Andrew Kim

I want to keep this thread going with the new changes effective 5/23/22; that Korea now accepts pre-departure rapid antigen (24 hrs before departure) in lieu of pcr (48 hours before departure) as long as it was done at a hospital/clinic. Is anyone intending to do this, and if so, do you know if the q-code input system will integrate this new option?

I'm 50/50, weighing the greater cost-effectiveness and faster results for antigen tests vs. their notoriety for false negatives. I'd hate to board the plane thinking I was negative only for the arrival pcr to tell me I was positive all along and take away the first week of my trip.

mikesaidyes

Of course Q CODE will "take it." As you said though, I would still do PCR if you can and it's not too expensive or difficult. Because false negative surprises. I'm going to keep doing Walgreens Rapid NAAT test because it's free and as good as a Korean PCR in theory.

mikesaidyes

Gangnam resident here. Gangnam Health Center is open Mon-Fri 9-6 and weekends 9-1. Last admission is 30 mins before they close. They are free. No appointments taken. Just walk up and there is a QR code to scan to enter your details. Then they find it in the computer and do the test and it is ALL AUTOMATICALLY REPORTED. They will text you your results the morning after your test (ALWAYS 8:30-9a now as they're not busy).

Troopers

Thanks for the intel. We'll likely take the required PCR on day 3 post arrival at the Gangnam Health Center.

Braswch

No charge for anyone with this? Including non resident foreigners? Was last year...

mikesaidyes

I have never seen any type of payment device at any of the Gangnam health centers or testing sites in all of the testing that I have done. You mean specifically in Gangnam there was payment required last year? I have heard of people saying their district charges, but they never said Gangnam specifically. AND even if they do charge, it is pennies, like a few thousand won.

mikesaidyes

Just go immediately, get it over with. Because technically you're supposed to stay home until you get the test results (but no one really does since they're not like tracking you by app or even a specific case worker).

Troopers

This seem odd. Are you sure you're suppose to stay home until negative results? The rules were relaxed from 1 day to 3 days to take PCR test. Who would quarantine for 3 days then take test? Wouldn't ppl simply take test ASAP to avoid quarantining? I suppose some skittish ppl about an invasive PCR test would quarantine for x days to avoid taking a PCR test but that's not the option here.

Is this the link to PCR covid test application at a local health center?

https://covid19m.kdca.go.kr/KP/11700190

if so, where does one input passport number?

seigex

With the lack of a Wiki, can someone confirm if this is the correct process as of this moment or if there are any gaps?

1) K-ETA approved
2) Pre-departure professional rapid antigen test (self-tests not accepted) or PCR - 24 hours prior to departure
3) Register in Q-Code with COVID test, passport info, hotel information
4) Arrival - provide K-ETA and Passport and QR code (from Q Code)
5) Take PCR test @ ICN
6) Self-quarantine until negative result is received
7) take rapid antigen tests on day 6 and day 7

aj411

As of last week, here is how that compares to what I did

1) K-ETA approved
2) Pre-departure professional rapid antigen test (self-tests not accepted) or PCR - 24 hours prior to departure (I did PCR. It has to be no earlier than two DAYS before. e.g. after midnight two days before before. Antigen is one DAY before. Not a 24 hour or 48 hour requirement. I did mine at 9 am and my first flight was at 10am and my DFW>ICN was at 11:25. The second flight was the only one they asked about in the QCode site)
3) Register in Q-Code with COVID test, passport info, hotel information
3a, make an appointment for your airport covid test. https://safe2gopass.com/
I made mine for 1 1/2 hours after scheduled arrival. My flight was almost 45 minutes late landing. I was still early for my appointment BUT had a friend in Korea scope out where the test site was. Otherwise, it may have taken me a few minutes longer to find it. I don't think they would care. They didn't look at the time on my appointment and they were not that busy.
4) Arrival - provide K-ETA and Passport and QR code (from Q Code). You will also get a couple more forms on the plane. Some they look at and some they don't. They took my arrival customs form but did not look at the visa form
5) Take PCR test @ ICN (see note about appointment above)
6) Self-quarantine until negative result is received (I was not required to self quarantine but given transfer time to my hotel I guess I effectively did. I took the test at 5pm and the results came in email at about 7:30pm)
7) take rapid antigen tests on day 6 and day 7[/QUOTE] (I got a reminder on day 4 to schedule the day 6 test. However, I left before this test was needed)

Return to US note. I used eMed test. Verifly had issue with how the time of the test was reported on PDF. UTC time lists a day earlier due to time change so Verifly didn't accept. However, if you go into the eMed Navica app and get the details, that time shows as local (Korea) time. I saved off that screen and submitted to verifly and that worked. FWIW, eMed support line suggested this since they could not change time zone shown on the pdf test results.
I went carryon only on AA flight. Checkin online, Straight through security, no followup document check at any point. Slick

Andrew Kim

7) If your arrival is 06/01/22 (June) or later, you no longer need to do the day 6/7 rapid antigen.

mikesaidyes

Before departure test: PCR can be two calendar days, antigen must be one. If you're in the US - I recommend the Walgreens Rapid NAAT test. It's more sensitive than antigen test, so less surprise of a positive on arrival test. Walgreen's is free and results come in two hours. I used it myself to enter the country recently.

Also, no one is actually monitoring you for self quarantine until negative result. Most people don't stay home at all anymore. And if you do it at the airport, the results are always 2-3 hours, so by the time you get into Seoul you have your results.

As Andrew said, day 6 self test is optional and no one checks it ever.

travelinmanS

I’m going to Korea next week and I have the approved K-ETA already. Do I need to print this out or can I just show a copy on my phone? Same for the Q code, is a screenshot ok?

aj411

take everything printed.
I believe the instructions for these mention that. In any case, it is a good backup
Things move very quickly and there are a lot of people stationed along the way to sort and move you along. Flashing the paper with the big QCode heading on it gets a quick wave on

No one in Seoul actually asked to see my Visa last week but I had to flash the QCode paper to get "sorted" into the correct line for QCode people and then scan it at the window.
Didn't see anyone with phones out.
That said. There are a ton of signs next to the lines on how to apply for a QCode on the spot. I don't see how you could do that and not use it on your phone - no where to print it.

I presume when they looked at my passport, they had visa info on their computer? In any case, I wasn't going to be the one to hold up the line if they wanted the visa.

Side note: the checkin agent I had in MSP before my trip read from her screen and did ask to see the QCode and Visa paper format.
Checkin agents can be all over the map on what they ask for but take this as one data point

seigex

great info, thanks!