Overseas Koreans and international residents having lived in Korea for six months or longer automatically become local subscribers of the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) to receive the same insurance benefits as Korean citizens.

Subscription Eligibility

• Persons having lived in Korea for six months or longer who have not subscribed to NHIS.
• From the date of entry: D-2 (students); D-4-3 (elementary, middle, high school students); E-9 (non-professionals); F-5 (permanent residents); F-6 (marriage migrants) visa holders.
• Exempt: A (diplomats); B (tourists); C (short-term visitors); G1 (miscellaneous) visa holders. However, G-1-6 (asylum and humanitarian status) and G-1-12 (family members of G-1-6) visa holders are subject to subscription.
• From the date of matriculation: F-4 (overseas Koreans) and overseas Koreans studying in Korea after submitting a certificate of enrollment.

Subscription Procedure

• Subscription is processed at the NHIS without a separate reporting procedure.
• Please note that in cases where a change in address (residence) is reported to the registered government office, detailed address information must be accurately reported to prevent disadvantages due to failure to deliver mailed materials.
• However, the NHIS requires separate material proof when it is unable to confirm information in accordance with Article 96 of the National Health Insurance Act.

Insurance Premium Estimates

• Premiums are calculated individually (per household) according to income and assets.
• The average premium is applied when the calculated premium from November of the previous year falls below the average premium. (2023 average insurance premium, incl. long-term care insurance: ₩ 150,990)
• Insurance premiums are calculated using the same method as Korean nationals for refugees (F-2-4) and their families (F-1-16) as well as single-person households under the age of 19 even when the calculated insurance premium falls below the average premium. (Average insurance premium is imposed as it is difficult to determine international residents’ income and assets from their home country.)

NHIS Seoul Center for Foreign Residents

• Seoul:
  3F, 97 Saemal-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul
  (Directions: www.nhis.or.kr/nhis/about/retrieveSeoulForeignerBranchInfo.do)

More Info

https://www.nhis.or.kr/english/wbheaa02900m01.do