; ≤3 yr / ₩30M
D-4	체류지 변경신고 on every later move	Within 15 days (the 14-day 전입신고 rule is your spouse's, not yours)	≤₩1M
D-5	Carry the 외국인등록증 (age 17+)	Always, once issued	≤₩1M

Fees: registration card ₩35,000; F-6 stay extension ₩30,000 (special rate; general ₩60,000); 체류지 변경신고 free; 재입국허가 single ₩30,000 / multiple ₩50,000.^MOJ-FEE

First 24 hours

Clear immigration (passport + Visa Grant Notice; biometrics; 90-day stay granted). Photograph your passport pages; write the entry date + Day-90 into both calendars with a Day-60 alarm. Get a Korean phone number (prepaid SIM/eSIM is fine pre-ARC). Book the earliest HiKorea 방문예약 (hikorea.go.kr) slot at the competent immigration office tonight — bookable from the next day, in your own name only; no reservation = no service. (Pre-arrival booking with the Visa Grant Notice number is reported for 2026 but unofficial → V-38; try it from Texas the day the visa is granted.)^HIKOREA ACTION REQUIRED: the competent office depends on your Korean address (find it via the HiKorea booking flow, immigration.go.kr 관서안내, or ☎1345) → V-39.

First week

Confirm the address documents: D28/D27 + your spouse's fresh 주민등록등본; name/address consistency everywhere. Your spouse issues a fresh 혼인관계증명서(상세) + 주민등록등본 (the extension filing set). Photos 3.5×4.5 cm if not brought. Assemble the folder: 통합신청서 (별지 제34호서식, pre-fill), passport, photo, address proof, ₩35,000 + ₩30,000 (card AND some cash), 혼인관계증명서, 주민등록등본. Call 1345 once: competent office; the exact F-6 registration+extension list; both filings in one visit; confirm no TB/health certificate for US nationals and no FBI re-submission (V-39).

First 30 days

Attend the appointment WITH your spouse: file 외국인등록 + 체류기간 연장 together; biometrics (제38조 — refusal can bar permissions); choose 등기우편 card delivery; keep the 접수증 (receipt). Card production typically ~2–3 weeks (IC-chip card; mobile ARC available). Then: bank account, phone contract, NHIS health insurance (dependent on your spouse's coverage or local subscriber — any NHIS branch, ☎1577-1000). Register on HiKorea as a member with your new 외국인등록번호 (unlocks e-applications).

Standing rules until settled

Day-90 hard stop: the appointment date itself must fall inside the 90 days. Every later move → 체류지 변경신고 within 15 days (주민센터 / immigration office / HiKorea online; no reservation needed). Your spouse separately does their own 전입신고 (14 days) if they moves. Carry the ARC; calendar the extension expiry the day it is granted (renewable from 4 months before; the first extension is commonly ≈1 year — unofficial → V-39; F-6 per-grant statutory cap 3 years). Do not leave Korea between entry (single-entry visa) and card issuance without checking the re-entry position (V-40).

§20Document status model (gap analysis)

Where the intake answers live: the case-intake questionnaire (marriage-registration status, household composition, income, housing, relationship history — the answers that drive every status below) is a Korean-language form on your spouse's page: index-ko.html §24 사전 질문지. Ask them to complete it on Day 0; their entries export through the same Sync data.

Every D-item carries one status: NOT STARTED IN PROGRESS READY NEEDS VERIFICATION PROBLEM (expired / incorrect / wrong version)

For any EXISTING document (including anything a prior 대행업체/agency produced), verify all nine before marking it READY:

