Airport Arrival + being symptomatic [MY EXPERIENCE] (repost from reddit)

이민 | Immigration

Hey, everyone! Reading everyone's stories about their experiences coming to South Korea really helped me a lot, so here is mine - I hope this helps someone in turn!

Some context: I flew from The Netherlands on an H1 visa (working holiday).

[ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT]

In the plane you'll be given some forms to fill out - the regular ones like customs, but also a health declaration form. If you fill in anything other than "no symptoms", you WILL be taken aside to get checked, which can lead to an on-site Covid test.

After leaving the plane, you will pass several stations. The first is a temperature check. You will also drop off your health declaration form here. When I got there, my temperature was actually too high. It wasn't above 37,5 °C , but they're very strict, so even something like my 36,7 °C got flagged as too high. I tried to tell them it was because I was wearing too many layers, but they accused me of having a fever and I was taken out the queue to a waiting area off to the side with other symptomatic people and travelers from risk-areas.

I was VERY stressed out at this point, but the airport staff was really nice to me. I was given water and told to relax - they would come back in 10 minutes for another temperature check. Unfortunately, the second reading was still too high, so I was taken for an interview about my travel history for the last 14 days + general medical info. A third reading was taken - still too high.

The staff told me I would have to take an on-site Covid test immediately and wait for the results. They gave me an estimated time of at least 5 hours for results to come back.

[THE COVID-TEST]

I was escorted to a second waiting area, where my passport was taken away and I was promptly given an N-95 mask to wear. They don't give you much information at this point, so I was honestly at the point of tears because of all the uncertainty. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long, and I was taken down to the testing street after waiting maybe 15 minutes. After the test was done, the staff gave me an emergency blanket and I was escorted past a long line of makeshift cubicles to one of my own to wait. There were probably more than two dozen people also waiting for their results. Test results will be sent to your email or phone number!

The cubicle has one chair in it for you to sit on; they also provide bottles of water, the aforementioned emergency blanket, and places to charge your phone/laptop. They came round with food at a certain point too (a burger from Lotteria. They do have vegetarian options, but you have to ask for it!). There's a special bathroom designated for symptomatic passengers, and you're free to walk between your cubicle and there.

I took the test at 6PM and my result got back at 2AM - negative! - after which I could continue onto immigration. Make sure you have all your documents prepared at this point!

[REGULAR AIRPORT PROCEDURE]

Because it was 2AM when I got to this point, everything went by incredibly quick. Prepare your passport, visa and phone. After examining the first two, they will download the quarantine protection app onto your phone. They will ask you to input your own address into the app, so make sure you've got it memorized. Next they will ask you to give the number of a Korean contact person. This can be family or just a friend. They will call this person immediately, so notify your contact beforehand so they can pick up! Because it was so early, my contact didn't answer, but luckily I had a second person prepared as well.

They showed me how to use the app next, and which numbers to call in case I had any problems. After this, I was allowed into the regular passport check area and continued onto baggage pickup. I was quickly intercepted by staff from the airport taxi service, who arranged the travel to my quarantine address. Usually they drive you to your local health center first, but since it was the middle of the night I was brought directly to my address. If this happens, you have to arrange your own journey to the health center within three days of arrival! A drive to Seoul is 70,000 won, and there are ATMs near the exit as well!

This was the end of my airport experience, I hope it helped someone! If there are any questions about this or self isolation in general, I will answer what I can! Stay safe, everyone <3

https://www.reddit.com/r/korea/comments/k8djn9/airport_arrival_being_symptomatic_my_experience/