Informational handbook

Insurance

The recipient of a Fulbright award receives health and accident insurance coverage under a group policy arranged by the Department of State. This is a $25 deductible policy providing coverage up to a maximum of $50,000 per sickness or injury. Further details on the terms and conditions of this insurance coverage are provided in the brochure you should have received with your award letter (if you did not receive one, contact us by email immediately.) Note that insurance for personal effects, personal property, theft, loss, or damage is not provided as a benefit of your Fulbright award.

While the health and accident coverage is minimally adequate for a single person, you may wish to seek advice from your own insurance agent about the advisability of obtaining additional coverage. However, you should know that the terms and conditions of the group policy stipulate that the State Department becomes the secondary insurer if the participant has other insurance. Also, the State Department insurance does not cover you at all for any time you are outside of Korea for personal or professional travel. In any event, KAEC cannot assume liability for any medical expenses in excess of the maximum coverage or outside the coverage provided under the State policy.
Health and accident insurance for dependents is not included in the State Department insurance policy nor provided as a benefit of a Fulbright award, but coverage for authorized dependents may be obtained for a modest charge under a supplemental policy arranged by the State Department. Unless your dependents will be covered adequately under an existing policy, we strongly urge you to obtain this supplemental coverage. For further information on this policy and the application form, refer to the brochure you received with your award letter. KAEC cannot assume liability for any medical expenses incurred by accompanying dependents of Fulbrighters.
We complete all the necessary paperwork to activate your State Department insurance coverage just prior to your arrival in Korea. The period of coverage will be adjusted as appropriate if there is any change in your authorized award period. Although you may wish to confirm in our office after you arrive that the insurance coverage to which you are entitled has been activated, you are not required to complete an application form or any other paperwork.
Payment of insurance claims under the State policy is on a reimbursement basis only. In Korea, you must always pay your own medical bills in cash and submit the receipts along with a properly completed claim form for reimbursement. KAEC will provide you with a copy of the claim form you must use. Please be sure to note on the form that “Medical diagnosis codes are not provided because Korea does not use such codes.” The insurer will make reimbursement to you directly by check. Normally it takes a number of months for the insurer to process claims. (Historically, reimbursement has been reliable but quite slow.) It is your responsibility to submit properly documented claims as soon as possible after receiving medical treatment.

II. YOUR ARRIVAL IN KOREA

Port of Entry

As you will be ticketed to arrive in Seoul, you will be coming through Incheon International Airport, located approximately 40 miles west of Seoul. Incheon Airport is large, but not particularly confusing. All flights arrive in the same long terminal. Though there are several arrival doors, it is fairly easy to meet people. Your arrival should go smoothly.

You should schedule your arrival for Monday through Thursday. That's especially important if you have requested reception services from KAEC (see below). It also will greatly facilitate your initial orientation. Most flights from the U.S. arrive either in the early morning or in the evening.

Immigration

Immediately upon arrival you must first go through immigration where you will be requested to show your passport and the arrival card that you will have filled out on the plane. (On the arrival card, for "occupation" you can put "grantee," and for "Purpose of Visit" you can put "Fulbright.") Entry for American citizens is quite straightforward, and you should not have any problems. We recommend that you use the KAEC office address as your address in Korea when completing the arrival card. Don't forget to have the address handy. See page 63 for a sample arrival card.

Even if you have a tourist visa or no visa, you should experience no difficulties. Of course, the immigration officer may advise you that you must complete “alien registration” within 90 days or leave within 30 days. Don't be concerned. Go along with everything and the formalities will be completed without mishap. Just be sure to advise us of your status of entry at the earliest opportunity. If you have entered the country in any visa status other than "A-3," we will arrange to have your status of entry adjusted as part of the initial orientation procedure. As noted previously, Fulbright grantees must normally be in the "A-3" status to pursue their authorized projects in Korea.

Baggage Claim

After passing through immigration you must claim your baggage at the appropriate carousel and go through customs. Baggage carts are available free of charge and can be taken as far as the airport parking lot. Porters are available once you reach the arrival area, though most people don’t use one. If you need one, you should find the charge for the porter posted on the back of the cart.

Customs

As long as you follow a few simple rules, you should not experience any problems in clearing customs. Nine times out of ten you are likely to be just waved on through without your bags even being opened. However, Korea can have stringent customs procedures on occasion. Although the "Green Channel" (no goods to declare) and "Red Channel" (goods to declare) system is in use, you may be asked to open your bags and do a "show and tell" regardless of the channel you are using. Take the request in stride, and be nice even if you consider the request to be annoying. As in so many other situations, a measured response will be more advantageous in the long run.

Most Fulbright grantees are able to use the "Green Channel," as they have nothing special to declare. Ordinary personal effects brought with you are not subject to duty provided you have what could reasonably be defined as "normal" quantities. Certain items, especially "luxury goods" highly sought after in Korea (such as sets of golf clubs), may be taxed heavily regardless of the quantity or the circumstances under which the items are brought into the country. It's best to leave all such items at home. Or if you must bring them with you, you should use the "Red Channel" and appear sincere. Perhaps you will be lucky.
Normally a Fulbright student or scholar is permitted to bring any item with a plausible "educational purpose" into Korea without paying duty on it, including a laptop and printer. Although the customs official has the final discretionary authority in determining what to allow, tourist cameras, radios, CD players and other items of this kind, particularly if obviously intended for personal or recreational use, normally will be permitted without special comment. Some customs officials are stricter than others, of course, and if you have several items in each category you will be met with raised eyebrows at best. If you have brand new items, especially if they are in their original packing, you are begging to pay duty. To avoid drawing unfavorable attention to your goods, therefore, keep duplicate items to an absolute minimum, and take any new items out of their original packing. Or, better yet, bring used rather than brand new items whenever possible.