Free National Health Screening (건강검진) in Korea for Foreign Residents

If you have been enrolled in NHIS for more than 6 months, you are entitled to a free general health screening (건강검진) roughly every two years. Most foreign residents never use it because no one tells them. This guide explains who qualifies, what is covered, and how to book.

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What the screening program actually gives you

The national health screening program is not a cash benefit. It is a free service with real monetary value. A general health checkup at a private clinic in Korea typically costs 150,000 KRW to 300,000 KRW depending on the facility and the tests included. Through NHIS, that same checkup costs you nothing.

Cancer screenings come on top of the general checkup. NHIS covers 90% of the discounted screening cost; you pay only the remaining 10%, which is usually a small amount. The screenings covered include stomach, colorectal, liver, breast, cervical, and lung cancer, subject to age and risk eligibility.

The program is not a bonus or a perk. It is a statutory entitlement for all NHIS members. Foreign residents qualify on exactly the same terms as Korean nationals.

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Who is eligible

You are eligible if:

• You are enrolled in NHIS (either through your employer as a 직장가입자, or directly as a 지역가입자)
• You have been enrolled for more than 6 months
• Your birth year matches the current calendar year's cycle (see below)

Your visa type does not restrict eligibility. E-series visa holders (E-1 through E-7), F-series visa holders (F-2, F-4, F-5, F-6), D-series visa holders enrolled in NHIS, and others all qualify.

Recent arrivals who have been in Korea for less than 6 months may not yet have accumulated the qualifying enrollment period. If you are close to the 6-month mark, check again when you reach it.

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How the two-year cycle works

NHIS does not simply offer the checkup every year. It assigns eligibility by birth year:

• If you were born in an odd-numbered year: you are eligible in odd-numbered calendar years (2025, 2027, 2029, and so on).
• If you were born in an even-numbered year: you are eligible in even-numbered calendar years (2026, 2028, 2030, and so on).

This means each person is eligible roughly once every two years.

To check your current eligibility status, log into the NHIS portal at nhis.or.kr with your alien registration number, or call the NHIS foreigner helpline. The portal will tell you whether you are due this year and which screenings you qualify for, including any cancer screenings.

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What the general checkup includes

The general health checkup covers a standard set of assessments defined by NHIS. The typical contents include:

• Blood pressure measurement
• Height, weight, and BMI
• Vision and hearing tests
• Blood tests: fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL, liver enzymes (AST/ALT), creatinine (kidney function), and complete blood count
• Urine test
• Chest X-ray

Additional assessments are included based on age and sex. For example, women over 54 receive osteoporosis screening. Men and women over a certain age receive assessments for cognitive impairment and depression. NHIS updates the protocol periodically, so the full list of tests in any given year may vary slightly from the above (as of 2025, verify current contents at nhis.or.kr).

The checkup is thorough enough to catch early signs of diabetes, high blood pressure, liver disease, kidney disease, and anemia. These are the most common conditions that working-age adults miss because they feel fine and never book a checkup.

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Cancer screenings

Alongside the general checkup, NHIS offers subsidized cancer screenings to members who meet specific age and risk criteria. The program currently covers:

• Stomach cancer (위암): endoscopy or upper GI X-ray, for members aged 40 and older
• Colorectal cancer (대장암): fecal occult blood test, for members aged 50 and older
• Liver cancer (간암): ultrasound and AFP blood test, for high-risk members aged 40 and older
• Breast cancer (유방암): mammography, for women aged 40 and older
• Cervical cancer (자궁경부암): pap smear, for women aged 20 and older
• Lung cancer (폐암): low-dose CT, for high-risk smokers aged 54-74

NHIS covers 90% of the discounted cost for each cancer screening you are eligible for. The 10% copayment you pay is typically small. For members with low income, the copayment is waived entirely.

Your NHIS portal will show which cancer screenings apply to you based on your age, sex, and risk profile.

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How to book

Booking takes about five minutes.

1. Check your eligibility on the NHIS portal (nhis.or.kr) or the NHIS mobile app. Log in with your alien registration number. Confirm you are eligible this calendar year.

2. Find a designated screening clinic near you. The NHIS portal has a search function to locate participating clinics by neighborhood or district. Most neighborhood clinics (의원), health centers (보건소), and general hospitals (종합병원) participate.

3. Call the clinic to book. Tell them you want to schedule a national health screening (건강검진 예약). Some clinics also accept online bookings. If you are not comfortable booking in Korean, bring a Korean-speaking colleague or friend, or call first during quieter hours when staff have more time to assist.

4. On the day of your appointment: bring your alien registration card (외국인등록증) and your NHIS insurance card. The checkup usually requires fasting for at least 8 hours before your blood test, so book a morning appointment and skip breakfast.

