Pre-Departure Negative COVID-19 Test Result Requirement for International Arrival to KOREA

From February 24, 2021, all travelers entering the Republic of Korea are required to submit pre-departure negative COVID-19 PCR test results upon arrival. Travelers without a valid test result will be prohibited from boarding the flight.

 

1. Requirements

Incoming travelers with a non-Korean passport will be denied entry to Korea if their test result does not meet the following requirements. Korean nationals whose test result does not meet the requirements will be required to stay at a quarantine facility designated by the Korean government for 7 days and will be charged KRW 120,000/day for the facility use.

 

① TEST TYPE (METHOD)

‣ It needs to be based on nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs). * PCR tests based on DNA amplification (RT-PCR, LAMP, TMA, SDA, NEAR, etc.) are valid; antigen/antibody detection tests (RAT, ELISA, etc.) are not valid. * All forms of self-administered tests are NOT valid regardless of test type.

 

② ISSUED DATE

‣ The result needs to be issued no earlier than 72 hours (3 days) before the departure date. * For example, if your flight is scheduled for departure at 10 AM on March 10, 2021, the test result needs to be issued no earlier than 12 AM of March 7, 2021.

 

③ REQUIRED ITEMS

‣ Name*, date of birth**, test method, test date, test result, date of issuance, and name of testing center should be included in the test result. * The name on the test result needs to match the name on the passport (middle name can be omitted as long as the other names are identical) ** Passport number or national ID number is acceptable in lieu of date of birth

 

④ TEST RESULT

‣ The test result must be NEGATIVE. * If the test result is “INDETERMINATE”, “UNCLEAR”, or “POSITIVE”, the relevant result is invalid.

 

 

⑤ LANGUAGE

‣ The test method must be written in Korean or English. * If the test method is written in a language other than Korean or English, a translated copy of the test result in Korean or English needs to be submitted together with a certificate of translation. (If the test result was translated by individual translators, the translated document needs to be certified by a notary 

 

⑥ TESTING CENTER

‣ For sea and air travelers departing from the Philippines, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan as well as sailors departing from Russia and entering through a seaport, the negative PCR test result needs to be issued by one of the government-designated testing centers. * The list of countries with the designated testing center requirement are subject to change and will be updated on the websites of Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and Korean embassies. * As for other countries, negative PCR test results issued by any testing center in the country is valid.

 

※ Make sure to check the arrival procedure for each country on the websites of diplomatic missions abroad prior to departure (http://overseas.mofa.go.kr).

 

 

2. Negative PCR test results for infants or young children

○ Children under the age of 6 (at the time of arrival) may be exempted from the negative test result requirement if all of the accompanying persons traveling with the infant or child have submitted valid negative PCR test results. - However, if the infant or young child will be required to take a COVID-19 test if the accompanying person has positive symptoms.

 

required submission documents