Last updated 2022.02.09
Incheon Airport: Self-Quarantining
All grantees will arrive through Incheon International Airport, which is about 40 miles west of Seoul. For those self-quarantining outside of Korean government facilities, the following information regarding entry procedures is provided as a general reference. This information is from a combination of web sources as well as from personal experiences. However, please note that you will you need to remain flexible and patient as entry procedures are subject to change with little to no advance notice. Please follow all airport/government official instructions accordingly and keep KAEC updated as to your progress.
Pre-boarding: Effective January 20, 2022, all entrants to Korea over the age of 6 (as of the entry date) are required to provide negative COVID-19 test results from a PCR test performed within 48 hours before the departure date (e.g., for a flight departing August 10, the test must be performed on or after August 8). Test results must be written in English or in Korean. For more information on this requirement, see the website of the Embassy of the ROK in the United States.
Test results must be presented in the U.S. prior to boarding your flight for Korea. Depending on the airport, your negative test results may be confirmed when initially checking in/checking your bags and/or when boarding your flight. Prior to boarding your flight, your temperature will also be checked.
When initially checking in, you may be able to inquire about changing your seat so as to sit as far away from others as possible. Flights tend to be emptier than they would have been in pre-pandemic days, providing more room for safety and comfort.
Either prior to boarding or shortly after you are seated in your flight, you will receive two different forms, a Health Declaration form for reporting symptoms and a Travel Record Declaration for reporting travel history. These will be collected upon your arrival in Korea, so please fill them out on the plane.
In-flight: On the plane, you will also be given the standard Traveler Declaration Form and Arrival Card to fill out (examples can be found by clicking here). To complete these forms, put the following:
Upon Arrival at the Airport:
Quarantine Desk: Upon arrival, you will submit your Health Declaration and Travel Record Declaration to a quarantine officer for their review. The quarantine officer will also collect your printed PCR test results. As such, it is recommended that you bring two copies of your PCR test results, in order to have a copy available for easy reference if asked again later.
The quarantine officer will also check your temperature. If you are coming from a COVID-19 hot spot, they may need to ensure your temperature falls below a certain threshold.
Testing: At some point, you will be directed to speak with a health officer. They will review the Health Declaration form you completed on the plane and ask you a few questions about possible symptoms. Another staff member will then review your passport and direct you as to what to do.
Forms and Self-quarantine App: Before leaving for testing (if not tested at the airport), you will likely be sent through a line where they will give you some forms to complete (not all may apply to you). You will also need to download the “Self-quarantine Safety Protection App” via QR code on a sign/paper. Afterward, the immigration officials will check that it is installed and running properly. To complete app registration, use the following:
Confirming Location and Contact Info: At some point, they will check your passport again and inquire about your contact number. They check your contact number at the airport by calling it immediately.
Checkpoints: There may be one or two more checkpoints where they will collect/go over any remaining forms/questions.
Immigration: You can then head through the immigration counters to submit your arrival card. The A-3-99 is a “special agreement” visa, so you are allowed to use the special entry line for diplomats, airport crew, etc. Immigration may ask to see “orders” or other papers to verify your status since they are most accustomed to A-3 visa holders being soldiers or diplomats. Please carry a copy of your Fulbright Award Letter and Fulbright Award Document with you, just in case verifying documents are requested. If an issue comes up, ask the immigration officer to call KAEC.
Baggage and Customs: These are done in the standard fashion.
Transportation: Follow the airport officials’ instructions regarding where to take transportation to your testing location, if you were not tested at the airport.
Typically, when you exit baggage/customs, there will be officials standing by, who will direct you to a waiting area. You will need to wait for a bus to take you to a designated hotel for testing. Usually, the officials will wait until there are about 30-40 people to fill a bus, and then direct them to board the bus. This can take some time, so please be mentally prepared to wait.
There are a few different hotels which you may be transported to, with some hotels as close as Incheon or as far as Gyeonggi-do. As such, your bus trip will vary in length (~40mins to 90mins); you can ask the official loading the bus how long the ride will be. Please text Heidi when you get to the hotel, so we know where you are. Ask the hotel/concierge staff if you are not sure what the name of the hotel is (aka if the name is not clearly posted or not otherwise communicated to you).
At the Hotel: At the hotel, you will be required to fill out some personal information forms. Please use the below information when filling out the address and phone number. Your name, DOB, passport number, etc. must match your passport.
