[Q&A] "International Students Vaccinated Abroad Can Visit Immediate Family Without Quarantine"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Eunbyeol] The government has decided to expand quarantine exemption measures starting next month for those who have completed COVID-19 vaccination overseas and enter the country.

Since the 5th of last month, the government has granted quarantine exemption benefits to foreigners and nationals who have completed vaccination in Korea and then traveled abroad for at least two weeks before re-entering. However, demands have been raised to ease entry procedures for overseas Koreans or international students who received vaccinations abroad, as quarantine exemptions were not applied to them. Starting next month, the vaccination records of overseas Koreans, international students, and expatriates who completed vaccination abroad will be recognized to ease entry procedures.

However, this applies only to those vaccinated in countries where no overseas variant viruses have emerged, and quarantine exemption applications can be made by those entering for important business, academic or public interest purposes, humanitarian reasons, or visits to immediate family members.

The following is a Q&A from the regular briefing on the 13th by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) regarding the 'Reorganization Plan for Overseas Entry System for Vaccinated Individuals.'

- Is quarantine exemption applied if only the first dose of a two-dose vaccination has been completed?

▲ Only those who have completed the recommended number of doses for each vaccine and have passed two weeks after antibody formation are recognized.

- Does it apply if the first dose of a two-dose vaccine was administered in the United States and the second dose in Korea?

▲ Only those who have completed the recommended number of doses in the same country and entered after two weeks are recognized as 'overseas vaccination completers' and can apply for quarantine exemption.

- What is the scope of immediate family members eligible for quarantine exemption applications when entering for 'visiting immediate family'?

▲ It is limited to spouses residing in Korea and the applicant’s or spouse’s direct ascendants and descendants; siblings are not included.

- Can foreigners vaccinated overseas receive quarantine exemption when visiting foreign family members residing in Korea?

▲ Regardless of nationality, if the applicant is an overseas vaccination completer and can prove immediate family relationship with family residing in Korea through birth certificates, marriage certificates, death certificates, or other family relationship documents, quarantine exemption can be granted. When submitting the quarantine exemption application to overseas diplomatic missions, vaccination certificates along with family relationship documents and a pledge must be submitted.

- Can minors not eligible for vaccination in Korea enter with parents who have received quarantine exemption for visiting immediate family?

▲ Children under six years old can enter with parents who have completed vaccination as of the entry date even without vaccination certificates, and quarantine exemption will be granted.

- Can those who have received COVID-19 antibody or recovery certificates overseas apply for quarantine exemption as overseas vaccination completers?

▲ Separate from infection or recovery certificates, quarantine exemption can only be applied for if proof of having completed the recommended number of vaccine doses in the respective country is provided.

- Does the overseas vaccination completion standard apply to all vaccinated entrants?

▲ Entrants from countries with outbreaks of variant viruses such as South Africa and Brazil are excluded. The selection of outbreak countries is based on monthly assessments of variant prevalence and confirmed cases. For June, 13 countries including South Africa, Malawi, Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Equatorial Guinea, Brazil, Suriname, Paraguay, and Chile are included.

- Is India, where the Indian variant is prevalent, included as a variant virus outbreak country?

▲ Regarding the UK variant, current risk assessments indicate a very high blocking effect from vaccination, so it is not designated as a high-risk country. Scientific evidence and overseas evaluation trends on the Indian variant are continuously monitored, and if the risk is deemed high, expansion of outbreak country designation will be considered.

- Are entrants for important economic activities from variant virus outbreak countries excluded from quarantine exemption?

▲ Businesspeople vaccinated overseas can apply for quarantine exemption for important business even if from variant virus outbreak countries. However, the importance and urgency of the business must be proven. Any employee of the company can apply, and applications are possible even for tasks not involving contract signing or new facility construction but requiring on-site work.

- How is the authenticity of overseas vaccination certificates verified?

▲ Overseas diplomatic missions review certificates to determine eligibility for quarantine exemption applications. If forgery or falsification is found, penalties of up to one year imprisonment or fines up to 10 million KRW may be imposed under the Quarantine Act.