This blog is about when we’re traveling back to the USA on March 9, 2021.
Effective 1/26/21, if you are older than 2 years old, you need to provide a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within three calendar days of traveling to the USA!
In our case, we are flying out from Seoul on Tuesday, which means we should get the Covid test on Sunday or Monday at the latest.
Most of the hospitals we found are open from MONDAY to FRIDAY, and we weren’t sure that we will get the certificate with results on the same day we test, so we didn’t want to take any risk to get the test on MONDAY (because we fly out on Tuesday morning), so we reserved the covid test on SUNDAY MORNING.
The Covid Test at Incheon Airport is open 7days a week! (Break for lunch at 12.00-13.00)
Where? Incheon Airport Terminal 2 (follow to WEST Parking)
NO WALK IN – you need to register and book it online (We could book a month in advance, one account can reserve for multi people at the same time)
Covid-19 Test Reservation Link: https://www.airport.kr/ap/ko/svc/covidReservation.do# (KOREAN LANGUAGE)
Travel to the USA, Select PCR only
How much? We paid 181,840won per person (~$161 included the certificate)
The Testing day:
– Bring your Passport
– Flight Info
– Be on time, it was packed on Sunday. We got there 20mins before our booking time, but we could start the process right away.
– Fill out the form (there are 3-4 forms on the desk, depends on the country you travel to. If you are not sure, ask the officer to help)
– Check your temperature
– At window no.1, they will check your papers/passport and then tell you how much it costs. Pay the money, then they will give you a container and cotton bud for the test (it has your name on it).
This window has a really tiny – tiny hole for documents if your passport is too fat, it might not fit that hole!
At this point, she will tell you when you can come to pick up your certificate. For us, she said tomorrow after 9 am (Monday).
– At Window no.2, the doctor will ask you about your symptoms, any experiences with Covid19. Just a few short questions…
– At Window no.3, THE TEST STATION!!! The nurse will take the container and cotton bud that we got from Window no.1, and make sure it has the right name on it. Then she swabs the throat and then nose!
Dang! it hurts! It was deep in our brain!!
– The entire process from Window no. 1 to no. 3, took 12 mins for us.
Note: We were told that we could get the result and certificate on the same day we did the test if we can do it in the morning. BUT….. that was wrong and we picked up our paperwork the following morning.
Pick up our Covid test result certificate (the day after we tested), it’s the office next to window no. 3, the officer told us that we have to show up to get the certificate by ourselves (with our passport).
There are two pages that she printed out for us (see the pictures below).
OVERALL:
We did the test on Sunday at 9.30 am, we received the message for our NEGATIVE result on SUNDAY at 4.30 pm, and we went back to collect our certificates on MONDAY at 11 am (Be aware of the break time at 1200-1300).
When and Who looked at our Covid test?
When we checked in at Incheon airport, the airline counter looked at our Covid test result then she gave us the Disclosure and Attestation to sign.
That’s it…after that NOBODY will ask or look at it!!!
We are home safe and still have those certificates to keep as a memento!
That was a lot of effort to get it (Can’t they just email the result that we can print it out? or At least share our info to the airline that we provided? I thought they do link the database as it’s taken at the same airport LOL).
And it’s very pricy!
PS: We have done the Covid-19 test 3 times during 2020-2021!!!
FYI: We flew from Seoul to ATLANTA and then NEW ORLEANS on March 9, 2021.
