If you were fully vaccinated in Korea as a permanent resident (or citizen), you probably qualify for a quarantine exemption.
This is dependent on your departing country, as there are different policies for certain countries.

If your departing country is eligible, there are some simple requirements to fulfill:

1. You must not leave Korea until 2 weeks after your final shot
2. You must get a paper vaccination certificate OR the digital certificate from the COOV application
3. At immigration in Incheon, show your negative test from your departing country, your vaccination certificate (paper or digital), and then receive an exemption sticker on your passport
4. Install the self-quarantine check-in application as instructed by airport staff
5. You must also get tested 2 more times: 6-7 days after returning, and 12-13 days after returning

If you test positive for COVID-19 with one of your follow-up tests, you will be required to follow the government-mandated procedures, which may include quarantine at your residence or admittance to a government medical facility.

This applies only to high-level business or governmental business. Free-lance media work or anything the screening agent might deem as “non-urgent” or “able to be conducted via video chat” will be rejected.

For reference, the GOA’L office applied for an exemption for a reporter partnering with us, and we were informed almost immediately that his application would be rejected.

If you would like to apply for this exemption, you must gather the following documents:

1. A copy of their passport and entry visa (from the K-ETA website)
2. A copy of their accommodation reservation (an emailed invoice is fine)
3. A copy of their flight information (an emailed invoice is fine)

The inviting entity (whoever is endorsing your trip) must submit a Quarantine Exemption Application. This digital application must be submitted to the relevant ministry (likely Trade, Industry & Energy). They will let you know what documents they need to submit.

You must also provide an itinerary for the 14-days you would be in quarantine. This includes dates, times, locations, and individuals or groups you will be interacting with.

Again, the odds of this being granted are extremely small.

This pertains to professors attending seminars or conferences, notable dignitaries attending important events, or international personalities in the arts or athletics attending an event.

This has the same requirements as important business travel, except that the ministry your endorser applies to depends on your economic sector.

If you would like to apply for this exemption, you must gather the following documents:

1. A copy of their passport and entry visa (from the K-ETA website)
2. A copy of their accommodation reservation (an emailed invoice is fine)
3. A copy of their flight information (an emailed invoice is fine)

The inviting entity (whoever is endorsing your trip) must submit a Quarantine Exemption Application. This digital application must be submitted to the relevant ministry. They will let you know what documents they need to submit.

You must also provide an itinerary for the 14-days you would be in quarantine. This includes dates, times, locations, and individuals or groups you will be interacting with.

Besides notable professors, you have to be either a dignitary invited by a government agency or extremely prominent organization, or very famous.

According to the Korean government, this is exclusively for attending a funeral of an immediate family member. The government classifies an “immediate family member” as a spouse (for example, if your spouse is Korean and their family wants them buried in Korea), parent, grandparent, sibling, or child.

You must apply yourself to your nearest consulate.

If you would like to apply for this exemption, you must gather the following documents:

1. A copy of your passport and entry visa (from the K-ETA website)
2. A copy of your flight information (an emailed invoice is fine)
3. A copy of the death certificate from Korea
4. A copy of the official family relations certificate from Korea
5. Proof of address you are staying at in Korea (a brief statement written by your relative specifying their address and your relationship with them)

Regarding number 5, you must stay at this address. If you are caught in violation (since you still have to check in using the “self-quarantine” app you are required to install at the airport to enter Korea) you may get into trouble. The government does not consider this kind of trip to include any form of tourism.

Number 4 is where adoptees will get stuck. As of now, there is virtually no documentation accepted besides the official family registry. Unless you are a Korean citizen or have established a DNA connection through the courts, you are not on your registry.

As of now, it is virtually impossible for an adoptee to be granted this exemption due to the family registry issue.

This is a new exemption for Koreans abroad who are fully vaccinated and coming to visit direct family members. For this exemption, “direct family members” are considered parents, grandparents, or children. This does not include siblings, aunts, or uncles.

You must apply yourself to your nearest consulate.

