Start free
‹ Korea Visa & Stay Q&A for Foreigners
Banking & phone

How can a foreigner get a mobile phone line activated?

Based on: Incheon Metropolitan City, Living Information for Foreign Residents, "Telecommunications" (source: guidebook for foreigners living in Incheon) (checked 2026.10.29) · Korea Institute for Healthy Family (한국건강가정진흥원) Danuri Guide to Living in Korea, "Housing > 08 Telecommunications" (checked 2026.10.29) · Press release by the Ministry of Justice, Korea Communications Commission and Ministry of Science and ICT, "Foreigners whose Korean name is also shown on their Alien Registration Card can activate a mobile phone with their Korean name" (2020.05.29)

If you have an Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증), you can activate a mobile phone in your own name. The Alien Registration Card (or the Domestic Residence Certificate (국내거소증명서)) is the basic document. You can only pay the bill with a bank account or credit card in your own name.

Bring these

  • Alien Registration Card: a Permanent Resident Card (영주증) or a Domestic Residence Report Card for overseas Koreans (외국국적동포 국내거소신고증) can also be used as ID
  • Bank account or credit card in your own name: depending on the carrier, a Korean card or account is required
  • Passport: the carrier or agency may ask for it too (usually)

Steps to activate

  1. Choose a carrier (SKT, KT, LG U+) or an agency. KT offers help in English, Chinese and Japanese (Foreign Customer Center 1588-8448).
  2. Take your documents to an agency or a carrier store.
  3. Choose a plan and register your payment method (account or card).
  4. After activation, you get your phone number.

⚠️ Good to know

  • If you do not have an Alien Registration Card, it is hard to activate a phone in your own name. In this case, many people use a prepaid phone (card phone) that you top up. There is no contract and no sign-up fee, but call rates are a little higher.
  • If your Alien Registration Card also shows your name in Korean (Hangul), you can verify your real name with either your English name or your Korean name.
  • Foreigners often find it hard to buy a phone in installments. The store may ask for a one-time cash payment, so ask the store in advance.
  • If you answer advertising calls or adult advertising text messages, you may get unexpected charges. Ignore them if you do not need them.

The exact activation requirements may differ a little by carrier. Check once more with the customer center of the carrier you plan to use (KT 100, LG U+ 101).

Sources

  1. 외국인 유선전화·휴대전화 개통 요건 (인천시) › 외국인 휴대폰 개통요건An Alien Registration Card or Domestic Residence Certificate is required, and payment is only possible with an account or card in your own name
  2. 통신(일반전화·휴대폰·국제전화) - 다누리 한국생활안내 › 휴대폰(핸드폰)With a registration card, you can activate in your own name; without one, use a prepaid card phone
  3. 외국인등록증 한글이름 병기자의 한글이름 실명확인(휴대폰 개통·통장 개설)For a registration card that also shows a Korean name, you can verify your real name with either your Korean name or your English name
Ask again with your own visa and expiry dateAdd your stay details and get answers tailored to your dates, immigration office and documents.Ask about my situation

Related questions

What do foreigners need to open a bank account?Can foreigners get a credit card?Can I activate a mobile phone without an Alien Registration Card (외국인등록증)?Can foreigners get a bank loan?How can foreigners send money to their home country, and what are the limits?

General guidance prepared by Kevi from Ministry of Justice manuals, laws and official guides. Not legal advice. Please confirm with HiKorea or the Immigration Contact Center (1345).