No Alien Registration Card? Get a Prepaid SIM in Korea With Just Your Passport

Bottom line: This applies only to short-term stayers in Korea for under 90 days who don't have an Alien Registration Card — long-term residents who already hold one can just sign up for a regular postpaid plan, so this isn't for you. Even without a registration card, a passport alone gets you a prepaid SIM on the spot at a carrier booth in Incheon or Gimpo airport, or at a convenience store in the city. Postpaid plans and many budget ("alddeulpon") carriers usually ask for an Alien Registration Card, so short-term stayers should plan on prepaid SIM or eSIM from the start.

If you didn't know: assume you can't get a phone number without a registration card and stick to expensive airport roaming, and you could end up paying more per day than a full month of a convenience-store prepaid SIM would cost (prices vary by carrier; private guides put it roughly in the 10,000–30,000 won range, though we couldn't verify an official rate sheet this time). A number that can't pass identity verification also locks you out of signing up for banking apps or delivery apps, costing you extra time on top of the money.

Korea runs on phone-number identity verification for nearly everything, so without a number you can be locked out of banking apps, ride-hailing, and delivery apps alike. That makes a prepaid SIM more than just a way to call people — for short-term stayers, it's the gateway to using Korea day to day. Airport booths cost a bit more but get you connected immediately; convenience stores are cheaper but often leave you to insert and activate the SIM yourself. Required documents and prices differ by carrier and shop, so call ahead before you buy.

This article summarizes official guidance and is not legal, medical, or financial advice.

Journey stage: Assuming you need a registration card can cost you real money on roaming before you ever find out otherwise · Verified 2026-11-04