From Mar 15~ Mar 22, 2022
Most travelers from South Korea are not able to enter United States without proof of full COVID-19 vaccination.
Travel Restrictions
Most unvaccinated international travelers are not allowed to enter the United States.
Details and Exemptions
Entry restrictions do not apply to:
- US citizens, nationals, immigrants, and lawful permanent residents
- Travelers who are fully vaccinated
- Travelers under the age of 18
- Travelers on diplomatic or official foreign government travel
- Travelers with documented medical contraindications to receiving a COVID-19 vaccine
- Crew members of airlines or other aircraft operators
- Participants in certain COVID-19 vaccine trials
- Travelers issued a humanitarian or emergency exception
- Travelers with valid visas [excluding B-1 (business) or B-2 (tourism) visas] who are citizens of a foreign country with limited COVID-19 vaccine availability
- Members of the U.S. Armed Forces or their spouses or children (under 18 years of age)
- Sea crew members traveling with to a C-1 and D nonimmigrant visa
- Travelers whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, Secretary of Transportation, or Secretary of Homeland Security (or their designees).
Unvaccinated noncitizens and nonimmigrants qualified to enter the US due to an exemption may be subject to more strict procedures upon arrival. Please check the source for more details.
Recommended Quarantine fo Unvaccinated Travelers
Unvaccinated travelers are recommended to quarantine for 7 days after arrival in the United States. Travelers are recommended to take a COVID-19 test 3-5 days after arriving in the USA. Even if the test is negative, it is recommended that travelers complete the 7-day quarantine.
Travelers should check quarantine requirements for the specific state they are traveling to, as some states may require mandatory quarantine for international travelers.
COVID-19 Testing
Proof of negative pre-departure COVID-19 test results required.
All travelers regardless of their vaccination status must have an original printed or electronic negative COVID-19 viral test result (NAAT: RT-PCR, RT-LAMP, TMA, NEAR, HDA, SDA, CRISPR, or Antigen: Rapid, Viral, Antigen Chromatographic Digital Immunoassay, Antigen Chemiluminescence Immunoassay, or Antigen Lateral Flow Fluorescence). The test must be taken a maximum of 1 day before the first scheduled departure time in the flight itinerary (if a flight is at 1 pm on a Friday, travelers could board with a COVID-19 negative test that was taken any time on the prior Thursday).
Test results must include the traveler’s full name and at least one other identifier such as date of birth or passport number. The test must also clearly state that the results are “negative,” SARS-CoV-2 RNA not detected,” SARS-CoV-2 antigen not detected,” or “COVID-19 not detected.” A test marked “invalid” is not acceptable.
This requirement applies to all travelers, including US citizens, residents, and transit travelers.
Travelers may use a self-testing (sometimes referred to as a home test) procedure that must include a telehealth service that provides real-time supervision remotely through an audio and video connection. The test must meet the requirements of the CDC. For more details, please see the source.
Some US states might have more strict rules regarding COVID-19 test types and where they must be administered. Please carefully review the rules before traveling to each state.
Details and Exemptions
- This requirement does not apply to:
- Travelers under the age of 2;
- United States military personnel traveling under official United States government travel orders;
- Travelers who have recovered from COVID-19. These travelers must show proof of a positive viral test from the preceding 90 days and a letter from their healthcare provider or public health official stating they are cleared for travel.
Testing Types
- Antigen Test : 1 day before departure
- Nucleic Acid Test : 1 day before departure
- RT-PCR Test : 1 day before departure
- RT-LAMP Test : 1 day before departure
- TMA Test : 1 day before departure
Visa Requirements : No Visa Required
Forms and Documents : Mandatory travel attestation form
Travelers must complete a travel attestation form before arrival. This form will be provided by the airline.
Airlines may let you complete your attestation electronically during check-in or via partner apps such as VeriFLY. In this case, it is not necessary to print the form, but travelers may do so as a precaution.
Section 1 of the form must be completed by all travelers while section 2 must only be completed by travelers that are not citizens or residents of the USA.
Additional Information
Travelers must wear masks on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation.
