There are four things to check when you hand an F-6 marriage visa to an administrative agent: ① whether the office has filed a business report as an administrative agent, ② whether the work you want to delegate falls within an administrative agent's scope of work, ③ whether the office avoids advertising that promises a permission result, and ④ whether you have confirmed the work, fees and person in charge in writing before delegating. An administrative agent can prepare, translate and submit on your behalf documents filed with government agencies and can provide consultation, but representation in litigation is the work of a lawyer, and whether permission is granted is decided by the embassy or consulate and the immigration office.
Key points
- An administrative agent's work is defined in Article 2 of the Administrative Agents Act — preparing documents, translation, submission on your behalf, acting for you in applications for permits and licenses, consultation and advice, etc.
- Litigation and defense in criminal trials are the work of a lawyer, reports and representation in labor matters are the work of a certified public labor attorney, and representation in tax filings is the work of a certified tax accountant
- For administrative appeals, an administrative agent's scope extends to helping prepare and submit the appeal petition; representation in an administrative appeal is not an administrative agent's work
- Advertising that promises permission or trades on personal ties with public officials is prohibited by Article 22 of the Administrative Agents Act
What can an administrative agent do for an F-6 marriage visa?
An administrative agent carries out the work below on behalf of others (Administrative Agents Act, Article 2(1)). Applied to the F-6 procedure, it looks like this.
| Administrative Agents Act, Article 2(1) | Examples in the F-6 procedure |
|---|---|
| Preparing documents to be submitted to government agencies | Help preparing the invitation letter for a foreign spouse, the marriage background statement and applications for change or extension of status |
| Preparing documents on rights and obligations or certification of facts | Statements and explanatory letters setting out facts such as how the couple met and that they live together |
| Translating documents related to the work of government agencies | Translating home-country marriage certificates, criminal record certificates, etc. |
| Submitting prepared documents on your behalf | Submission to the immigration office on your behalf |
| Acting for you in applications, claims and reports to obtain approvals, permits, etc. | Acting for you in stay-related applications |
| Consultation and advice on administrative laws and administration | Consultation on requirements, documents and procedures |
Acting for foreign nationals in stay-related applications such as a certificate of confirmation of visa issuance, change of status or extension of stay can be done by an agency registered with the Minister of Justice that holds a lawyer or administrative agent qualification and has completed the required training (Immigration Act, Article 79-2).
What can an administrative agent not do?
| Work | Qualified professional | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Acts relating to litigation (including defense in criminal trials) | Lawyer | Attorney-at-Law Act, Article 3 |
| Representation in an administrative appeal | Lawyer (an administrative agent can only help prepare and submit the appeal petition) | Article 2 of the Administrative Agents Act has no provision for representation in administrative appeals |
| Acting for others in reports, applications and claims under labor laws | Certified public labor attorney | Certified Public Labor Attorney Act, Article 2 |
| Representation in tax filings, applications and claims, and tax adjustment | Certified tax accountant | Certified Tax Accountant Act, Article 2 |
| International marriage brokerage | Registered international marriage broker | Act on the Management of Marriage Brokerage Business, Article 4 |
| Deciding whether to grant a visa or stay permission | Embassy or consulate, immigration office | Immigration Act |
Article 22, item 3 of the Administrative Agents Act prohibits an administrative agent from going beyond their scope of work to intervene in other people's lawsuits or disputes over rights. If a divorce suit, a criminal complaint or a lawsuit against a refusal decision is involved, it is appropriate to consult a lawyer from the outset.
What should you check before a consultation?
| Item to check | How to check | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative agent business report | Ask whether they have the report confirmation certificate issued by the mayor, county head or district head after the business report | Administrative Agents Act, Articles 10 and 12 |
| Office name | Check that the name includes "Administrative Agent Office" or "Administrative Agent Joint Office" | Administrative Agents Act, Article 15 |
| Registration as an agency for stay applications | If you delegate stay-related applications, check whether the office is registered as an agency | Immigration Act, Article 79-2 |
| Scope of work and fees | Get a written list of the work to be delegated and the fees before delegating. An administrative agent may not receive money or benefits under any name other than the fee | Administrative Agents Act, Articles 19 and 24 |
| Person in charge and consultation languages | Confirm which administrative agent will actually review your documents and which languages are available for consultation | — |
| Confidentiality | Because marriage, family and income information is handled, confirm that the person is a qualified professional with a duty of confidentiality | Administrative Agents Act, Article 23 |
An administrative agent must record, for each piece of delegated work, an outline of the work and the fee amount in a work register and keep it (Administrative Agents Act, Article 24). Keeping a written record of what you have delegated reduces the chance of disputes over the scope later.
Which advertising and promises should you avoid?