If you would like to apply for this exemption, you must gather the following documents:

1. A copy of your passport and entry visa (from the K-ETA website)
2. A completed Quarantine Exemption Application (found on the consulate website)
3. A copy of your vaccination card
4. A copy of their flight information (an emailed invoice is fine)
5. Proof of family relations

*** As of September, 2021, adoptees who have a DNA match with their biological family that is officially recognized by the Korean government may be eligible for this exemption with the 입양인 친가족관계 확인서 (Adoptee-Biological Family Relations Certificate). This must be requested by the adoptee’s biological parent from the NCRC.

Your consulate may require additional documentation.
This is likely to include the following requirements:

1. Adoption certificate from your agency in Korea
2. A positive DNA match between you and your birth parent
   This must have your parent’s full name, your full name, and be an officially recognized result
3. Your orphan family registry
   Almost all adoptees have one of these in lieu of their biological family’s official registry
4. Several other documents obtained through your adoptions agency in Korea
   It is not clear which ones will be required
   

Additionally, this may vary from consulate to consulate; they are somewhat entitled to approve of these applications independently. Absolutely check with your consulate before beginning this process, as some of these take a long time to complete (such as the DNA test).

This is a new exemption for all individuals abroad who are fully vaccinated and coming to visit direct family members who are permanent residents (F, E, or D visas). For this exemption, “direct family members” are considered parents, grandparents, or children. This does not include siblings, aunts, or uncles.

You must apply yourself to your nearest consulate.

If you would like to apply for this exemption, you must gather the following documents:

1. A copy of your passport and entry visa (from the K-ETA website)
2. A completed Quarantine Exemption Application (found on the consulate website)
3. A copy of your vaccination card
4. A copy of your flight information (an emailed invoice is fine)
5. A scan of the front and back of your resident relative’s Alien Registration Card

Check your nearest consulate’s website for instructions; there are specific directions for submission dates, email subjects, accepted document formats, and submissions by traveler (for example, some consulates require a unique email for each traveler).

Note that are some restrictions depending on your/your visitor’s nationality or departing country. Contact your nearest embassy or consulate for more information.

Just being fully vaccinated is not grounds for an exemption, even if you are a citizen.

The quarantine rules are different for those with an F visa and those without (tourist visas).

If you are traveling on a tourist visa (B-2), you are required to quarantine at the government facility. This is not negotiable, and you do not get to choose which facility you are sent to.

You may be allowed to stop at the convenience store in the airport. Adoptees who have gone through this quarantine recommend buying snacks here, because you are generally not allowed to order delivery food to your quarantine facility. However, some facilities have been known to enact different rules.

These facilities provide 3 meals a day. They vary in quality. There are specific instructions for disposing of trash throughout your stay. You absolutely cannot leave your room, and all rooms are non-smoking, so plan accordingly.

The price of this facility is currently 150,000 won per night (about $130, €111).

With an F-4 visa, you are still required to quarantine, but you cannot quarantine at a government facility.

If you do not have a residence in Korea, you can quarantine at an AirBnB. When reserving an AirBnB, be sure to check with the host if they allow quarantine at their accommodation. Many do not.

At the airport, the staff will direct you to a vehicle that will drop you off at your accommodation.

You can get deliveries from Coupang, Gmarket, or food delivery apps, but you cannot make contact with the drivers.

If you have a permanent address in Korea, you are required to quarantine there.

At the airport, the staff will direct you to a vehicle that will drop you off at your accommodation.

You can get deliveries from Coupang, Gmarket, or food delivery apps, but you cannot make contact with the drivers.

No special quarantine privileges are afforded to overseas Koreans. You must follow quarantine rules according to your visa and residency.

No special quarantine privileges are afforded to individuals visiting family without documentation. You must quarantine according to your visa.

For information on exemption applications for adoptees who want to visit their birth family, see “Overseas Koreans visiting direct family members” on the ELIGIBLE FOR EXEMPTION list. Note that as of August 10, 2021, it is unclear what documentation is accepted.

If you have family here and can provide documentation proving you are family (such as an adoptee’s family members coming to visit), you can and should apply for the quarantine exemption for “Visiting family members who are permanent residents.”