Can I register my foreign spouse and children as dependents on my health insurance?

Yes, you can. However, only an employee subscriber (or a voluntary continuing subscriber) can report it. Your family members must also meet all the set requirements².

Who can become a dependent

• The spouse of an employee subscriber. A common-law spouse is also included².
• The child of an employee subscriber. The spouse's child is also included, and a child's spouse can also be a dependent²³.
• The person must mainly rely on the employee subscriber for living expenses³.

Income and property requirements

• Total income from all sources must be 2천만 원 or less per year¹.
• If there is no business registration, business income must be 500만 원 or less per year¹.
• The property tax base must be 5억 4천만 원 or less. If it is over 5억 4천만 원 and up to 9억 원, annual income must be 1천만 원 or less¹.
• If the dependent is married, both spouses must meet the income requirements¹.

Residence requirement (for people who entered Korea after April 3, 2024)

• Spouses and minor children (including the spouse's children) are not subject to the residence requirement¹.
• Adult children and others must meet the residence requirement. The rule is to stay in Korea for at least 6 months. The source also lists residence statuses such as D-2, D-4-3, E-9, F-5 and F-6¹. Generally, these statuses are described as reasons that do not require waiting 6 months. Please check with the National Health Insurance Service (국민건강보험공단) to confirm exactly how this applies.

How to apply

1. The employee subscriber prepares the dependent qualification (acquisition/loss) report form¹.
2. Submit documents proving the family relationship¹. For foreign family members, home-country documents generally need a translation and an apostille (or consular confirmation).
3. You can report through the NHIS website, the '건강보험25시' app, phone (1577-1000), a branch visit, fax, or mail².

⚠️ Things to watch out for

If you stop meeting even one requirement, you may be moved from dependent to regional subscriber. A regional subscriber has to pay premiums directly². Before registering, check in advance using the 'Check dependent eligibility' (피부양자 취득 가능여부 확인) menu on the NHIS website². For residence-related questions, you can check with HiKorea (hikorea.go.kr) or the Immigration Contact Center (외국인종합안내센터) (1345).