[ JKT to KOR / Pandemic ] 1.Departure from JKT

*** Your memories make your destiny ***

 

[03.Dec.21~21.Dec.21] #1. Departure from JKT

This time we want to share our experience visiting South Korea during the pandemic.

This trip is already postponed several times during the span of 2 years of the pandemic.

We are elated to finally be able to go on this trip!

To give the readers a bit about our background, we currently resided in Jakarta, Indonesia.

We(wife and husband have a differenct nationality. One of nationality is indonesia and the other is South korea.

 

 

1. Quarantine Exception

Before the trip we have pocketed the special permit for quarantine exception from the Korean Embassy, on top of the rest of the required documents such as VISA for the wife, Korean marriage registration, Korean family registration, proof of vaccination, and PCR test result (effective for 72 hours before departure time).

 

1. Documents

1) Visa for korea: We got C-3-1(Short Term General Visa).

[Wait!!]

Why got C-3-1(Short Term General Visa)?

--> Actually, we want to get mutiple visa for 5 years. But, its not possbile because of pandemic.

[Kind of Visa]

* Short Term General Visa: C-3-1

(validity period 3 months, residence permit period 30 days)

  If the husband/wife of a Korean citizen living in Indonesia wants to visit Korea and have been

  registered in only one country(Korean or Indonesia).

 

* Multiple Entry Visa: C-3

(validity period 5 years, residence permit period 30 days)

  Only if husband/wife have been registered in two countries(Korea and Indonesia).

 

2) Marriage Registeration: we got marriage registeration in both country for getting mutiple Entry visa

[Wait!!]

Do we need marriage registeration in both countries?

--> Actually, No based on rules in korean goverment.

(Because of pandemic, many rules is quickly changed. So, Have to check it before traveling)

 

3) Proof of vaccination: we got first and second vaccine in Indonesia.

4) PCR test result: we got PCR test 72 hours beofre departure time.

2. Shocking news; All people form abroad must undergo 10 days quarantine.

One day before our long-awaited trip, the Korean Government issued new rule that “all people from abroad (citizens and non-citizens alike) must undergo 10 days quarantine – without exception”.

This news struck as very shocking and disappointing.

However, life must go on…

Amidst all the uncertainties, we were still very determined to go.

At that point in time, we were not even sure whether we could spend the 10 days quarantine together, or separately. Since the new rule was just issued, the execution on the ground was still a bit chaotic, and government staffs sometimes could not provide definite answer for every question aroused.

For example, there are some who said that non-citizens must be quarantined in Government Facility, while citizens have option to be home-quarantined. Yet some other said that family could be quarantined together.

 

3. Check-In and before immigration test

On Friday evening, off we go to Bandara International Soekarno Hatta, Terminal 3 to catch our late-night flight with Korean Airline.

The airport seemed quite deserted compare to pre-pandemic situation.

 

1. Check-In

We were one of the first passengers on the Check In queue. Most other passengers are Korean citizens, which is reflective of the current cross border policies and the general global pandemic situation.

If this trip purpose is solely for travelling, we would have given up since the beginning

Check-In for Korean air line

 

2. Eating

After checking in, we still had plenty of time to spend.

We decided to have some meals in Paradise Dynasty, a branch of a decent Chinese Restaurant that we frequently visit.

We ordered Shanghai Fried Rice, Sweet and Sour Soup, and Chinese Flower Tea.

The meal is hearty and gave warmth to our empty stomach.

We would recommend our Readers to have this kind of meal before any long flight, because of these reasons:

1. Plane food normally taste bad

2. Lack of appetite during flight (especially when it is a late-night flight like ours)

3. Extra caution to not taking off our masks in the cramped space during flight

Shanghai Fried Rice

 

3. Before immigration

After supper, we washed the garlicky taste of the Chinese food with an ice coffee milk from Old Town White Coffee.

To check again our beloings and go to toilet for preparing long immigration step......

Old Town white coffee

4. Immigration

Once finished with the meals, we went to Immigration for final checking before flight.

The process went smoothly with nothing special to take note about.

We did our homework beforehand, such as taking particular care on any liquid and gas that we bring.

- Liquid < 75mL is allowed onboard

- Gas in tube such as deodorant and dry shampoo are not allowed

- Not wearing any metal in our clothes

   (Comfortable T-Shirt with jogger pants and Jacket)

   (Thick Cardigan is the best choice. You can wear it with socks & slippers or slip on shoes)

The most important things is PCR test result. Before onboarding airplane, clerks check our pcr test result.

- PCR test result: we got PCR test 72 hours beofre departure time.

 

The airplane was only half full.

Our 7 hours flight went on smoothly. We mostly watched in flight movie or slept.

Without us knowing, the plane was already reached Incheon.

We were excited to feel the cold and crisp air of South Korea (temperature difference is > 30 degrees Celcius!)