Frequently asked questions about medical travel to Korea
These are the questions international patients ask most often before a medical trip to Korea, with short answers taken from official sources. Each answer links to a longer guide. Rules change and some depend on your nationality, so confirm the details before you travel.
Last reviewed: 4 October 2026
Before you book: choosing a hospital
How do I check that a hospital is allowed to treat foreign patients?
Hospitals and facilitators that attract foreign patients must be registered under Korean law. Search the Registered Hospitals and Registered Facilitators lists on Medical Korea, the official portal, by name, phone number, type or region. The registration certificate must also be displayed in the hospital.
What are the warning signs when you choose a provider?
Be careful with any hospital or facilitator that is not on the registered lists, avoids putting things in writing or pushes you to decide quickly.
How do I find out what my treatment will cost?
Ask the hospital for a written estimate before you travel and again after the in-person examination. A registered hospital must explain the diagnosis, the treatment method and the possible side effects to a foreign patient, and provide a treatment contract that includes the estimated cost.
What should a remote consultation cover?
It should end with a written plan: what will be done, by whom, in how many visits, at what total cost, with which risks. If the hospital cannot put this in writing, treat that as a warning sign.
Before you fly: visas and preparation
Do I need a visa for medical treatment in Korea?
It depends on your nationality. Korea has two medical visa categories: C-3-3 for treatment and travel of 90 days or less, and G-1-10 for long-term treatment of up to one year. If your country has visa-free entry, ask the Korean consulate or your hospital whether it suits your planned treatment and stay.
What is K-ETA, and do I need one?
K-ETA is an online travel authorization for nationals of visa-free countries. It costs KRW 10,000 plus a card processing fee, is valid for 3 years and usually takes up to 72 hours to assess. A temporary exemption for the countries and regions already exempt runs until 31 December 2026. Check your nationality on the official site, k-eta.go.kr.
Can a family member or caregiver travel with me?
Yes. Both medical visa categories cover accompanying family members and caregivers who need to travel with the patient. Companions applying for a visa are asked for proof of the family relationship.
What should you prepare if you do not speak Korean?
Prepare your medical information in writing and save the helpline numbers before you fly. Written information avoids mistakes that happen in spoken interpretation.
What do you need to prepare before you travel?
Confirm your entry requirements, book a place to stay close to the hospital and arrange how you will pay. Entry rules depend on your nationality, so check them on the official sites well before you book flights.
At the hospital in Korea
Can someone interpret during your hospital visit?
Ask the hospital before you book. The public lines work by phone: bbb Korea volunteers interpret over the phone only, do not come to the hospital, and cannot negotiate prices or make bookings for you.
Is there a helpline in my language?
The Medical Korea Information Center on 1577-7129 answers in English, Chinese, Japanese and Russian from 09:00 to 18:00 daily. The 1330 Korea Travel Helpline offers eight languages from 07:00 to midnight every day. The volunteer bbb Korea line on 1588-5644 interprets by phone in 20 languages.
What must a doctor explain before surgery?
Before surgery, a blood transfusion or general anesthesia that carries a risk of serious harm, the doctor must explain the procedure and obtain your written consent. You can ask for a copy of the consent form.
How should you pay and what should you keep?
Pay the hospital directly by a method that leaves a record, and keep all your documents. You may need them for follow-up care, insurance or a complaint.
If something goes wrong
What number do I call in a medical emergency in Korea?
Call 119 for an ambulance. If you do not speak Korean, say "English please" or "Interpreter please" and the operator will connect an interpreter. A 119 ambulance is free for genuine emergencies. Treatment at the emergency room is billed by the hospital.
What should you do if something feels wrong after a procedure?
Contact the hospital that treated you first, using the contact it gave you for aftercare. If the symptoms are severe or getting worse quickly, do not wait: call 119.
How do you find an emergency room or a pharmacy that is open?
The national E-Gen portal has search tools for emergency rooms, hospitals and pharmacies, but the search is in Korean. If you do not read Korean, a phone call is the dependable route: 119 in an emergency, or 1330 between 07:00 and midnight.
What can I do if I have a dispute with a hospital?
Raise it with the hospital in writing first. The Medical Korea Information Center on 1577-7129 takes complaints and helps with disputes. The Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency on 1670-2545 provides free consultation and handles mediation, and the mediation law applies to foreign patients.
Before you go home: recovery and refunds
How much time should you leave for recovery?
Leave a buffer between treatment and your flight home. The right length depends on the treatment, and the hospital should tell you in writing when it is safe to fly.
Can I get a tax refund on cosmetic procedures in Korea?
Not at present. The VAT refund for foreign tourists on cosmetic surgery and dermatology procedures applied only to services received on or before 31 December 2025. It had not been extended as of October 2026, so procedures from 1 January 2026 do not qualify.
Is tax-free shopping available to medical travelers?
Yes, for goods bought at designated tax-free shops. The minimum is KRW 15,000 per transaction, and the goods must leave Korea within 3 months. An immediate refund at the counter is possible for a single purchase under KRW 1,000,000.
About TripDoc
Does TripDoc recommend specific hospitals in these guides?
No. The guides explain how treatment and travel in Korea work and what to check. They do not recommend any hospital, doctor or procedure. In the TripDoc app you can search and compare hospitals yourself and ask them questions through AI translation.
What is TripDoc?
TripDoc is a medical and wellness tourism platform for people visiting Korea. In the mobile app you can search for hospitals and clinics, consult them through AI translation, book appointments and plan the travel around your care. It is operated by TripDoc Co., Ltd., based in Busan, South Korea.
Sources
Checked on 4 October 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the official source before you travel.
- Medical Korea: Medical Visa
- K-ETA official notice: extension of the temporary exemption (23 December 2025)
- Restriction of Special Taxation Act, Article 107-3 (Korea Law Information Center, in Korean)
- Special Provisions on VAT and Individual Consumption Tax for Foreign Tourists (Korea Law Information Center, in Korean)
- Medical Korea: Registered Hospitals
- VisitKorea (Korea Tourism Organization): Emergency Situations
- Medical Korea: Medical Korea Information Center
- Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency: counseling methods
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