Vietnamese students studying in South Korea are required to join the National Health Insurance (NHIS) system depending on their visa status and applicable conditions. For D-2 international students, checking and paying health insurance premiums on time is an important part of managing everyday life in South Korea.

However, students may sometimes have unpaid premiums because they have forgotten the payment deadline, failed to update their personal information after moving, encountered problems when making a payment, or simply did not check their insurance account regularly.

If you discover that you have unpaid health insurance premiums, the important thing is to check the outstanding amount and the relevant payment period, then deal with it as soon as possible, rather than allowing the debt to remain unpaid.

1. What does it mean to have unpaid NHIS premiums?

Unpaid health insurance premiums refer to a situation where an insured person has not paid the full amount of premiums notified by NHIS by the required payment deadline.

For foreign nationals enrolled as regional subscribers, premiums are generally charged monthly, with the payment deadline normally falling on the 25th of the preceding month for the following month's premium. However, the applicable payment arrangements and deadlines may vary depending on the individual's circumstances.

For this reason, international students should not rely solely on whether they have received a paper payment notice. It is advisable to check their insurance and payment status regularly through NHIS online services.

If you are unsure how to check your premiums, you can also refer to the separate guide “How to Check and Pay NHIS Health Insurance Premiums on Your Mobile Phone in South Korea”.

2. Why might international students have unpaid health insurance premiums?

There are several common reasons why international students may fall behind with their health insurance payments:

• Forgetting the monthly payment deadline

• Failing to check the insurance payment notice

• Not updating their address or other personal information after moving

• Having insufficient funds in their bank account when using automatic payment

• Experiencing an error during an online payment

• Assuming that a payment has been completed when the transaction has not actually gone through

• Not realising that health insurance premiums may continue to arise while they are living in South Korea

D-2 students should pay particular attention to their insurance status after changing schools, moving address, making changes to their residence status, or changing their employment circumstances, including part-time work.

NHIS also provides premium reduction arrangements for certain international students, including D-2 visa holders, subject to the applicable conditions. Therefore, if the amount you are asked to pay differs from what you expected, do not simply recalculate the amount yourself. Check the actual amount with NHIS.

3. How to check whether you have unpaid premiums

International students can use NHIS online services to check their insurance status and identify any unpaid premiums.

The basic process is as follows:

STEP 1:
Open the NHIS app or online service on your mobile phone.

STEP 2:
Log in and complete the required identity verification.

STEP 3:
Open the health insurance premium enquiry section.

STEP 4:
Check your payment history month by month to see which premiums have been paid and which remain unpaid.

STEP 5:
Check the amount due, the relevant payment period and the payment deadline.

If the information is unclear or the amount shown is higher than expected, contact NHIS to confirm the details before making a payment.

4. What should you do if you have unpaid health insurance premiums?

The first step is to confirm the exact outstanding amount and the relevant payment period. You should then pay the premiums using one of the payment methods provided by NHIS.

The basic process is:

CHECK → IDENTIFY THE OUTSTANDING AMOUNT → PAY → CHECK THE PAYMENT RESULT

NHIS provides several payment methods, including bank transfers to designated accounts, electronic payments and payments through banks.

If you pay using a mobile phone or banking app, keep the transaction record or payment confirmation until the payment has been reflected in the NHIS system.

5. What if you have unpaid premiums for several months?

If you discover that you have unpaid premiums for several months, do not simply pay the most recent month's premium and assume the matter has been resolved.

First, check the full period for which premiums remain unpaid.

You should check:

• From which month the premiums have been unpaid

• The total outstanding amount

• Which premiums are already overdue

• Whether any payment has been made but has not yet been reflected in the system

You can then make the necessary payments according to NHIS guidance.

If the outstanding amount is substantial or you are unsure which premiums need to be paid, contact NHIS rather than trying to determine the correct procedure yourself.

6. Can unpaid premiums affect your use of health insurance?

This is an important issue for international students to be aware of.