Article 22 of the Administrative Agents Act prohibits administrative agents and their office staff from the following acts.
- Promoting themselves as able to exert influence by revealing private relationships, such as connections with the public officials concerned (item 4)
- Advertising that misleads consumers by displaying false information about the work or exaggerating or omitting objective facts (item 5)
- Attracting delegations by improper means, such as using a person whose business is brokering administrative agent work (item 6)
Article 79-3 of the Immigration Act also provides that an agency that provides exaggerated or false information or prepares and submits forged, altered or false documents is subject to cancellation of registration or suspension of business. Avoid any office that assures you of permission or suggests writing untrue information in your documents. False documents end up working against the applicant.
How is a marriage brokerage agency different from an administrative agent?
International marriage brokerage is a business that must complete training, meet criteria such as capital and surety insurance, and register with the mayor, county head or district head (Act on the Management of Marriage Brokerage Business, Article 4). If you met through a marriage brokerage agency, you must submit a copy of the agency's registration certificate and similar documents when applying for an F-6 visa (Ministry of Justice "Visa Issuance Guide Manual", marriage migrant (F-6) documents proving the relationship). An administrative agent does not broker marriages; they handle the documents and procedures with government agencies after the marriage.
How does Vision Administrative Office work?
- After the consultation, an administrative agent is assigned, and that administrative agent personally handles the case from start to finish.
- Consultation languages are Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese.
- Work we can take on: preparing submission documents such as invitation letters and statements, translating documents submitted to government agencies, submission to the immigration office on your behalf, and consultation on requirements and documents
- Work we do not take on: representation in litigation and defense in criminal trials, representation in administrative appeals, labor and tax representation, and marriage brokerage
- Whether permission is granted is decided by the embassy or consulate and the immigration office. An administrative agent cannot promise a result.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for an F-6 marriage visa myself without an administrative agent?
Yes, you can apply yourself. Using an administrative agent is not mandatory; it is an option for when you need help with preparing, translating or submitting documents, or with consultation.
How is work divided between an administrative agent and a lawyer?
An administrative agent prepares, translates and submits on your behalf documents filed with government agencies and provides consultation (Administrative Agents Act, Article 2). Acts relating to litigation, including defense in criminal trials, are the work of a lawyer (Attorney-at-Law Act, Article 3).
Can an administrative agent handle an administrative appeal for me?
Article 2 of the Administrative Agents Act does not include representation in administrative appeals. An administrative agent can help prepare and submit the administrative appeal petition, and if you need representation, you should engage a lawyer.
How can I verify an administrative agent's qualification?
To work as an administrative agent, a person must file a business report with the mayor, county head or district head where their main office is located and receive a report confirmation certificate (Administrative Agents Act, Articles 10 and 12). You can ask to see the report confirmation certificate during the consultation.
Is it safe to use an office that promises permission?
Whether permission is granted is decided by the embassy or consulate and the immigration office. Advertising that exaggerates facts or displays false information, and promotion that trades on ties with public officials, are acts prohibited by Article 22 of the Administrative Agents Act.
Can a marriage brokerage agency also prepare the visa documents for me?
Preparing documents filed with government agencies as a business is the work of an administrative agent, and a person who is not an administrative agent may not do this as a business except where other laws allow it (Administrative Agents Act, Article 3).
What should I get in writing before delegating?
Confirm in writing the list of work to be delegated, the fees and the administrative agent in charge. An administrative agent must record an outline of the delegated work and the fee amount in a work register (Administrative Agents Act, Article 24).
Official basis (summary of the original texts)
- Administrative Agents Act, Article 2 (scope of work), Article 3 (prohibitions for persons who are not administrative agents), Articles 10 and 12 (business report and report confirmation certificate), Article 15 (office name), Article 19 (fees), Article 22 (prohibited acts), Article 23 (confidentiality), Article 24 (work register)
- Immigration Act, Article 79-2 (acting for others in applications), Article 79-3 (cancellation of registration of agencies, etc.)
- Attorney-at-Law Act, Article 3; Certified Public Labor Attorney Act, Article 2; Certified Tax Accountant Act, Article 2; Act on the Management of Marriage Brokerage Business, Article 4
Related guides
- Spouse of Korean National (F-6-1) visa guide
- Required documents for the F-6 marriage visa
- F-6 marriage visa refusal and reapplication
- 2026 F-6 marriage visa income requirement
- About Vision Administrative Office
Consultation
We will start by checking whether the work you want to delegate falls within an administrative agent's scope.
- Vision Administrative Office — 3F, Seongwoo Building, 324 Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul
- Phone +82-2-363-2251 · Email [email protected]
- Consultation languages: Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese
- Hours: weekdays 09:30–17:30 (KST)
- Contact us