Correct document? (e.g., 혼인관계증명서 not 가족관계증명서; 등본 not 초본)
Correct version? (상세 not 일반; 발급 not 열람; full RRN not masked)
Correct issuing authority? (FBI not TX DPS; 국세청 not a bank; county-clerk certified copy not a photocopy)
Sufficiently recent? (3-month clock for D16–D29/D32/D33; 6-month for D09*/D10/D31 — *D09 planned to 3 months per C-2)
Apostille correct? (federal apostille on D09 from the US DoS — a state apostille or a notarized copy is a PROBLEM)
Translation correct? (only the 혼인신고 translation needs one — with the translator's name/contact/signature)
Original available? (원본 items cannot be satisfied by scans pending V-21)
Correct names/dates? (§12 consistency checks N-1…N-6)
Acceptable to Houston/Dallas specifically? (mission-local rules control; when in doubt → NEEDS VERIFICATION + the matching V-item)

Automatic PROBLEM triggers: any 3-month item older than ~10 weeks at planned submission; D16 without you as 배우자; D19 address ≠ D27/D28 address; D09 notarized or state-apostilled; D13 longer than 5 pages.

§21Risk register

HIGH — could prevent or seriously delay the visa

Risk	Prob.	Impact	Detection	Prevention	Solution	Owner / deadline
Marriage not yet on the Korean register (Branch A/C undiscovered)	Unknown-high (intake gap)	Application impossible; +1–4 wks (A) or +months (C)	Intake Q2 + a fresh 혼인관계증명서 pull TODAY	Run V-01 before any other spend	Branch A Route A-1 (your spouse files alone)	Your spouse / Day 0
DoS federal apostille backlog (2–12-wk spread) blows the 3-month criminal-record window	Medium-high	Re-order the FBI check; weeks lost	V-09/V-10 answers; track the DS-4194 receipt	DC drop-off route; start only after V-08/V-09; don't start >10 wks early	Re-issue the FBI check ($18) and re-apostille; ask Houston for window relief	You / before ordering
Refusal on genuineness (long-distance "paper marriage" optics) → ~6-month re-application bar	Low-medium if the package is strong	+6 months	Interview summons; supplement request on relationship items	§12 consistency discipline; tight 5-page pack; matching dates everywhere	Cure the deficiency, wait out the bar (urgency exceptions), re-apply	Both / pre-submission
Income shortfall vs ₩25,195,752 discovered late	Unknown (intake gap)	Track re-engineering; 6-month asset seasoning cannot be rushed	Intake §9 answers (2025 소득금액증명 amount)	V-04 on Day 0; E2 asset math early	Asset track (seasoned ≥6 months) / family combination / V-24 (your income) / exemption facts	Your spouse / Day 0
Wrong office (DFW vs Houston) or wrong channel (proxy/mail where banned)	Low once V-02 done	Package refused at intake	Driver's-license county vs the decision tree	V-02 + V-16/V-17	Re-route to the correct office	You / before booking
Falsified or inconsistent statements	Low (self-inflicted)	Refusal + up to a 3–5-yr ban	§12 N-checks	Truthful D06/D07; the disclosure conversation	None good — prevention only	Both / always
You have an undisclosed Korean overstay/entry ban	Low (intake)	Application futile until the ban clears	Intake Q1.4	V-33 check before filing	입국금지 해제 petition (counsel) or wait	You / Day 0

