Frequently Asked Questions

If you're staying in Korea longer than 90 days on most long-term visas, yes. The ARC is your resident ID number and unlocks nearly everything else — a proper bank account, a postpaid phone plan, and national health insurance. You normally apply within 90 days of arrival at the immigration office for your district. See our step-by-step ARC guide.

Your status is the letter-and-number code on your visa and ARC (for example E-7 or D-2). Each code has its own rules about work, study and length of stay. Our visa types guide breaks down the common D, E, F and H categories.

In most cases yes — you book an appointment on HiKorea and apply at your local immigration office before your current status expires. Apply early, because slots fill up. See extending your visa.

It's difficult. Some banks offer a limited account with just a passport, but a full account with online banking and transfers usually needs an ARC. Many people open the account right after they receive their card. See opening a bank account.

It depends on the destination and amount. Specialist remittance apps often beat banks on fees and exchange rate, but you'll need to verify your identity and the source of funds. We compare the options in sending money abroad.

Credit cards require a credit history and often stable local income, which new arrivals don't have yet. A check (debit) card linked to your account works almost everywhere in the meantime. See getting a card.

For the first weeks, a prepaid tourist SIM gets you online immediately with just a passport. Once you have an ARC, you can switch to a cheaper postpaid or MVNO plan. See getting a SIM card.

That's phone-based identity verification, and it often fails for foreigners because it expects a Korean-registered phone in your own name. Having a postpaid SIM registered to your ARC is the key that unlocks most of it. Full explanation in identity verification.

Jeonse is a lump-sum deposit (often a large share of the property's value) paid instead of monthly rent and returned when you leave. Protecting it means checking the property register, registering your move-in, and getting a fixed-date stamp. Read jeonse vs wolse and signing safely.

Yes — a licensed real estate agent (budongsan) charges a commission set within legal limits, based on the deposit and rent. In return they handle the contract and verify the property. More in finding an apartment.

For most residents staying six months or more, yes. You're covered either through your employer or as a local subscriber, with premiums based on income or assets. It makes hospital visits much cheaper. See national health insurance.

119 for fire and ambulance, 112 for police — both have some English support, and there are interpretation lines too. See emergency numbers.

Korea uses a volume-based waste system (jongnyangje): you buy specific bags for general and food waste, and separate recyclables. Getting it wrong can mean a fine. See trash and recycling rules.