5. Results: most clinics provide results within a few weeks, either in person, by post, or via the NHIS app. If a result is flagged, the clinic will advise on follow-up.

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If your employer arranges it

Many larger Korean employers coordinate national health screenings for their employees, usually once a year. HR typically notifies employees of the schedule and arranges the appointment with a contracted clinic.

If your employer organizes this, you do not need to book independently. Attend the workplace-arranged checkup and it counts as your biennial screening.

If your employer has not arranged anything, or if you are enrolled as a locally insured member (지역가입자) rather than through an employer, book independently using the steps above.

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Getting help in your language

The NHIS foreigner helpline (외국인 고객센터) is available at 1577-1000. Language support includes English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. Staff can confirm your eligibility, help you find a nearby clinic, and answer questions about what the screening covers.

If you need help booking at a specific clinic and are not confident in Korean, you can also ask the clinic to speak with the NHIS helpline directly on a three-way call. Many clinics that regularly see foreign residents are accustomed to this.

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The single most common reason foreign residents miss it

Nobody tells you.

NHIS does not send an English-language notification. Employers do not always inform foreign staff. There is no automatic reminder outside the Korean-language text messages and portal notifications that NHIS sends to members.

If you have been in Korea for more than a year and have not had a health checkup, there is a reasonable chance you have already missed one or more eligible years. You cannot claim back missed years, but if you are eligible this year, you can book now.

Check your eligibility at nhis.or.kr today. If you are eligible, book an appointment before the calendar year ends.

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What to do next

1. Log into the NHIS portal at nhis.or.kr with your alien registration number and check your health screening eligibility for this year.
2. If you are eligible, use the clinic search function to find a nearby designated screening clinic.
3. Call the clinic and book your appointment. Bring your alien registration card and NHIS insurance card on the day.
4. If you are unsure about anything, call the NHIS foreigner helpline at 1577-1000.

For NHIS enrollment questions (if you are not yet enrolled or are unsure of your enrollment status), see our NHIS enrollment guide.

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FAQ

Am I eligible for the free health screening as a foreign resident?

Yes, if you have been enrolled in NHIS for more than 6 months. Eligibility applies to all NHIS members, both employee-insured (직장가입자) and locally insured (지역가입자), regardless of visa type. E-series, F-series, and D-series visa holders all qualify on the same terms as Korean nationals.

How do I know if I am due for a checkup this year?

NHIS assigns checkup years based on your birth year. If you were born in an odd-numbered year, you are eligible in odd-numbered calendar years. If you were born in an even-numbered year, you are eligible in even-numbered calendar years. You can confirm your exact eligibility status by logging into the NHIS portal at nhis.or.kr or using the NHIS app with your alien registration number.

What is covered in the general checkup?

The general checkup typically includes blood pressure, height and weight (BMI), vision and hearing, a blood test (fasting glucose, cholesterol, liver enzymes, kidney function), a urine test, and a chest X-ray. Additional tests are added based on age and sex, such as osteoporosis screening for women over 54. The full contents are determined by NHIS and may be updated periodically.

What cancer screenings am I eligible for?

NHIS provides subsidized screenings for stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, breast cancer (women), cervical cancer (women), and lung cancer (high-risk groups). Eligibility depends on your age and risk profile, not your visa type. NHIS covers 90% of the discounted screening cost; you pay the remaining 10%, which is typically a small amount. Your NHIS portal will show which cancer screenings you are currently eligible for.

How do I book an appointment?

Go to the NHIS portal (nhis.or.kr) or call the NHIS foreigner helpline at 1577-1000 to find a designated screening clinic near you. Book directly with the clinic by phone or, at some clinics, online. Bring your alien registration card (외국인등록증) and your NHIS insurance card on the day of your appointment.

My employer said they will arrange it. Do I still need to do anything?

Employers at larger companies often coordinate screening appointments for their employees. If your workplace has arranged this, you can attend through that process. If your employer has not arranged it, or if you are locally insured (지역가입자), book independently through the NHIS portal or the foreigner helpline.

I have been in Korea for several years and never had a checkup. Can I catch up?

You cannot retroactively claim checkups for past years, but if you are eligible this calendar year, you can book now. Check your status on the NHIS portal. If your birth year and the current calendar year are both odd or both even, you are likely eligible right now.

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What's changed

• 2026-05-28: Guide first published covering NHIS health screening eligibility, the biennial birth-year cycle, general checkup contents, cancer screening coverage, and how to book.

@misc{seoulstart-korea-nhis-health-screening-guide,
  author = {{Seoulstart Editorial Team}},
  title = {{Free National Health Screening (건강검진) in Korea for Foreign Residents}},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Seoulstart},
  url = {https://seoulstart.com/guides/korea-nhis-health-screening-guide},
  note = {Last updated May 28, 2026}
}