MEDIUM risks — supplement-request / re-issue cycles

MEDIUM — likely to trigger supplement-request / re-issue cycles

Risk	Prob.	Impact	Detection	Prevention	Solution	Owner
A 3-month certificate lapses before filing (apostille slip)	Medium	Re-issue + possibly re-ship	Validity dashboard (§20 auto-PROBLEM)	Issue all 3-mo docs in one week keyed to submission; consulate re-issue fallback for D16–D18 ($1)	Re-issue; you use the consulate channel (V-22)	Your spouse
주민등록등본 address ≠ housing-evidence address	Medium if your spouse moves	Housing item bounced	Compare D19 vs D27/D28 before shipping	전입신고 first, then issue	Re-register + re-issue both	Your spouse
Communication evidence thin (no 1-yr English-country stay; no test score)	Medium	Interview or supplement request (+weeks)	§11 tree lands on Track ④	V-28 answer; book an English test early if needed	English interview at the consulate (a cure by design)	Your spouse
Health certificates missing an item (STI/TB/mental wording)	Medium	Re-exam cycle	Compare the letter vs the 4-item list before submission	Brief the clinic/보건소 with the exact item list; V-11/V-26	Re-issue	Both
Criminal-record scope/purpose wrong (실효형; purpose code)	Medium	Re-issue (3-mo window pressure)	V-27 answer	Ask before issuing	Re-issue same day (free)	Your spouse
eDO PDF not accepted by the DoS for apostille	Medium	+1–3 wks (FBI paper copy by mail)	V-09 answer	Order an FBI paper copy in parallel as a hedge	Mail-copy route	You
A supplement request of any kind during review	Medium ("심사기준 강화" warning)	+2–4 wks	Daily e-mail/phone monitoring	Over-complete package; pre-answer the V-07 sweep	Same-day response; your spouse re-issues Korean docs instantly	Both
Tax-year mismatch (2025 certificate below, 2026 payroll above)	Medium if raise/job change	Income doubt	V-25	Include D25 current-year evidence proactively	Officer weighs both; else delay filing	Your spouse

LOW risks — administrative inconveniences

LOW — administrative inconvenience

Risk	Note
Photo size trap (US 2×2 in ≠ 35×45 mm)	Use the e-form color print with the embedded photo
Payment form wrong ($45 must be cash/money order)	Money order "Korean Consulate General"
Consulate holiday closures (dual US+KR calendar)	Check the notice board the week of any visit; note the 10/3 + 10/9 cluster
Mail loss (consulate not liable)	Trackable Express both ways; full scans kept
EMS US-lane document disruption	Courier (FedEx/UPS/DHL) primary → V-36
Account frozen on the 잔액증명서 issuance day	Plan around payment dates
HiKorea appointment scarcity after arrival	Book the night of landing (or pre-arrival per V-38); Day-60 alarm
Register transliteration mismatch for you	§12 N-4; translator's note; V-34 if a true error

§22Call / email verification list (V-01 … V-43)

§23Sync your checklist with your spouse's page

Your checkmarks, statuses and V-item answers are saved in this browser only (localStorage key f6-checklist-v1). Both language versions use the same item keys, so you and your spouse can exchange progress: click Export, copy the text, send it (KakaoTalk/e-mail), and the other person pastes it into their page and clicks Import. Import merges: items in the pasted data overwrite the same items locally; everything else is kept.

With JavaScript disabled, every word of this page is still readable and printable — checkboxes simply do not persist.

§24Sources (primary register)

All sources accessed 2026-08-17. Publisher dates as shown. Mission checklists control submission mechanics; statutes/notices control eligibility. Full per-claim citations live in the underlying research files R1–R10.

