Phone-tastic!

Getting a phone and most especially phone number in the Philippines is extremely easy. You can purchase it anywhere from higher end department stores to vendors hawking along the streets. It's a lot different though here in Korea. There are certain things you ought to have and one of them is the  ARC card.

The first thing to do is find the nearest immigration from your area. Be sure you have with you all the requirements needed for Alien Registration Card . The documents depend on the type of visa you applying for. In my case, I had to bring my marriage certificate (which is a standard document ), husband's contract and money to pay the fee. After few minutes, the immigration officer will tell you to go over to the other counter to scan your finger prints. Once done, you go back to the same officer and get the claim stub. You could either pick up your ARC card or have it delivered. I chose the former simply because the office was only 4 stations away from home.

Let me just digress a  bit. 

The transaction process at the Immigration in Daegu (and I assume it is the same with all the other Immigration Offices across the country) is very efficient. They don't like to dilly dally. Sure there could be a lane or two (by which you could either stand while waiting or sit on bench to wait for your turn. It doesn't take an hour for your number to be called. All in all, it took me less than 20 or 30 minutes to process my papers. 

If Korea can do it, why can't our Immigration in Intramuros do the same thing? What the heck is the "express fee per transaction" they ask from foreigners when it actually means standing for hours on end? *grunts*

My ARC card

 Bukbu Station is one of the provincial  or city bus terminals in Daegu.

So you get your ARC card.. what's next? How can I get the phone plus the number? 


You go to your preferred store and chose your unit plus mobile provider. In my case, we went to Bukbu Station which was about 11 stations away from our flat. I guess it's safe to say the area boasts of shops alongside the roads selling communication gadgets. We went into one of the stores to get a prepaid sim card. I handed out my ARC card and then filled up a registration form. You will be asked which provider you want. There a number of telecommunication companies (e.g.  SK, KT, LG and Olleh) in SK. I chose SK because my husband uses the same provider.

Another thing to remember is that you will be asked by the salesman to give 4 preferred digits which will be a part of your 8 digit phone number. I gave mine and presto, I got my phone number!

 It may sound difficult at first, but really.. like what my husband says, "Korea takes care of you."

SK Prepaid phone cards