How can I bring my mother-in-law to Korea with us?

2019-04-26T11:11:01-04:00

I am going to Korea next year and my mother wants to go with us. If I am not able to get her into my DEERS by the time does anyone know if it will be easy to have her live in Korea off base with us for the two years I am there?

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2019 11:42 AM

2019-04-26T11:42:50-04:00

Anyone can live where they want as long as they go by that countries laws. I would suggest looking into S.Korea on what is needed for a person to move there and for how long. I'm not sure how long a Visa ect would be.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2019 11:43 AM

2019-04-26T11:43:50-04:00

Likely would have to have her on your DEERS and have her added to your orders. Could do this if you were her sole caretaker or provided complete financial support for her.. there’s ways, just may take some talking to people.. Id start at your DEERS office.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 26 at 2019 11:51 AM

2019-04-26T11:51:35-04:00

When you PCS to Korea, if there is on post housing available you will have to live on post, it isn’t an option. She will have problems going on and off post because she won’t be Command sponsored. She will have problems receiving any medical care, especially routine because you will have to pay upfront for all medical and will have to be seen off post. Trying to get medical insurance for her over there will be hard because she’s not a citizen of Korea, so it will be VERY expensive. She won’t be able to go to the commissary or px to purchase anything. She will have to get a tourist passport and Visa which have a time period on her stay in Korea. If an emergency occur and your dependents have to be evacuated, she will not be included in that evacuation because she was not authorized to be there. Bottom line, it is not a good thing to have her over their if she is not command sponsored. That would put her at a great disadvantage with no kind of entitlements or benefits which she will DEFINITELY need.

You also have to remember, even if she is able to become your dependent, she still have to get an EFMP (all family members) Screening to get approval to travel to Korea. If she gets denied due to a medical issue or concern, she still won’t be able to go regardless if she’s your dependent. My advice, if she’s not able to go as your dependent, you would be doing her a great injustice taking her anyway. Not to mention the trouble you can get into with your chain of command for bringing someone there that’s not command sponsored and housing them with no kind of benefits or entitlements.

Even though it may not be the answer you were looking for, I hope this helps you as you decide your next course of action. Good luck to you....

Response by CPT Gurinder (Gene) Rana made Apr 27 at 2019 10:50 PM

2019-04-27T22:50:34-04:00

Don't do anything without consulting with your DEERS and Transition teams, because a single mistake can cost you, as a NONCOM very dearly. Get the information, sift through it, extract relevant pieces, Study those relevant pieces of information again, Absorb your study carefully and then, Act accordingly.