Month: July 2021

As I mentioned in a recent post, I am planning to make my first trip to Korea since I was sent out of country to be adopted. My flight departs the USA in September 2021. This post is meant to outline the process that I’m navigating specific to the current rules and the timeline of my visit. These are subject to change in the coming weeks, months, and years.

Because of the global pandemic, South Korea implemented a 14 day mandatory quarantine (for most people, in a governmental facility at the expense of the traveler) for anyone entering the country. Very recently it was announced that, as of July 1st, vaccinated foreigners traveling to South Korea could apply for exemption from the mandatory 14 day quarantine.

According to Son Young-rae, an official with the Central Disaster Management Headquarters, “The new policy will apply only to certain people such as citizens and foreign residents, as well as those coming to visit family, or for the purpose of business, academics or public interest”.

I have connected with my biological mother. Because of this, I am applying for quarantine exemption as a fully vaccinated person to visit my immediate birth family in South Korea.

For the purposes of clarity, South Korea has specific requirements to be considered a “fully vaccinated person” or “immediate family”.

Fully Vaccinated:
The applicant should complete the both COVID-19 vaccinations in the same country if the dose is 2 and 2 weeks since the last dose should have passed before travelling.
  – Only vaccines that are approved by WHO such as Moderna, Phizer, Yansen, etc are acceptable.
  – If the applicant gets the first dose in one country and second dose in another country, it is not acceptable.
  – You are eligible to apply for a quarantine exemption certificate on the 15th day once all the required doses have been administered. 

Immediate Family:
The applicant should visit their spouse or their immediate family (e.g. grandparents, parents, sons, and daughters) or the immediate family of their spouse (e.g. parents in law).
  – Visiting siblings, uncles, and aunts are not eligible.

Please note that I cannot provide any insights into the process or requirements as a KAD applying for quarantine exemption as a Visa holder, a Korean/dual citizen, or for the purpose of business, academics, or public interest. The steps and information I provide in this blog post are only as it relates to my experience.

Steps to Apply for Quarantine Exemption:

1. Find your local Consulate General of the Republic of South Korea’s website.
   1. For me, as a northern Californian, the Consulate General of the Republic of South Korea nearest me is located in San Francisco. (https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-sanfrancisco-en/index.do).
2. If you’re not sure what you need to do to apply, email the Consulate General of the RoK (or call them or set up an appointment). In my case, I wasn’t exactly sure of what I needed to submit for a family visit, if there were specific papers I had to fill out, or the correct process and timeline to do so.
   1. There was no specified email for people regarding quarantine exemptions, so I emailed sfkcg0404@mofa.go.kr, consularsf@mofa.go.kr and koreavisa1@mofa.go.kr.
   2. I used a descriptive subject for my email as requested by the Consulate General of RoK instructions. “Vaccine Quarantine Exemption_NAME_DATE of Departure”.
   3. They responded within a week and linked me to (https://overseas.mofa.go.kr/us-sanfrancisco-en/brd/m_22272/view.do?seq=25).
   4. Update 07/29/2021; the SF Consulate now has an email to submit your Quarantine Exemption application to sfqec@mofa.go.kr. The other email koreavisa1@mofa.go.kr can be used questions.
3. Start gathering the required documents
   1. Valid Passport – Scan your valid passport
   2. Quarantine Exemption Application – This is a filled out copy of the Quarantine Exemption Application as provided to you by your local Consulate General of the RoK. For me, that was a document called “English Forms_Quarantine Exemption Application(Family visit).pdf”.
   3. Agreement to the Terms and Conditions – Attached to the previous Quarantine Exemption Application form.
   4. Pledge of Authenticity – Attached to the previous Quarantine Exemption Application form.
   5. Copy of your Vaccination Card – Depending on what you were given by wherever you got your vaccination, this might differ. I included a copy of my little, paper “COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card” in addition to the official “COVID-19 Vaccination Record” print-out supplied to me by the local hospital where I was vaccinated.
   6. Government-issued document to prove family relationship with the immediate family member that the applicant is visiting – This can be difficult for an adoptee to prove. Update 07/29/2021; After MUCH communication and running around, I have gotten confirmation from the SF Consulate that what I have collected “look good”. Therefore, if you’re a KAD working on gathering documents to prove family relationship, it’s likely that you will be okay if you submit something similar to the following. See number 5. with today’s update.
      1. The government specifically asks for a Korean family relationship certificate (가족관계증명서) or a Korean family registry document (제적등본). You can ask your immediate biological contact to apply for a Korean family relationship certificate. There is a section in the family relationship certificate that states that the information must reflect the information in the original Family Relation Register. Unless your family registered you, it is unlikely that you will have access to a usable document as a KAD.
      2. I supplied the Consulate all of my supporting documents including a redacted “Initial Social History” form, “Extract of Family Register”, “Application for Certificate of Appointment to Guardian of Minor Orphan in Orphanage”, “Statement of Consent to Overseas Adoption” in addition to a number of extra documents in Korean/한글. I also supplied them the DNA test report that confirmed my direct relationship to my birth mother.
      3. The Consulate let me know that none of these counted as establishing direct family relationship and weren’t admissible. Thankfully, I have the unredacted copy of my “Initial Social History” form that included my birth mother’s name which one one of the reasonings for my previously submitted documents not being admissible. I am still waiting to hear back about whether or not the unredacted copy is enough to establish direct family relationship, or if I’m out of luck.
      4. Update 2021-07-09: The Consulate General of the Republic of South Korea says that I (and possibly other KADs) need a completed and approved Family Relationship Certificate (가족관계증명서) AS WELL AS an unredacted adoption agency document or birth certificate that states the full birth parent’s name to be considered for Quarantine Exemption. Apparently this is because the 가족관계증명서 might not include the adoptee’s name if they were not recognized by the family and/or are not on the official family registry. The Family Relationship Certificate must be issued within 3 months of the Quarantine Exemption application.
         1. I asked about the Adoptee-Birth Family Relations document/입양인 친가족관계 확인서(https://www.kadoption.or.kr/en/board/board_view.jsp?no=137&listSize=10&pageNo=1&bcode=41_7&fbclid=IwAR3qfmlqPyK5-YdyV7PRIOmkY2b3OTOskNiDE7EEoQ4uYW_Z764nB5oIBHs). The Consulate told me this is non-admissible and restated that I needed to submit both the Family Relationship Certificate (가족관계증명서) AS WELL AS an unredacted adoption agency document or birth certificate that states the full birth parent’s name to be considered for Quarantine Exemption.
      5. Update 2021-07-29: I ended up getting into contact with NCRC (https://www.ncrc.or.kr/ncrc/main.do) to request help obtaining the Family Relationship Certificate (가족관계증명서) that my local Consulate insisted I must have to apply. They were not responsive for multiple weeks, but eventually replied after I emailed them 4 times.
         1. They told me that the Consulate was wrong and that what I needed was the Adoptee-Birth Family Relations document (입양인 친가족관계 확인서). They also made sure to mention that the documents required may vary depending on the jurisdiction of the consulates (i.e. each KADs required paperwork might be different regarding proof of family relationship).
         2. Further Info on the NCRC Paperwork: According to the NCRC, before the Adoption Special Act was revised, it was not mandatory for birth parents to report their child’s birth in order to put them up for adoption. Therefore, most KADs born before the revised Act were adopted with an orphan registry and not a family registry. Therefore, the Family Relations Certificate (가족관계증명서) that the Consulate requires doesn’t prove family relationship. The Adoptee-Birth Family Relations document (입양인 친가족관계 확인서) is NOT a legal certificate. It’s simply a document that the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs agreed to accept for the purpose of KADs/orphans/etc. applying for self-quarantine or quarantine exemption.
         3. In order to get the Adoptee-Birth Family Relations document (입양인 친가족관계 확인서) I texted my birth mother to ask her to please contact NCRC. I also asked NCRC to contact her to ensure they communicated. They were able to get the document and sent it to me to include in my application PDF.
      6. Update 2021-07-29: After getting the Adoptee-Birth Family Relations document (입양인 친가족관계 확인서), I pulled together my PDF and applied to the Consulate for Quarantine Exemption even though I knew I’d be rejected for applying before my application period (for me I can apply on September 3rd, 2021). I noted to them that I’m a KAD and wanted to make sure that what I submitted would be admissible. They told me everything I included “looked good”. But, I needed to also include a new document called a Certificate of Entry and Exit (출입국사실증명) for further proof of family relationship.
         1. The Certificate of Entry and Exit (출입국사실증명) must be requested by the birth family that the KAD is visiting. In my case, that’s my birth mother. In order to get this document, she had to go to her local district office (주민자치센터). She then emailed me the certificate, which I sent to my local Consulate to confirm was acceptable. They said that it is “sufficient” and that I must include it in my application PDF when I apply in September.
      7. Update 2021-07-29: SO! What files am I submitting in my final Quarantine Exemption as a Vaccinated Adoptee visiting Immediate Family in Korea for the “6. Government-issued document to prove family relationship with the immediate family member that the applicant is visiting” requirement?
         1. Adoptee-Birth Family Relations document (입양인 친가족관계 확인서) – Obtained through NCRC and my birth mother
         2. Adoption Certificate from my Korean agency ESWS (동방사회복지회) – Obtained through ESWS
         3. Positive DNA Test Report – Obtained through ESWS DNA test via DowGene Co., Ltd. It MUST state the “alleged mother”‘s full name, the “child”‘s full name, date of test, test results, and be fully officiated.
         4. Extract of Family Register – Obtained through ESWS (for most adoptees this will be the orphan registry not a family registry)
         5. Application for Certificate of Appointment to Guardian of Minor Orphan in Orphanage – Obtained through ESWS
         6. Statement of Consent to Overseas Adoption – Obtained through ESWS
         7. Certificate of Entry and Exit (출입국사실증명) – Obtained through birth mother. Again, I have direct contact with her and asked her to get this for me. She had to go to her local district office (주민자치센터), apply, get the certificate, and email it to me.

