You can create a Naver account without a Korean phone number: Naver's own sign-up help says a mobile phone you use abroad works for registration. What a foreign number does not unlock is identity verification, which Naver Pay, shopping, memberships and completed reservations need. Since June 2026, foreigners without a Korean number can verify with a passport for Naver Map reservations, orders and payments.
What Naver asks for at sign-up
The sign-up form asks for a phone number and confirms it with a code by SMS. A separate, optional box lets you sign up with a real-name verified ID straight away; ticking it needs a phone registered in your own name, so most foreigners leave it empty.
- Phone at sign-up
- Required, and an overseas mobile number is accepted
- Real-name verified ID
- Optional box on the form; needs a phone in your own name
- Account without it
- Works for searching Naver Map and browsing reservation listings
- Locked until verified
- Naver Pay, shopping, membership, completing reservations
Naver at a glance
- Virtual numbers
- Often refused: try another country
- Code sent by
- SMS
- Asks for the number again later
- Yes
- One number per account
- Yes
Options for foreigners
| What works | |
|---|---|
| You live abroad and want a Naver account | Sign up with the mobile number you use, from any country |
| You are travelling in Korea and want to book or order on Naver Map | Passport verification, for passports issued outside Korea |
| You live in Korea with a phone in your name | Tick the real-name box, or verify later without signing up again |
| You want Naver Pay | Identity verification first; payment features are not something to set up with a temporary number |
Passport verification runs on a smartphone, needs no Korean number and no call to customer service. Naver has said it plans to extend the services it covers, without giving dates.
Code not arriving
- Pick your country in the form Then type your number without its national 0, so Naver adds the right country code.
- Check roaming If you are in Korea with a foreign SIM, texts only arrive with roaming on.
- Wait, then ask once Texts from abroad can take a little longer than local ones, and several quick requests can cancel each other out.
- Ask Naver If the code still does not come, use Naver's help centre and mention that you are registering with a foreign number.
Common questions
Can I make a Naver account without a Korean phone number?
Yes. Naver's sign-up help says you can register with the mobile phone you use abroad. Some features still need identity verification.
What does a Naver account without identity verification miss?
Naver Pay, Naver Shopping, membership and completing Naver Reservation bookings. Searching Naver Map and browsing reservation listings still work.
How does Naver passport verification work?
Foreigners with a passport issued outside Korea can verify on a smartphone, without a Korean number. Since June 2026 it unlocks reservations, orders and payments on Naver Map; Naver says more services will follow.
Does Naver ask for my number again?
It can. Keep the number you signed up with, or update it in your account while you still have it.