Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers to the questions we hear most. For anything order-specific, the fastest route is KIMO, the chat assistant in the bottom-right corner. It can check your order status live with your order number and purchase email. You can also reach a human at [email protected].

Getting connected on arrival

Will I get a Korean phone number as soon as I arrive?

No. On arrival you get data, not a Korean number. A real Korean 010 number is issued only after you receive your physical Alien Registration Card (ARC) and switch to a KT postpaid plan. If you only need internet (maps, KakaoTalk, calls over data), a data eSIM covers that from the moment you land. Our Korea SIM card guide walks through the full timeline.

When does my data eSIM start working?

Add the eSIM to your phone before you fly. It activates automatically when you land in Korea and power on. The QR code arrives by email after purchase; no passport copy is needed for a data-only eSIM.

Do I need an ARC or any Korean ID to buy a data eSIM?

No. Data eSIMs (5GB, 10GB, 20GB) are data-only and carry no Korean number, so anyone can buy one: tourists, visa-waiver visitors, any visa type. ID documents only come into play later, if you want a real 010 number.

Does my phone need to support eSIM?

Yes. The data eSIMs and the 60-day bridge plans are delivered as eSIMs, so you need an eSIM-capable, carrier-unlocked phone. Not sure about your model? Ask KIMO in the chat before you buy.

Getting a real Korean number (010)

How do I get a Korean phone number?

Three things have to be true: you hold a long-term residence visa, you have your physical ARC card in hand, and you activate a KT postpaid plan. The postpaid plan carries the real 010 number and is eligible for KT’s contract discount (약정할인) on a 12-month plan.

How long does the ARC take?

Plan on roughly 2–3 weeks minimum after arrival, often longer depending on your immigration office’s backlog. Until the card physically arrives, a Korean number can’t be activated. That waiting period is exactly the gap the 60-day bridge plans are built for.

I have the 외국인등록사실확인서 (ARC-fact certificate). Is that enough?

Not yet. Carriers currently accept only the physical ARC card for number activation. The paper certificate confirming your registration is not accepted as a substitute; our Korea SIM guide covers the document requirements in detail.

Which visas qualify for a Korean number?

Long-term residence categories: F-series, E-1/E-2/E-5/E-7/E-9, and long-stay D-series visas (D-2 students, D-10 job seekers, and similar). If you’re not sure whether your visa qualifies, ask KIMO before you buy; we’d rather check than guess.

Can tourists or short-stay visitors get a Korean number?

No. Short-term and visa-waiver visitors can’t activate a Korean number. A data eSIM is the right product for a visit: it covers maps, messaging, and calls over apps without any registration.

The 60-day bridge plans (60GB data → KT postpaid)

What’s the difference between the Welcome SIM and the Korea Starter SIM?

Mechanically they’re the same plan: a 60-day, 60GB data eSIM that bridges you to a KT postpaid plan (and your real 010 number) once your ARC arrives. The difference is eligibility. The Welcome SIM is a Korvia × Kimchi Mobile 20th-anniversary edition, available only to people who came to Korea through Korvia and sold only through 2026. Everyone else uses the Korea Starter SIM, the standard and ongoing version of the same bridge.

What happens if I don’t convert to KT postpaid within 60 days?

The bridge pricing assumes you complete the postpaid conversion. If you use the 60GB data period but don’t convert, a non-conversion charge applies: $50 on the Welcome SIM, $30 on the Korea Starter SIM. The conversion itself needs your physical ARC and a Korean bank account or card.

I already have my ARC. Can I skip the bridge and go straight to KT postpaid?

A direct KT postpaid activation path, including number transfer (번호이동/MNP) for an existing ARC-linked number, is planned to open around September 2026. It isn’t available yet. For now, contact us with your situation and we’ll point you to the right option.

Orders, eSIM delivery & top-ups

How do I check my order status?

Ask KIMO in the chat (bottom-right) with your order number and the email you used at purchase. It checks our order records live and tells you the status, including whether your eSIM has been issued. The records refresh continuously, and KIMO will tell you the “as of” time with each answer. For anything it can’t resolve, email [email protected].

My eSIM QR code hasn’t arrived. What should I check?

First check your spam folder for the delivery email. Then ask KIMO with your order number and purchase email; it can see whether the eSIM has been issued on your order yet. Still stuck? [email protected] will sort it out.

How do I top up or recharge?

Recharge credit is available for existing lines; see the recharge products in the shop. Recharges apply to an active line, so have your number ready.

Payment

What payment methods do you accept?

We take payment through PayPal only; we don’t run a separate card gateway. You can still pay by credit card, debit card, or bank account through PayPal: either link one to a PayPal account, or use PayPal’s guest “Pay with Debit or Credit Card” option where it appears. Note that PayPal doesn’t show the guest card option on every checkout (it depends on your location and PayPal’s own risk checks; see PayPal’s guest checkout help), so if it doesn’t appear, paying through a PayPal account still works. Payment trouble? Email [email protected].

More detailed FAQs

For deeper answers on a specific product, see our Data eSIM FAQ (refunds, QR codes, troubleshooting) and our KT Postpaid Plan FAQ (real 010 numbers, the application form, billing, and number transfer).

Still have a question?

Open the KIMO chat in the bottom-right corner — it answers in your language, whatever that is (English, 한국어, 中文, Tiếng Việt, 日本語, and more) — or email [email protected]. For partnership or B2B inquiries, use the contact page.