After you get tested at the hotel, you should wait at the hotel until you receive your test results. In some cases, grantees have been found to test positive for COVID after arrival in Korea, even though their pre-departure PCR test results were negative. As such, when you go to the hotel to get tested after leaving the airport, please stay there until your test results are released. Depending on when you arrive at the hotel, you may need to spend the night there before you can get tested or before you can receive your test results. You will not be charged for your temporary stay there.
Please send another message/text to Heidi after you have been tested.
When you depart from the hotel after receiving your test results, you will need to take a “quarantine taxi” to your self-quarantine location. The hotel staff will help you to get a taxi. You can also find instructions for procuring a taxi here, just in case.
If quarantining at the Fulbright Building: Your assigned apartment (communicated to you in advance) will be unlocked. As such, when you arrive at the Fulbright Building, please take the elevator directly to your apartment without interacting with the security guards.
In conclusion, we have found that procedures are relatively smooth and clear as long as you have time and patience. Please follow all guidelines and instructions given by airport/government officials and keep us informed as you are going through entry and testing procedures.
Pre-boarding: Effective January 20, 2022, all entrants to Korea over the age of 6 (as of the entry date) are required to provide negative COVID-19 test results from a PCR test performed within 48 hours before the departure date (e.g., for a flight departing August 10, the test must be performed on or after August 8). Test results must be written in English or in Korean. For more information on this requirement, see the website of the Embassy of the ROK in the United States.
Test results must be presented in the U.S. prior to boarding your flight for Korea. Depending on the airport, your negative test results may be confirmed when initially checking in/checking your bags and/or when boarding your flight. Prior to boarding your flight, your temperature will also be checked.
When initially checking in, you may be able to inquire about changing your seat so as to sit as far away from others as possible. Flights tend to be emptier than they would have been in pre-pandemic days, providing more room for safety and comfort.
Either prior to boarding or shortly after you are seated in your flight, you will receive two different forms, a Health Declaration form for reporting symptoms and a Travel Record Declaration for reporting travel history. These will be collected upon your arrival in Korea, so please fill them out on the plane.
In-flight: On the plane, you will also be given the standard Traveler Declaration Form and Arrival Card to fill out (examples can be found by clicking here). To complete these forms, put the following:
- Occupation: For your occupation, write “Fulbright.”
- Purpose of Visit: Check the “Other” option and write “Fulbright” next to it.
- Address: the address where you will be self-quarantining
- Phone Number: Fulbright Korea office number (02-3275-4018)
Upon Arrival at the Airport:
Quarantine Desk: Upon arrival, you will submit your Health Declaration and Travel Record Declaration to a quarantine officer for their review. The quarantine officer will also collect your printed PCR test results. As such, it is recommended that you bring two copies of your PCR test results, in order to have a copy available for easy reference if asked again later.
The quarantine officer will also check your temperature. If you are coming from a COVID-19 hot spot, they may need to ensure your temperature falls below a certain threshold.
Testing: At some point, you will be directed to speak with a health officer. They will review the Health Declaration form you completed on the plane and ask you a few questions about possible symptoms. Another staff member will then review your passport and direct you as to what to do.
- You may be tested at the airport, particularly if you have a fever. If you have a fever and are tested at the airport, you will either 1) need to stay in the airport until your results are released, or 2) be taken via bus to another site to await your test results before being allowed to go to your self-quarantine site.
- If you must stay at the airport until your test results are released, you will need to wait a minimum of 6 hours. You will be directed to a waiting area and given some forms to complete. After being tested, you will wait in another waiting area divided into cubicles. You will be given an emergency blanket, water, and a snack. You should wait in your cubicle until a worker comes to inform you of your test results and to direct you as to next steps.
- If taken to another site, you will either be taken to a testing facility or taken to a hotel. You may be tested a second time at the testing facility or hotel. You will not be charged for your temporary stay at either the testing facility or hotel (which could be overnight if arriving in Korea in the evening).
- Please message/text Heidi to inform her if you are tested at the airport so we are aware of your status and location.
- Testing Positive: If you were to test positive, you would be taken to a COVID-quarantine facility for monitoring. You will need to take your belongings with you as you will not be coming back to the airport or temporary testing facility/hotel if your results are positive. Please contact your health benefits provider (ASPE if you do not have other coverage) to ensure that any costs related to the treatment/monitoring are covered, and then contact Heidi.
- If you are not tested at the airport, you will be tested at a designated hotel after exiting customs/baggage. See instructions further down.
