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Certified Korean Disability Certificate Translation
Certified translation of the documents that certify disability in South Korea, including the registry annotations and endorsements that carry the legal effect and that a reader unfamiliar with the system will otherwise skip.
$24.95/page
Flat rate per page, up to 250 words. No hidden fees.
100% USCIS acceptance
Every certified translation is guaranteed to be accepted by USCIS.
24-hour delivery
Most 1-3 page documents are delivered within 24 hours. Same-day available.
Grades were abolished in 2019
South Korea graded registered disability from 1 to 6, with 1 most severe, and abolished that grading in July 2019. The system now distinguishes only severe and mild disability, with individual needs assessed separately for services.
So a Korean certificate issued before 2019 shows a grade and one issued after does not, and neither is defective. A US reader who sees "grade 3" on an older document and no grade on a newer one is looking at a reform rather than an inconsistency.
The registration card
Registration produces a 장애인등록증 — a disability registration card — issued through the local district office, which may be combined with a welfare card. It records the disability type from a defined statutory list and, on older cards, the grade.
The card carries the holder's name and resident registration number. That number does not change with anything and is the reliable cross-check.
The medical opinion behind it
Registration rests on a medical opinion (장애진단서) from a designated specialist who has treated the person for a defined minimum period, together with supporting test results. The National Pension Service reviews the submission.
The certificate says a person is registered; the medical opinion says why. Where a US office needs the clinical basis, send the opinion and we translate both consistently.
Fifteen types, and the romanisation
Korean law defines around fifteen categories of disability, each with its own diagnostic criteria, and the certificate names the category rather than the diagnosis. We render the statutory category name and the Korean term rather than substituting a US label.
Korean names romanise freely — Lee, Yi and Rhee are one surname — so a spelling difference against a passport is usually not a discrepancy. See our Korean page.
Ordering, and what the certification covers
Upload the document, choose certified translation at $24.95 per page of up to 250 words, and it comes back typically within 24 hours as a PDF formatted to mirror the original, with a signed certificate of translation accuracy on letterhead. Marginal annotations are translated in place, in the margin, and every seal, stamp and registry endorsement is translated with the text. See how we translate and certified versus standard.
Frequently asked questions
My older certificate shows a grade and the new one does not.
Korea abolished disability grades in July 2019 and now distinguishes only severe and mild. Neither document is defective.
What is on the registration card?
The statutory disability type, the holder's details and, on pre-2019 cards, the grade.
Where is the diagnosis?
In the medical opinion from a designated specialist, which underlies the registration. Send it if the clinical basis matters.
Why is the surname spelled differently from the passport?
Korean personal names romanise freely. Usually not a discrepancy.
Ready to get started?
Upload the document and receive the certified translation, typically within 24 hours.