The Korean Government has issued a new law which international students residing in Korea with a valid D-2 student visa are subject to a mandatory subscription to the Korean National health insurance from March 1, 2021. You may have received a letter with the following information.
We have attached a document that gives more information regarding the health insurance. Please read through the guidelines carefully as there is a lot of important information (as of 2022).
Subscription Start Period: a. If it's your first entry to Korea, then from your alien registration date b. If it's your second or reentry, then from your reentry date
Monthly Insurance Fee (average for 2022): 56,000 KRW As of 2021, the health insurance fee is about 135,000 KRW. However, the Korean Government decided to allow international students to receive the insurance benefits with a 60% discounted fee from March 2022.
However, the reduced fee only applies to students who: - did not pay any income tax in 2021, - are not self-employed insured whose contribution (fee) is above the average contribution, and - has a household income of KRW 3.6 million or below, and the property tax base of KRW 135 million or below. *This information is also available in the attached file.
If you received an income and paid the income tax in 2021 (such as working as a Research Assistant), your insurance fee may be different than the reduced fee. If you worked in 2021, but currently not working, then you may be able to request for the reduction (they may request for documentation for verification purposes).
We called NHIS regarding the insurance fee and as the fee depends on each student's situation, they said the best option to check if you are eligible for the reduced fee or not is to call them directly or visit their office.
Fee Due Date: The fee for the next month is due by the 25th of the current month (prepayment) ex. April 2022 is payable by March 25, 2022 (billed around the 10th of each month)
Payment Method: Automatic transfer (from your bank account or credit card), website, NHIS branch office, bank *You can call ( 033-811-2000 English service) or visit a NHIS branch office to apply for an electronic (email or mobile) billing instead of receiving a paper bill. We recommend you to do so for efficient communication.
Closest NHIS branch office from campus: - NHIS Incheon Yeonsu-gu - 09:00 ~ 12:00 / 13:00 ~ 18:00 - 1st Floor (KT Plaza), 145, Cheongneung-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon / 인천 연수구 청능대로 145 1층 ( http://naver.me/G2UFoPiI ) *Please bring your Alien Registration Card (ARC) and bankbook or bank account information
Insurance Benefits: - Same benefits as Korean citizens - Various benefits are available, including dental and oriental medical treatment, health checkups, and pregnancy and childbirth-related medical expenses
Disadvantages with Nonpayment of the Fee - Restrictions on health insurance benefits - Restrictions on visa extension - Dispositions on default
Enrollment Procedure - No action is required from students, as they are automatically subscribed to the health insurance by the NHIS - A NHI Card and subscription guide are sent to your residential address in Korea
If you have any questions regarding the Korean national health insurance, please contact NHIS at 033-811-2000 for services in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, or Uzbek. You can also visit the nearby NHIS branch office for consultation. Thank you.