First Week in Korea Checklist

Before you fly

• Save your visa grant or Certificate of Visa Issuance, passport and admission or contract letter to your phone and the cloudYou will show them again and again: immigration, bank, carrier, landlord
• Bring passport photos (3.5 × 4.5 cm, white background) for Alien RegistrationPhoto booths exist at immigration offices, but they are slow on busy days
• Bring ₩300,000 or so in cash and one card that works abroadMany places take foreign cards, but T-money top-ups and small shops often want cash
• Have your first accommodation address in Korean and EnglishNeeded on the arrival card, for the SIM, the bank and Alien Registration
• Check whether you need a Hi Korea appointment, and book it as early as you canAlien Registration must be filed within 90 days of arrival if you stay longer than 90 days. Slots in Seoul fill up weeks ahead
• Buy travel insurance for the gap before National Health Insurance startsMost long-term residents join NHI automatically about 6 months after Alien Registration. Students are usually covered earlier through their school scheme

Day 1 · Arrival

• Prepaid SIM or eSIM with your passport (airport counters or a carrier shop)Before your Alien Registration Card only prepaid is possible. A Korean number is required for almost everything that follows
• T-money card from a convenience store, loaded with ₩20,000 or soWorks on subway, bus and taxi nationwide. Some foreign cards now tap on Seoul transit, but T-money always works
• Install Naver Map or Kakao Map, Papago, and Kakao TGoogle Maps does not give walking or driving directions in Korea
• Check in, then find the nearest mart, pharmacy, clinic and subway station on foot

Day 2–3 · Bank and immigration

• Open a bank account before your ARC if you can, at a branch that accepts a passport onlyPolicies differ by bank and even by branch. Expect limits on transfers until your ARC is registered. Bring passport, visa, address, Korean phone number, and proof of purpose (admission letter or contract)
• Hi Korea immigration appointment: file your Alien Registration in personWithin 90 days of arrival. Fee ₩30,000 plus a card fee. Bring passport, photo, application form, proof of address and purpose. The card arrives by mail in 3–6 weeks
• Register your residence address at immigration or the district officeDone at the same time as Alien Registration. Report within 15 days if you move
• Note your Foreigner Registration Number when the card arrives, then go back to the bank and carrierLift account limits, switch to a postpaid plan, and register for online and mobile banking

Day 4–7 · Housing and work

• Housing: inspect in person before paying anythingCheck the deposit (보증금) and monthly rent (월세), whether utilities (관리비) are included, and who holds the deposit. Never pay before seeing the room and the contract
• Ask for a copy of the building register (등기부등본) and pay the deposit only to the owner named on itA licensed real estate agent (공인중개사) should handle the contract. If someone asks you to send money to a different person, stop
• Report the move to the district office and get a confirmed date stamp (확정일자) on the leaseThis protects your deposit if the building is sold or foreclosed
• CV in Korean style (1–2 pages, photo optional) and a one-line Korean self-introductionStudents: check what part-time work your visa allows before applying. D-2 holders need a permit from immigration
• Students: orientation, student ID, school insurance and the international office contactThe international office knows which bank branch and carrier shop are used to students
• Find one clinic near home and the nearest pharmacyClinics with English-speaking staff cluster in Itaewon, Sinchon, Gangnam and near universities. Pharmacies close early on Sundays

Within the first months

• National Health Insurance: expect automatic enrolment about 6 months after Alien Registration, or earlier through an employerA monthly bill follows. Check the NHIS letter for the amount and the first due date
• Sort out money from home: international transfer to your Korean account, or a card that works in KoreaTransfers into Korea need your Korean account's SWIFT code and the English spelling of your name exactly as on your passport
• Update your address with the bank, carrier and immigration whenever you move
• Save emergency numbers: 112 (police), 119 (fire and ambulance), 1345 (immigration contact centre, multilingual), 1330 (24-hour tourist and travel helpline, multilingual)

Compiled in November 2026. Official procedures, fees and deadlines change, so confirm visa, tax, insurance and legal matters with the relevant office or a licensed professional. This checklist is general information, not advice.

Days 1 to 3 with a companion, in one morning

The Arrival Setup Day (₩140,000, 4 hours) gets your prepaid SIM, bank account, T-money and neighbourhood basics done with a verified local companion who speaks your language, and includes a documents list before you fly and 7 days of follow-up questions. See the services