Health insurance enrollment, what happens to me?
6 months after arriving in Korea... if a health insurance bill suddenly arrived, don’t panic!
Foreign residents staying for 6 months or more must join health insurance. If you do not enroll, fees are charged retroactively, and if you have unpaid amounts of 500,000 KRW or more, your visa extension can be denied.
Foreigners also need to enroll in health insurance.
Foreigners who stay in Korea for more than 6 months must join health insurance. This started in July 2019.
"I'm healthy, so I don't need to enroll" — No. If you don't enroll, the insurance premium may come out all at once.
Insurance premiums for the period without health insurance are charged retroactively. After Alien Registration, if 6 months pass, you are automatically enrolled, and the premiums from that time are billed all at once.
How to check unpaid insurance premiums: In the The건강보험 (official NHIS app) (official NHIS app) app > 'Check insurance premiums' or by calling National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) (press 7 for English), you can check unpaid insurance premiums.
And one more important thing. If you have unpaid insurance premiums of 500,000 KRW or more, your visa extension may be denied. 😱
Within one month after starting your job, please check in the The건강보험 (official NHIS app) app if it shows "Workplace subscriber". If it does not appear, ask your company!
If the The건강보험 (official NHIS app) app is hard to use, there are other ways too!
📞 Phone: National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) (press 7 for English) or NHIS Wonju Headquarters
🏢 Visit: Go to a nearby NHIS branch with your Alien Registration Card (ARC)
💻 Website: National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) (English page available)
Workplace subscriber vs Resident subscriber
There are mainly two types of health insurance subscribers.
Workplace subscriber
This is a person who works at a company. The company signs you up automatically. The company also pays half of the insurance fee. It is automatically deducted from your salary.
Resident subscriber (regional subscriber)
This is a person who does not work at a company. For example, a self-employed person, freelancer, or someone changing jobs. They have to pay the full insurance fee by themselves.
The time to enroll is different for each visa.
This is the most confusing part.
🔵 Work visa (Skilled Worker, Non-professional Worker, Working Visit)
You are enrolled from your first day at work. The company reports it within 14 days. There is nothing you need to do.
🔵 Student visa (Student, Language Training)
You must join as soon as you enter the country. You can get a 50% discount on the insurance fee!
🔵 Residence visa (Residence, Overseas Korean)
After entering the country, enrollment becomes mandatory after 6 months. Before 6 months, it is optional.
🔵 Marriage immigration (Marriage)
Join right away! If you are added to your spouse’s workplace health insurance as a Dependent under NHI (pibuyangja), the additional insurance premium is 0 KRW. 🎉
How do I sign up?
If it’s a work visa, there is almost nothing you need to do. The company will do everything for you.
If your company didn’t do it for you, maybe? Please watch EP.3. It’s illegal.
With an Alien Registration Card (ARC)
Visit the nearest NHIS branch.
Just fill out the application form and you're done.
You can also do it by phone: National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) (7 for English)
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Entry + Alien Registration
When you arrive in Korea, please get an Alien Registration Card (ARC).
Check enrollment timing by visa
For a work visa, you enroll on your first day of work. For a student visa, you enroll right away. For a residence visa, you enroll after 6 months.
Decision on employee/local subscriber status
If you work at a company, you are a Workplace subscriber (the company pays half). If not, you are a Resident subscriber (you pay the full amount yourself).
Check it in the The건강보험 (official NHIS app) (official NHIS app) app
Within one month of starting your job, be sure to check in the app that you appear as a 'Workplace subscriber'.
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For Workplace subscriber, the company pays half
The company pays 50% of the insurance premium for you. It is automatically deducted from your salary.
50% discount for international students
Student/Language Training study visas have a 50% discount on insurance premiums.
Marriage Marriage immigrant additional insurance premium 0 KRW
If you join your spouse’s workplace health insurance as a Dependent under NHI (pibuyangja), the premium is 0 KRW.
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If not enrolled, charges are applied retroactively.
If you do not sign up, the insurance premium will come out all at once after 6 months. You cannot avoid it.
Overdue payment of 500,000 KRW or more → visa denied
If your unpaid insurance premium is 500,000 KRW or more, your visa extension may be denied.
Overdue for more than 3 months → NHI-covered service (geupyeo) suspended
If you do not pay the insurance premium for more than 3 months, you have to pay all hospital costs yourself.
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If you stay for more than 6 months, you must enroll. If you are about to start a job soon, it’s okay to wait.
Yes! You can go to the hospital with your Alien Registration Card (ARC). Your ARC works instead of an insurance card.
It is mandatory. Premiums are charged retroactively all at once, and if overdue payments exceed 500K KRW, your visa extension will be denied.
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This guide is for information only, not legal advice. In emergencies, call 119 immediately.