Payment and VAT Refund for Foreign Patients in Korea

How pricing works for international patients

The cost of surgery depends on the procedure, whether it is a first operation or a revision, the complexity of your anatomy, the type of anesthesia and whether procedures are combined. Revision eyelid surgery, for instance, often involves releasing scar tissue and rebuilding structures, which takes more time than a first operation. Because of this, Will Be provides a quote only after Dr. Kim Jun-young has reviewed your photos or examined you in person. You can read more on the pricing and quotes page and in our guide to what affects the price of surgery.

A quote based on photos is an estimate. The final plan, and therefore the final cost, is confirmed after the in-person consultation. If the examination suggests a different approach, you will be told why before anything is agreed.

Payment methods

Payment arrangements can change, so confirm with the coordinator before you travel:

• which payment methods are accepted, such as major international cards or bank transfer;
• whether a deposit is requested to reserve a surgery date, and the terms that apply to it;
• when the balance is due;
• what the quote includes, such as follow-up visits and medications, and what it does not.

Let your card provider know you will be travelling, and check any daily spending limits, as surgical payments may exceed them. International card transactions may attract fees from your own bank.

VAT refund for foreign patients in Korea: the general picture

Korea has operated a scheme under which foreign patients could claim back the value-added tax on certain cosmetic procedures performed at registered clinics. The details have included which procedures qualify, which clinics participate, what documents are needed and how the refund is collected, often at the airport or through designated refund operators. The scheme has also had defined end dates and has been reviewed over time.

Because of this, we do not describe current rates, thresholds or deadlines on this page. Before you rely on a refund in your budget:

• check the current status of the scheme through official Korean government or tax authority sources;
• ask the coordinator whether any refund currently applies to your specific treatment at Will Be;
• ask what documents you would need and when you would receive them;
• allow time at the airport if a refund must be processed there.

Receipts and records

Keep all receipts, your treatment record and any documents issued for tax purposes together, both on paper and as photos on your phone. They may be needed for a tax refund claim, for your own records, or for any insurance claim. Your operation notes are also useful to share with your local doctor at home; see follow-up care from abroad.

Budgeting for the whole trip

The surgical quote is only one part of the cost of travelling for surgery. When planning your budget, include:

• return flights, ideally with a changeable fare;
• accommodation for the full recommended stay, with a small buffer;
• local transport, meals and a local SIM or eSIM;
• a companion's travel and accommodation, if someone joins you;
• travel insurance, noting that many policies exclude elective surgery.

Our pages on how long to stay in Korea and where to stay near the clinic help you estimate the non-surgical costs.

Deposits, changes and cancellations

Plans sometimes change. You might fall ill before travel, a flight might be cancelled, or the in-person consultation might lead you to choose a smaller procedure or none at all. Before paying any deposit, ask the coordinator to explain in writing what happens in each of these situations: whether a deposit can be transferred to a new date, when it can be refunded, and whether any part is non-refundable. Clear terms protect both you and the clinic, and they allow you to make a calm decision at consultation without feeling that money already spent is pushing you forward. Your surgery should always be a choice you make freely after understanding your options, not a commitment made before you have met your surgeon.

Choosing on value, not price alone

A lower headline price is not always the better choice if it means a rushed consultation or a surgeon you meet only once. Consider who will perform your operation, how follow-up works once you are home, and how revision would be handled if it were ever needed. Our guide on how to choose a plastic surgeon in Korea offers questions to ask any clinic.