Are you a foreign spouse who has decided to begin a new life in Korea through international marriage?

Once the marriage is official, transitioning into daily life together involves more than just moving in—

it requires completing a range of administrative procedures.

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From visa matters and health checkups to insurance, banking, mobile services, and language education,

there are many steps to handle. Delays or missed timelines in some of these processes may result in disadvantages,

such as difficulty extending your visa or maintaining legal residency.

Below are the 8 most important administrative steps that foreign spouses should complete after international marriage in Korea.

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8 Essential Steps for Foreign Spouses to Settle Smoothly

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1. Alien Registration and Fingerprinting

After receiving your F-6 marriage visa, you must complete alien registration and biometric fingerprinting within 90 days.

Visit your local Immigration Office. Processing usually takes about 3 to 4 weeks.

🔖 Required Documents: Passport, visa, marriage certificate, 1 photo, application form

❗️ Alien registration is essential before you can:

✔Register in your Korean spouse’s household

✔Open a mobile phone line or bank account

✔Enroll in national health insurance

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2. Household Registration (Resident Registration)

While foreign nationals are not issued a Resident Registration Number, they can be listed as a household member in the Korean spouse’s registration.

Visit the local district (dong) office that has jurisdiction over your residence.

🔖 Required Documents: Alien registration card, marriage certificate, Korean spouse’s resident registration or ID

❗️ Household registration enables access to:

✔Dependent health insurance enrollment

✔Public services

✔Childbirth or parenting benefits

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3. Health Insurance (National Health Insurance)

All residents in Korea—including foreign spouses—are required to enroll in national health insurance, either as:

✔A workplace subscriber or

✔A regional subscriber

✔Differences:

👉Workplace-based: If you or your Korean spouse is employed, the foreign spouse can register as a dependent through the employer.

👉Regional-based: If neither spouse is employed or eligible under workplace insurance,

the foreign spouse must enroll independently at the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) office.

📌 Consider visiting the National Pension Service (NPS) at the same time to check eligibility.
Pension enrollment depends on visa status, employment, income, and nationality.

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4. Private Health (Indemnity) Insurance

To reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses, private indemnity insurance for foreigners is highly recommended.

Many Korean insurers offer dedicated policies for long-term foreign residents and marriage immigrants.

📌 If planning to have children, make sure to check for maternity coverage options.

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5. Vaccinations (Public Health Center)

Basic vaccinations can be administered at public health centers at no or low cost, regardless of insurance status. These may include:

✔Hepatitis A & B

✔HPV (Cervical Cancer) Vaccine

✔Rubella (especially important before pregnancy)

🔖 Required Documents: Alien registration card or passport, household registration (in some cases)

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6. Women’s Health Checkup (OB/GYN) and Dental Visit

Visiting an obstetrician-gynecologist and women’s health clinic is highly recommended,

especially if vaccination history is unclear. This helps establish a medical baseline and prevent birth-related issues.

Korea also offers well-developed preventative dental care. Though dental services are costly, early screening followed by regular checkups is advisable.

🔖 Required Documents: Alien registration card or passport, national health insurance card (if enrolled)

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7. Mobile Phone Registration

Having a phone under your name allows for ID verification, mobile banking, and access to government services.

Visit a telecom provider with the necessary documents to register for a plan.

🔖 Required Documents: Alien registration card or passport, bank account or credit card (for automatic payment setup)

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8. Bank Account Opening

Open a personal bank account and request a debit card and internet banking services.

🔖 Required Documents:

✔Long-term visa

✔Alien registration card or passport

✔Marriage certificate

✔Proof of residence

✔Mobile phone under your name

❗️ After opening an account, request issuance of an OTP security device or register a digital certificate for online services.
❗️ Opening accounts as a foreigner may be stricter than in the past. Having your Korean spouse accompany you,
and proving legitimate use (such as owning a phone), may help smooth the process.

Additional Steps for a Smooth Life in Korea

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1. Issue an i-PIN or Joint Digital Certificate

Most Korean services (government, banking, public) rely on online identity verification.

🔖�i-PIN: Visit a community center with your alien registration card and passport. Mobile issuance may be available if your phone is under your name.

🔖Digital Certificate: Issued by banks if you have a bank account and security card (or via mobile if your phone is registered under your name)

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2. Create Kakao & Naver Accounts

These platforms are essential to daily life in Korea.

✔Kakao: Use for KakaoTalk (messaging), KakaoPay, KakaoMap, etc.

✔Naver: Useful for search, hospital reservations, maps, etc.

Anyone with an alien registration card can create accounts.

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3. Know Emergency Contact Services

Be prepared for unexpected events by knowing the following services:

✔Emergency Medical Help: 119

✔Police: 112

✔Multilingual Support: 1345 (Immigration Call Center)

They provide assistance for issues related to visas, residency, work, and daily life.

For more in-depth visa or residency consultation, contact:

📞 KoreaVisa Support Center :  Tel: 02-3210-1113

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📌 If you're aiming for long-term, stable residency in Korea,
it's recommended to transition from F-6 (spouse visa) to F-5 (permanent residency) at the appropriate time.
Meeting eligibility criteria—including Korean language proficiency—is key.

Need Help with Visa Applications in Korea?

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Hanguk Visa provides tailored visa solutions for foreigners living in Korea and couples preparing for international marriage.

We offer support for personal and business visa applications, visa duration management, and other related services.

Our one-stop administrative services include document translation, notarization, apostille, and immigration coordination—to help reduce mistakes and delays.

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We also provide legal and practical consultation for common challenges in international marriage visa applications,

offering the safest and most realistic strategies tailored to your unique case.

If you need detailed consultation, please feel free to contact us at the information below anytime.

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📞 Tel: +82-2-3210-1113

✉ KakaoTalk Channel: 한국비자

📣 Instagram: @hanguk_visa

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