Under the current system for foreign nationals enrolled as regional subscribers, certain levels or circumstances of premium arrears may result in restrictions on health insurance benefits, subject to the conditions set out in the applicable regulations. There may also be exceptions depending on the person's residence status and the number or circumstances of missed payments.

Therefore, students should not assume that simply being enrolled in the health insurance system automatically means that all benefits will always be available in the usual way.

If you have unpaid premiums, check your insurance eligibility and benefit status before receiving medical treatment and deal with the outstanding premiums as soon as possible.

7. What should you check after paying?

Once you have made the payment, do not simply assume that everything has been completed. Check your payment status in the NHIS system.

After making a payment, you should:

• Check the payment result in the NHIS system

• Compare the amount you paid with any remaining outstanding balance

• Confirm that the unpaid amount has been updated correctly

• Keep your receipt or transaction record

• Check the payment deadline for the following month

If you have already paid but the NHIS system still shows the amount as unpaid, do not immediately make another payment for the same amount.

First, check your bank or payment transaction history and contact NHIS to confirm the status of the payment.

8. Can unpaid health insurance premiums affect visa renewal?

This is a common concern among international students in South Korea.

However, it should not be understood as a simple rule that “if you have unpaid health insurance premiums, your visa will definitely not be renewed.”

Residence status and the payment of health insurance premiums are governed by different systems. The actual treatment of an individual case may depend on the person's residence status, payment history and the regulations applicable at the time of the application.

If you have unpaid health insurance premiums and are preparing to extend your period of stay, it is advisable to check your outstanding balance with NHIS as early as possible and complete any necessary payments.

If you need to know whether your specific circumstances could affect an immigration application, consult the relevant immigration authority or another competent organisation rather than relying on informal advice.

9. What if you cannot afford to pay the full outstanding amount at once?

If your outstanding premiums are substantial and you cannot afford to pay the full amount immediately, you should not simply ignore the debt.

Contact NHIS and ask about:

• The total amount currently outstanding

• The periods for which premiums remain unpaid

• The status of each month's premium

• Available payment methods

• The appropriate procedure for your individual circumstances

Contacting NHIS promptly can help you understand exactly what you need to do and avoid allowing the outstanding balance to remain unresolved.

10. How can international students avoid unpaid premiums?

To reduce the risk of falling behind with health insurance payments, international students should develop the following habits:

1. Check your premiums regularly
Use NHIS online services to check your monthly insurance premium.

2. Set a reminder for the payment deadline
Add the monthly payment deadline to your mobile phone calendar or reminder app.

3. Keep sufficient funds available for automatic payments
If you use automatic payment, make sure there is enough money in your account.

4. Check the payment result after paying
Do not rely solely on your bank's transaction notification. Check the payment status on the NHIS system as well.

5. Check your insurance status after any major change
If you change your school, address, residence status or employment circumstances, check whether your health insurance status or premium has changed.

11. Five steps to follow if you have unpaid NHIS premiums

If you discover that you have unpaid health insurance premiums, remember these five steps:

STEP 1 – CHECK
Log in to NHIS and check your premium payment status.

STEP 2 – IDENTIFY THE OUTSTANDING AMOUNT
Check which months remain unpaid and how much you need to pay.

STEP 3 – PAY
Choose an available payment method and make the payment.

STEP 4 – CONFIRM
Check the NHIS system to make sure that the payment has been correctly recorded.

STEP 5 – KEEP TRACK
Check the next payment deadline and make sure that no new unpaid premiums arise.

Unpaid health insurance premiums should not be ignored. Once you become aware of an outstanding balance, check the relevant period and amount as soon as possible and make the payment according to NHIS guidance.

If you are unsure about the amount due, your payment status, or your health insurance eligibility or benefits, contact NHIS directly so that your circumstances can be checked against your individual records.

CONTACT INFORMATION

TOHOKU SONG DA JOINT STOCK COMPANY
Address: L02-L01, Khu A, KĐT Dương Nội, Phường Dương Nội, Hà Nội
Hotline: 0989 044 852 / 0989044852
Email: tohokusongda2014@gmail.com
Website: tohoku.vn