Disability certificates and passport renewal applications now available through Government24; immigration records and elementary school enrollment notices to follow
Parents will no longer need to visit a government office in person to obtain official documents on behalf of their minor children, as the service moves online.
The Ministry of Interior and Safety announced Thursday that starting Friday, parents can apply for disability certificates and passport renewals for their minor children through Government24, the government's online civil affairs portal.
The service is part of the ministry's "citizen experience improvement" initiative, which aims to reduce everyday administrative inconveniences for the public.
Government24 had previously restricted services involving personal information to the individuals themselves, meaning parents had to visit a community service center or overseas diplomatic mission in person to obtain documents for their children.
In response, the Ministry of Interior and Safety worked with relevant agencies to launch an online proxy issuance service, focusing on the civil affairs requests most frequently needed for minor children.
However, cases requiring separate verification by the responsible agency — such as the designation of a guardian or the exercise of parental rights by a third party — will still require an in-person visit to the relevant administrative office.
The ministry plans to expand the range of documents available for online proxy issuance in stages.
Starting in August, parents will be able to obtain immigration records for their children online. From December, elementary school enrollment notices — previously issuable only by the head of household — will be available to any parent living in the same household.
"With this improvement, we expect parents of minor children to be able to conveniently handle their children's civil affairs anytime, anywhere through Government24, even amid their busy daily lives," Minister of Interior and Safety Yun Ho-jung said. "We will continue to expand Government24 services to minimize the administrative inconveniences people face in their daily lives."
thlee@heraldcorp.com
