6 min read · Updated 2026-09-04
Deposits, payment and refunds at Korean clinics
What you pay up front, which cards work, what happens if you cancel, and the paperwork you need for a VAT refund or an insurance claim.
The deposit
Most clinics ask for a deposit to hold a surgery date, commonly ₩100,000 to ₩500,000, and larger for a full surgical day. It is normally credited against your final bill. Ask two things in writing before you send it: whether it is refundable, and by what deadline. A deposit that is refundable up to 72 hours before is standard; one that is non-refundable from the moment you pay is a reason to slow down.
How to send it
International bank transfer is slow and carries fees on both ends. Many clinics accept a card payment link, PayPal or Wise for the deposit. Prefer a method with a chargeback path over a direct bank wire to a personal account. A request to send a deposit to an individual's account rather than the clinic's business account is a serious warning sign.
Paying the balance
Korean clinics widely accept Visa and Mastercard, though some add a card surcharge of roughly 3 to 5 percent and a few quote a lower cash price. Amex acceptance is patchy. Notify your bank before you travel: a large unexpected charge from a Korean medical provider is exactly the pattern fraud systems block, and sorting that out on surgery morning is avoidable stress.
Cancellations and changes
Weather, visa delays and illness happen. Ask what the clinic does if you cannot fly, and whether the deposit transfers to a later date. Also ask what happens on their side: if the surgeon you booked is unavailable, are you offered a different surgeon, a new date, or a refund? Get the answer before you need it.
Keep the paperwork
You need an itemized receipt showing the clinic's name, business registration number, the procedures performed and the amounts. That single document is what a VAT refund, a travel insurance claim, and any follow-up doctor at home will all ask for. Request it in English at the time of payment; getting it reissued after you land at home is harder than it sounds.
If something goes wrong with the money
Disputes are far easier while you are still in Korea. Raise a billing problem at the clinic's international desk in writing the same day. If it is unresolved, the Korea Tourism Organization runs a 1330 helpline in several languages that can help you escalate, and card chargebacks remain an option if you paid by card.
Frequently asked
- How much deposit do Korean clinics require?
- Commonly ₩100,000 to ₩500,000 to hold a date, credited against the final bill. Larger surgical bookings can require more. Always confirm in writing whether it is refundable and by what deadline.
- Can I pay a Korean clinic by credit card?
- Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, though some clinics add a 3 to 5 percent card surcharge or quote a lower cash price. Tell your bank you are travelling so a large medical charge is not blocked as fraud.
- Are clinic deposits in Korea refundable?
- It varies by clinic. Refundable up to around 72 hours before the appointment is common, but non-refundable deposits exist. Get the policy in writing before you transfer anything, and never send a deposit to a personal rather than a business account.
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