Forms and Self-quarantine App: Before leaving for testing (if not tested at the airport), you will likely be sent through a line where they will give you some forms to complete (not all may apply to you). You will also need to download the “Self-quarantine Safety Protection App” via QR code on a sign/paper. Afterward, the immigration officials will check that it is installed and running properly. To complete app registration, use the following:
- Address: the address where you will be self-quarantining (KAEC will issue a self-quarantine address verification for you, in case airport/government officials require documentation.)
- Reminder: If you will be quarantining with dependents, it would be advisable to carry a copy of your marriage certificate/children's birth certificates with you in order to clearly show your legal, familial relationship, if requested.
- Guardian Phone Number: Fulbright Korea office number (02-3275-4018)
- Mobile Number: the mobile number of your assigned KAEC contact (communicated to you in advance)
Confirming Location and Contact Info: At some point, they will check your passport again and inquire about your contact number. They check your contact number at the airport by calling it immediately.
- If it is during our office hours (we close at 5:30PM), please have them call our office at 02-3275-4018.
- If it is after office hours, please have them call the mobile number of your assigned KAEC contact (communicated to you in advance).
Checkpoints: There may be one or two more checkpoints where they will collect/go over any remaining forms/questions.
Immigration: You can then head through the immigration counters to submit your arrival card. The A-3-99 is a “special agreement” visa, so you are allowed to use the special entry line for diplomats, airport crew, etc. Immigration may ask to see “orders” or other papers to verify your status since they are most accustomed to A-3 visa holders being soldiers or diplomats. Please carry a copy of your Fulbright Award Letter and Fulbright Award Document with you, just in case verifying documents are requested. If an issue comes up, ask the immigration officer to call KAEC.
Baggage and Customs: These are done in the standard fashion.
Transportation: Follow the airport officials’ instructions regarding where to take transportation to your testing location, if you were not tested at the airport.
Typically, when you exit baggage/customs, there will be officials standing by, who will direct you to a waiting area. You will need to wait for a bus to take you to a designated hotel for testing. Usually, the officials will wait until there are about 30-40 people to fill a bus, and then direct them to board the bus. This can take some time, so please be mentally prepared to wait.
There are a few different hotels which you may be transported to, with some hotels as close as Incheon or as far as Gyeonggi-do. As such, your bus trip will vary in length (~40mins to 90mins); you can ask the official loading the bus how long the ride will be. Please text Heidi when you get to the hotel, so we know where you are. Ask the hotel/concierge staff if you are not sure what the name of the hotel is (aka if the name is not clearly posted or not otherwise communicated to you).
At the Hotel: At the hotel, you will be required to fill out some personal information forms. Please use the below information when filling out the address and phone number. Your name, DOB, passport number, etc. must match your passport.
- Address: the address where you will be self-quarantining
- Phone Number: the mobile number of your assigned KAEC contact (communicated to you in advance)
After you get tested at the hotel, you should wait at the hotel until you receive your test results. In some cases, grantees have been found to test positive for COVID after arrival in Korea, even though their pre-departure PCR test results were negative. As such, when you go to the hotel to get tested after leaving the airport, please stay there until your test results are released. Depending on when you arrive at the hotel, you may need to spend the night there before you can get tested or before you can receive your test results. You will not be charged for your temporary stay there.
Please send another message/text to Heidi after you have been tested.
When you depart from the hotel after receiving your test results, you will need to take a “quarantine taxi” to your self-quarantine location. The hotel staff will help you to get a taxi. You can also find instructions for procuring a taxi here, just in case.
- The taxi driver may try to take you from the hotel to another testing center as individuals actually quarantining in the hotel for a full 7 days usually have to do another “pre-checkout” COVID test. You do not have to do this. If the taxi driver tries to take you to another testing center after you have already been tested at the hotel, inform them that you were tested, you have received your results, and you do not need to be tested again.
- In Korean, you can say "저는 이미 코로나 검사를 받아 음성이 확인되었습니다. 다시 테스트를 받기 위해 보건소를 갈 필요가 없는 사람입니다. 바로 ____________________으로 가주시기 바랍니다.
- This means "I have already tested negative for coronavirus. I do not need to go to another test center to get tested. Please drive directly to __________."
- If going to the Fulbright Building, the name of the building is "풀브라이트 빌딩." Our organization name of "KAEC" in Korean is "한미교육위원단."
If quarantining at the Fulbright Building: Your assigned apartment (communicated to you in advance) will be unlocked. As such, when you arrive at the Fulbright Building, please take the elevator directly to your apartment without interacting with the security guards.
In conclusion, we have found that procedures are relatively smooth and clear as long as you have time and patience. Please follow all guidelines and instructions given by airport/government officials and keep us informed as you are going through entry and testing procedures.