South Korea: Visa Application

Filipinos planning to visit South Korea need to take note that we require a valid Korean Visa to enter South Korea.  Here are some of the things you need to know to apply for a Korean Visa.

Processing

Last 2018, Korean Embassy started processing Korean Visa for Filipinos through travel agencies.  So, you just need to look for an accredited travel agency and they will apply your Korean Visa for you.  Processing fee varies from one travel agency to another.  We applied our Korean Visa through JTB Travel and Tours at SM Mall of Asia branch.  We availed their promo at a travel expo and paid Php400 per person as processing fee.

Click here for the list of travel agencies that process Korean Visa.

Requirements

Here is a list of requirements you need to submit when applying for Korean Visa:

• Application form printed in A4 (you can get this from the travel agency)
• One-piece passport size colored picture
• Photocopy of Passport Bio-page
• Original and photocopy of valid and expired visa/s and arrival stamps to OECD countries for the past five years (this helps processing a lot faster)
• Original certificate of employment that must include applicant’s position, date hired, compensation, office address, and HR email and phone numbers. For children, school certificate is needed.
• Original Personal Bank Certificate (must include account type, current balance, account opening date, and ADB).
• Original or Certified True Copy of Bank Statement for the last 3 months.
• Income Tax Return (ITR) or Form 2316
• When applying as a family, birth certificates are needed.

PS: Every document we submitted were not returned to us.  Only our passports were given back.  If you still need some of the documents you passed, I suggest you make a copy of these documents.

PPS: Flight tickets are not required in applying for Korean Visa.  However, you can book your plane tickets and avail of promo fare even before applying for the visa.

Approval

As per the notice we received in JTB, Korean Visa takes 7-10 working days to be approved after all documents are submitted.  We got notified that our Korean Visa was approved four days after submitting all the requirements.  I guess, approval speed varies depending on different factors.

The single-entry validity of Korean Visa is 2 – 3 months.  So, I suggest you apply for a Korean Visa one to two months before your planned travel time.

Applying for a Korean Visa is easy and hassle-free.  All you need to do is pay for the processing fee, gather all your requirements, and wait for the approval of visa.  So, what are you waiting for?  Book that flight to South Korea now! 😊