Full source register — 40 primary sources

HOU-F6 — 주휴스턴 총영사관 「결혼이민(F-6) 사증」 (controlling checklist; attachments 1–5). 작성 2025-08-21 / 수정 2026-01-01 / 갱신 2025.12.31. overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-houston-ko … seq=1202684
HOU-EN — Houston EN "Long Term Visa" page. Accessed 2026-08-17. overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-houston-en/wpge/m_5577
HOU-CRIM — Houston 범죄경력·건강진단서 안내 (23.4.13 적용). Posted 2023-03-31. overseas.mofa.go.kr … seq=1202677
HOU-LOC — Houston Location/Contact (+2026 holidays). Updated 2026-05-22. overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-houston-en/wpge/m_5570
HOU-RSV — Houston 온라인 예약 안내. 수정 2026-07-09. overseas.mofa.go.kr … m_23110 seq=10
HOU-FR — Houston 가족관계등록부 증명서 발급 ($1/통). 수정 2026-06-24. overseas.mofa.go.kr … seq=948714
HOU-MR — Houston 혼인신고 (translation formality; ~2주). 수정 2026-07-30. overseas.mofa.go.kr … seq=1333769
DAL-F6 — 댈러스 출장소 「결혼이민사증(F-6)」. 수정 2026-04-08. overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-dallas-ko … seq=1111704
DAL-OPS — 댈러스 「비자 업무 안내 (2026년)」. 수정 2026-04-08. overseas.mofa.go.kr … seq=1111712
DAL-JUR — 댈러스 관할지역 안내 (13 counties). Accessed 2026-08-17. overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-dallas-ko/wpge/m_4313
EASY-F6 — easylaw 결혼이민자 (체류자격). Baseline 2026-07-15. easylaw.go.kr csmSeq=47
EASY-MR — easylaw 혼인신고방법. Updated 2026-07-15. easylaw.go.kr csmSeq=707
GOSI-534 — 법무부고시 제2025-534호 (소득요건 고시; 발령 2025-12-31, 시행 2026-01-01). law.go.kr. law.go.kr — 결혼동거 목적의 사증 발급 … 고시
NY-F6 — 주뉴욕 총영사관 F-6 (2026 table; 3-month rule). 수정 2026-01-03. overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-newyork-ko … seq=1060609
CHI-F6 — 주시카고 총영사관 F-6 (communication/housing full text). 수정 2025-08-27. chicago.mofa.go.kr … seq=1060967
SA-F6 — 주남아공 대사관 F-6 (6-month re-application bar; 5-yr ban). 2026-06-30. mofa.go.kr/za-ko … seq=1231402
MOHW-26 — 보건복지부 2026 기준중위소득 보도자료. Accessed 2026-08-17. mohw.go.kr list_no=1487098
HCCH — Apostille Convention status table (US/KR). Accessed 2026-08-17. hcch.net status table cid=41
TXSOS — Texas SOS apostille pages + Form 2102 Rev. 06/2026. Accessed 2026-08-17. sos.state.tx.us/statdoc/request.shtml
DOS-AUTH — US DoS Office of Authentications (geo-blocked; search-captured). Accessed 2026-08-17. travel.state.gov — Office of Authentications
FBI-IHS — FBI Identity History Summary Checks (geo-blocked; search-captured). Accessed 2026-08-17. fbi.gov — Identity History Summary Checks
EDO — FBI eDO portal. Accessed 2026-08-17. edo.cjis.gov
VISA-GO — Korea Visa Portal (e-form; status; Visa Grant Notice). Accessed 2026-08-17. visa.go.kr
G4K — 재외동포365민원포털 (mission reservations). Accessed 2026-08-17. g4k.go.kr
EFAMILY — 대법원 전자가족관계등록시스템. Accessed 2026-08-17. efamily.scourt.go.kr
GOV24 — 정부24 (등본; 체류지변경 2026-06-29; 출입국사실증명). Per page. gov.kr
HOMETAX — 국세청 홈택스 (소득금액증명). Accessed 2026-08-17. hometax.go.kr
CREDIT4U — 한국신용정보원 크레딧포유. Accessed 2026-08-17. credit4u.or.kr
CRIMS — 경찰청 범죄경력회보서 발급시스템. Accessed 2026-08-17. crims.police.go.kr
IROS — 대법원 인터넷등기소 (발급 ₩1,000). Accessed 2026-08-17. iros.go.kr
HIKOREA — HiKorea 방문예약 이용안내. Accessed 2026-08-17. hikorea.go.kr/resv/ResvIntroR.pt
EAC — 전자입국신고 e-Arrival Card. Accessed 2026-08-17. e-arrivalcard.go.kr
MOJ-FEE — 외국인등록증 수수료 인상 안내 (₩35,000, 2025-01-01~). Posted 2024-12-13. immigration.go.kr … artclView
EMS — 우체국 EMS 미국 발송조건 (서류 4일) + 공지. Accessed 2026-08-17. ems.epost.go.kr nation=US
I94 — CBP I-94 travel history. Accessed 2026-08-17. i94.cbp.dhs.gov