NHIS · National Health Insurance
Can foreign family members become NHIS dependants?
Some foreign family members can be registered as dependants of an employee-insured person, but family relationship alone is not enough. NHIS checks the relationship, dependency, income and property requirements.
Potential dependants include a spouse, certain parents and grandparents, children and other lineal descendants, and in narrower cases siblings. The detailed conditions differ by relationship and whether the family member lives with the employee-insured person. Current NHIS guidance also sets income and property thresholds and applies special rules to spouses.
Foreign applicants normally need a Foreign Resident Registration Card or domestic-residence report card and official evidence of the family relationship. A foreign document generally must be confirmed by the issuing country’s foreign ministry or by Apostille, or issued or confirmed by an institution NHIS recognises. The relevant document should generally be within nine months of issuance or confirmation. If it is not in Korean, NHIS requires a notarised Korean translation. The exact documents can vary by country and family situation, so obtain the branch’s current checklist before arranging authentication.
Do not confuse dependant status with a local-insurance household. A dependant is linked to an employee-insured person and must meet dependant criteria. Family members covered together under local insurance follow different household and contribution rules.
A useful order
- Confirm that the sponsor is employee-insured.
- Ask NHIS which relationship, income, property and cohabitation tests apply.
- Obtain the country-specific document list before Apostille, consular confirmation or translation.
- Keep evidence of submission and confirm the effective date after approval.
Read how contributions are calculated and when foreign residents enrol. Return to the NHIS guide.
Official sources
- NHIS — dependant criteria and documents for foreign residents
- NHIS rules — foreign family documents and Korean translation
Last verified: 18 September 2026.