Chloe Ramirez
As of July 2021, people who have been vaccinated overseas against COVID-19 are exempt from the mandatory two-week quarantine upon arrival in South Korea. This applies to Korean nationals and foreigners alike, provided they are entering for important business, to serve the public interest, for academic or humanitarian purposes, or to visit immediate family. To gain exemption, travellers must submit an application form, vaccination certificates, and a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued within 72 hours of departure. However, visitors from high-risk countries with high COVID-19 variant case numbers will not be exempt from quarantine. It is recommended that travellers enter their vaccination records into the Q-Code system before entering Korea, although this is not mandatory. From June 2022, vaccination status has not been relevant, and there is no quarantine for anyone entering South Korea. However, all travellers are required to take a PCR test within 24 hours of arrival.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Quarantine exemption | Vaccinated people arriving in South Korea were exempted from the mandatory two-week quarantine starting July 2021. However, there are reports that since June 2022, vaccination status has not been relevant and there is no quarantine for anyone. |
| Who is eligible for exemption? | Korean nationals and foreigners entering Korea for important business, to serve the public interest, for academic or humanitarian purposes, or to visit immediate family. |
| Which vaccines are approved? | Pfizer, Janssen, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Covidshield, Sinopharm, or Sinovac. |
| Requirements for exemption | Fully vaccinated at least two weeks before traveling to Korea, with proof of vaccination. A negative COVID-19 PCR test result is also required within 72 hours of departure. |
| Quarantine exemption certificate | Fully vaccinated people can apply for a quarantine exemption certificate if they are visiting their immediate family in Korea. |
| Quarantine pass | People who have been vaccinated in Korea can obtain a quarantine pass (certificate) for six months from the second shot date. |
| Registering vaccinations received abroad | Vaccinations received abroad should be registered at the National Health Center, which will register the vaccination history in the Korean government system. |
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What You'll Learn
Vaccinated overseas arrivals were previously exempted from quarantine
As of July 2021, vaccinated overseas arrivals were exempted from the mandatory two-week quarantine upon arrival in South Korea. This policy applied to both Korean nationals and foreigners entering Korea for important business, academic purposes, humanitarian reasons, or to visit immediate family. To gain exemption, travellers needed to be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before their trip and inoculated with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (Pfizer, Janssen, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Covidshield, Sinopharm, or Sinovac). They also had to submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test result within 72 hours of departure. However, visitors from high-risk countries with high COVID-19 variant case numbers were not eligible for quarantine exemption.
The process for obtaining a quarantine exemption involved filling out an application form and submitting relevant documents, including vaccination certificates, written statements, and proof of family relationships, to a Korean diplomatic mission overseas. Additionally, individuals could register their vaccination history with the National Health Center, which would then be recorded in the Korean government system. This registration could be done by presenting one's ID card and vaccination certificate issued abroad or a passport in the absence of an ID card. Official government apps, such as COOV, were also accepted as proof of vaccination.
It is important to note that the quarantine exemption policy for vaccinated overseas arrivals was implemented in consideration of citizens unable to see their families due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation and the increasing vaccination rate. The definition of immediate family members included spouses, lineal ascendants or descendants, and their spouses' lineal ascendants or descendants, but it did not include siblings. While the policy allowed for exemptions for visiting immediate family, it was also applicable to those entering Korea for other specific purposes.
While the aforementioned details outline the previous exemption policy, it is worth noting that policies can change over time. As of June 2022, vaccination status was reportedly not a factor in quarantine requirements, and there was no quarantine mandate for anyone entering the country. However, entry testing requirements, such as negative PCR tests, were still in place for all travellers, regardless of vaccination status.
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A negative PCR test is required for all arrivals
As of July 2021, vaccinated overseas arrivals were exempted from the mandatory two-week quarantine upon arrival in South Korea. This applied to both Korean nationals and foreigners entering Korea for important business, academic purposes, or to visit immediate family. To gain exemption, travellers must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before travelling and inoculated with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization, including Pfizer, Janssen, Moderna, and AstraZeneca. Additionally, travellers must fill out an application form and submit relevant documents, such as vaccination certificates and proof of family relationships, to a Korean diplomatic mission before departure.
However, all travellers, regardless of vaccination status, are required to submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test result within a specified time frame, typically within 72 hours or 48 hours before departure. Without a negative PCR test, travellers will be subject to the two-week quarantine upon arrival. It is important to note that visitors from high-risk countries with high COVID-19 variant case numbers may not be eligible for quarantine exemptions. and specific entry requirements may vary over time.
For those who have been vaccinated abroad and plan to visit their immediate family in Korea, a quarantine exemption certificate can be obtained by submitting the necessary documentation to the Korean Consulate. This includes proof of vaccination, a valid passport, and proof of residence if applicable. Children under 6 years old are also eligible for a quarantine exemption when applying with their parents.
