I went on a business trip to the United States shortly after the quarantine for inbound travelers was lifted.

Since I'm a foreigner going out for the first time in 4 years, everything was a bit unfamiliar.

The passport, which can be said to be the first step in departure, was changing.

Last November, I went to the ward office to apply for a passport, and the person in charge asked, "A new passport is coming out soon, would you like to apply for the old one?"

It was that there were people who found out about this belatedly and canceled the passports they applied for.

They said that there was no difference in functionality, so I just chose the old passport.

Later, when I saw an article that the new passport had a recognition error in some regions, such as the United States (though it will be corrected soon), I also wondered if I made a good choice.

Most of the airport buses are suspended due to the corona virus.


Before departure, transportation was a problem.

As before, I was thinking of using the airport bus.

I used to use it comfortably in front of my house, so I didn't even think about anything else.

However, since I moved about a year ago, I searched for the nearest route to where I live now.

I used the navigation function of the portal site, but strangely, the bus service was not found.



If you just do a search, some transportation options appear, but the directions don't show 'What?'

I had a question.

It was morning, so I thought I would call the bus company because I thought I would be out of luck if the bus didn't come to the bus stop that day, but it was a holiday, so I just searched the internet.

Most of the airport buses were not operating due to the corona virus.




Of course, not all buses have stopped operating.

Some buses run about once each in the morning and once in the evening.

The frequency and time of operation vary from region to region, so it is advisable to check carefully.

In my case, the time zone didn't match, so I just took the subway.

It didn't take too long and it was convenient because Line 9 was close to my house.

In the case of Line 9, you could transfer directly to the Airport Railroad at Gimpo Airport Station.



Arriving at the airport and checking-in, it depends on the destination, but in the case of the U.S., I had to input the address and contact information to stay in the country one by one on the unmanned terminal.

Looking back on my memory, it seems that I had a similar procedure when I went to the United States before, but I was a bit embarrassed when suddenly asked to enter a US address.

I put in the same address I entered into ESTA, the US Visa Waiver Program, and barely got my ticket.



At the check-in counter, the airline staff checked the COVID-19 vaccination certificate, negative confirmation within 24 hours, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC pledge.

For your reference, the CDC pledge is submitted, but the inoculation certificate and negative confirmation are returned after confirmation.

I finally went through the security check and entered the departure hall, but this too has changed a lot.

It wasn't that the procedure was complicated, but it was a bit unfamiliar because both passport verification (scan) and fingerprint verification (scan) were unattended.

Q-CODE must be entered in advance


After a business trip, I prepared to go to Korea, but the first procedure was the issuance of a negative COVID-19 certificate.

After receiving the rapid antigen test at a US pharmacy, I printed out the result sheet I received by email and kept it.

(I don't know if it varies by state, but in my case, I made an appointment at a pharmacy in Washington DC and got tested in a drive-through method.) Next, I entered the quarantine information advance entry system, Q-CODE.

A QR code is issued by entering passport information, email address, and residence information.

At the airport, the airline staff also checked the voice confirmation and issued a boarding pass.



On the plane, the flight attendant handed out the customs declaration form, saying that the Q-CODE writer did not need to write a quarantine document.

When you get off at Incheon International Airport, you just need to check the Q-CODE twice, write your name on the quarantine report and submit it.

If it was surprising, it was the fact that inbound travelers still had to undergo a PCR test.

They were supposed to undergo a PCR test on the first day after entering the country, and to conduct a self-test again on the 6th and 7th days and report it to the quarantine authorities.



It felt like something was out of date.

In fact, on the back of the quarantine report, there was even a written <mobile self-diagnosis app installation guide> that had already been stopped.

In the case of PCR test, I did not readily understand why only inbound travelers should have a PCR test in a situation in which domestic confirmed patients accept rapid antigen test.

I thought it could be wrong because it is my non-professional brain, so I asked an expert, but the answer came back, "It's a bit strange."



Why are only inbound travelers PCR tested?


Although the PCR test is accurate and good, it is a burden for the inbound travelers because they must self-quarantine until the results are obtained.

Even if it is a burden, of course I have to do it if necessary, but as I said earlier, I wondered why only immigrants had to undergo PCR testing in a situation where rapid antigen testing was common.



Another thing that migrants tend to forget.

Usually, there is no problem in receiving PCR tests anywhere, but the point is that PCR tests are required to be taken at the local public health center after entering the country.

If you received it from a place other than your residence, you must notify the local public health center.

After entering the country, the local public health center will call you to confirm, so it is also a good idea to talk to them at that time.



Lastly, for the self-examination, which is supposed to be done on the 6th to 7th day of entry, you must deliver the result to the public health center.

Please refer to the post-entry inspection text message sent by the public health center as well as the phone number to notify you of the self-examination results.



(Photo = Yonhap News)