1. Flight itinerary – This should be as simple as sharing your flight confirmation and itinerary details after your purchase your tickets from your airline.
   1. As a note, the rules stipulate that the itinerary must originate in the region that your Korean Consulate of the RoK covers. So, for me, my Korean Consulate is in San Francisco. Therefore, my itinerary must show that I am departing to Korea from northern California.
2. Combine all of your necessary application documents into one PDF and submit it to the local Consulate General of the RoK. For me this looks like the following…
   1. Email sfqec@mofa.go.kr titled “Vaccine Quarantine Exemption_AprilESchmidt_2021-09-17” (Vaccine Quarantine Exemption_NAME_DATE of DEPARTURE). Make sure to include the combined PDF. (Note: ZIP or compressed files will NOT be accepted. Don’t use them)!
   2. You have to submit your Quarantine Exemption request during the appropriate time period stipulated by your Consulate General. If you do not, the Consulate will automatically reject the request. The time window is one week (7 days) starting 10 days before your departure date. For example, if you’re departing from the USA to Korea between July 19th and July 25th, you must submit your Quarantine Exemption request July 9th through July 15th.
   3. The Consulate will try to email you your Quarantine Exemption Certificate (if approved) within 24 hours of your departure at latest.
   4. Additional Note: My local Consulate will be changing their application process from email to their “Consular Services 24” website (https://consul.mofa.go.kr/) starting July 30th, 2021. I’m not sure if other Consulate Generals have a website or do their application process through email, so be prepared for your process to look different accordingly.

As noted above, once all of the steps above are completed (assuming you are granted an exemption) your Consulate General will email you your Quarantine Exemption Certificate within 24 hours of your departure to Korea.

1. As such, you will need to print out a minimum of 4 copies of your Quarantine Exemption Certificate. Digital copies might not be accepted.
2. Your Quarantine Exemption Certificate is only valid for 1 month from its issuance. If you apply early, and they send you your certificate more than one month before your departure or arrival date(s), it will not be valid.
3. You can only use your Quarantine Exemption Certificate once. After that, you will need to reapply.
4. You cannot modify your Quarantine Exemption Certificate. Only your Consulate General can do that.
5. You must have your Quarantine Exemption Certificate before you enter Korea. You cannot apply, or receive it, once you’re already on Korean soil and still have it be applicable.
6. Regardless of your Quarantine Exemption Certificate, you must bring a negative PCR Covid-19 test result issued with 72 hours of your departure from the USA (or local area) to Korea.
   1. Real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction tests are required by the Korean government. Starting April 2021, NAATs, LAMP, TMA, SDA, NEAR and other PCR tests are also accepted until further notice. So, make sure to check if the rules are the same before getting your Covid-19 test pre-departure.
   2. Negative test results must be shown in physical paper form! So, print them out.
   3. The test results must show the passenger name matching their passport, date of birth (or passport number), type of test, test date, test result, date of issuance, and the name of the testing site. I’ve also heard that the name and title of the person who issued the test must be included. I’m not sure how accurate that is, but plan to get that information to be safe.
7. Special Step: Apply for K-ETA if you do NOT hold a Visa!
   1. Currently, travelers from 21 countries and regions can enter Korea without a visa. The United States of America is one of these countries. However, if entering without a visa, you have to apply for a K-ETA.
   2. You can find more information and apply on the K-ETA website (https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/apply/index.do)
   3. The information you need to apply for K-ETA should overlap with files you’ve gathered for your Quarantine Exemption application. It’s general stuff like passport information, the zip code and street address of the place you’ll be staying in Korea, contact information etc. The one thing I wasn’t prepared for was a photo similar to a passport picture. The photo dimensions are rectangular, not square, and must be no bigger than 700 pixels high and 100 kb total. I suggest preparing a photo before applying to ease the application process.
   4. For me, applying and getting approved took less than 24 hours. This is a pretty quick and painless process compared to everything else!

I applied for Quarantine Exemption to the San Francisco Consulate General of the Republic of South Korea on Friday, September 3rd 2021. As of Tuesday, September 7th 2021 I was issued a Quarantine Exemption Certificate. Yayy!!!

I hope that the information provided so far is helpful should you be starting your own process.

읽어주셔서 감사합니다. 사랑해요! (Thanks for reading, I love you!)

❤ LearningtobeKorean