While the above information provides insights into the quarantine requirements for vaccinated travellers to South Korea as of July 2021, it is important to recognise that the policies may have been updated since then. Therefore, travellers are advised to check the latest information on official Korean government websites and embassies for the most accurate and up-to-date entry requirements before planning their trip.
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Quarantine exemptions are only for certain vaccines
As of July 2021, people vaccinated overseas against COVID-19 are exempt from the mandatory two-week quarantine upon arrival in South Korea. However, this exemption only applies to certain vaccines. To be exempt from the quarantine rule, travellers must have been fully vaccinated at least two weeks before travelling to Korea and must have been inoculated with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization. These include Pfizer, Janssen, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Covidshield, Sinopharm, and Sinovac.
It is important to note that the exemption only applies to those visiting Korea for specific purposes, such as conducting important business, serving the public interest, academic or humanitarian purposes, or visiting immediate family. Immediate family members are defined as spouses, lineal ascendants or descendants, and lineal ascendants or descendants of spouses. Siblings are not included in this definition.
To gain exemption, travellers must fill out an application form and submit relevant documents to a Korean diplomatic mission overseas. These documents include vaccination certificates, written statements, and proof of family relationships. Additionally, all travellers must submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued within 72 hours of departure. Without this, they will be required to undergo the two-week quarantine upon arrival.
It is worth mentioning that visitors from high-risk countries with high COVID-19 variant case numbers will not be exempt from quarantine. As of 2021, these countries included South Africa, Brazil, Malawi, Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, the Republic of Suriname, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Equatorial Guinea, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Colombia, Argentina, Malta, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
Furthermore, students studying abroad in Korea are still required to self-quarantine for two weeks upon entry, regardless of their vaccination status. This also applies to all students arriving in Korea from overseas who plan to enter the Sogang University campus.
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Students must still quarantine for two weeks
As of July 2021, vaccinated overseas arrivals in South Korea are exempt from the mandatory two-week quarantine. However, this exemption does not apply to students entering Korea for study abroad. Students in this situation must still self-quarantine for two weeks upon entry.
To gain exemption from the quarantine rule, travellers must be fully vaccinated at least two weeks before travelling to Korea. They must also have been inoculated with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization, such as Pfizer, Janssen, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Covidshield, Sinopharm, or Sinovac. In addition, travellers need to submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued within 72 hours of departure. Without this, they will be required to undergo the two-week quarantine.
For students who do not have a place to quarantine, it is necessary to reserve proper isolation accommodation in advance. This is because the address of the quarantine place must be entered on the Self Diagnosis App. Students of Sogang University can use the Roomkor website to book off-campus accommodation, which includes transportation from the airport, meals, and living support services. The cost is $80 to $100 per night, and there is a deposit payment required to confirm the reservation.
It is important to note that visitors from high-risk countries with high COVID-19 variant case numbers will not be allowed to skip the quarantine. As of July 2021, these countries include South Africa, Brazil, Malawi, Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, the Republic of Suriname, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Equatorial Guinea, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Colombia, Argentina, Malta, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
To gain exemption from the quarantine, travellers must fill out an application form and submit relevant documents to a Korean diplomatic mission overseas. This includes vaccination certificates, written statements, and documents proving family relationships if visiting immediate family. A quarantine exemption certificate can be applied for at the Korean Consulate in Los Angeles by those flying to Korea from Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, or New Mexico.
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Quarantine exemption certificates are available for some
Children under six years old are eligible to apply for a quarantine exemption certificate even if they are not vaccinated, as long as they are applying with their parent(s). Children over six years old can apply for the certificate as long as they are fully vaccinated.
To gain exemption, travellers must fill out an application form and submit relevant documents to a Korean diplomatic mission overseas before their departure. These documents include vaccination certificates, written statements, and proof of family relationships. All travellers, regardless of age, must also submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued within 48 to 72 hours of departure. Without it, they will have to undergo a two-week quarantine upon arrival.
As of 2 December 2021, quarantine exemption certificates for fully vaccinated people to visit their immediate family living in Korea were temporarily suspended. However, the Q-Code system allows travellers to upload their vaccination records before entering Korea. Presenting vaccination records to the COVID-19 officer upon entry also makes travellers eligible for quarantine exemption.
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Frequently asked questions
As of July 2021, people who have been vaccinated overseas against COVID-19 are exempt from the mandatory two-week quarantine upon arrival in South Korea. This applies to both Korean nationals and foreigners, but only if they are entering for important business or to serve the public interest, academic or humanitarian purposes, or to visit immediate family. To gain exemption, travellers must fill out an application form and submit relevant documents to a Korean diplomatic mission overseas.
If you are not vaccinated, you will need to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Korea. You will also need to submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued within 72 hours of departure.
Students whose purpose of entry is to study abroad in Korea will have to self-quarantine for two weeks upon entry. Students who do not have a place to quarantine must reserve proper isolation accommodation in advance.
