How To Apply For A Korean Visa- Updated August 2019

Heads up travelers to South Korea! Here's the latest update regarding visa applications. 

Starting July 1, 2018, Filipinos who wish to apply for a Korean visa are now required to course their applications through the Embassy's list of accredited travel agencies only. The requirements are still the same, only the process has changed. For more details, visit this page.
LATEST UPDATE: Effective August 22, 2019, the processing period has been extended to 10 DAYS, from 7 DAYS before. If you are applying anytime soon, make sure you have enough time. Allot enough for the travel agency to submit and collect your documents and passports. They usually send you a text message to inform you that your passport is ready for pick up.

My first visit to South Korea was spring time 2013. I went with my sister and some other people and it was be-a-u-ti-ful! I knew I had to go back, so the second time was in 2015 with a friend, and this time it was in autumn. Oh, the colors! The food! And not to mention the vast array of beauty products available in Myeongdong! I am going for a third time this year, this time with my older sister and two nieces.

There is no doubt that K-drama and K-pop is very popular these days, not just here in the Philippines but all over the world. That has made South Korea a favorite tourist destination.

So, if you're planning to go there, this is for you. Read on and happy travels!

  Step 1: COMPLETE BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

1. Application Form (properly filled up, put N/A for spaces not applicable) download here
2. One (1) Passport size colored picture (34mm x 45mm)
3. Original Passport (6 months valid)
4. Photocopy of Passport Bio-page
5. Original Certificate of Employment, if employed
6. Photocopy of Business Registration and Business Permit, if self-employed
7. Original Personal Bank Certificate issued by bank (NOT Bank Statement, NOT Passbook)
8. Photocopy of ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316
9. [optional] Invitation Letter & Copy of inviter’s Passport, if invited by Korean resident.
10. [optional] Invitation Letter & Copy of Korean Company Business Permit, if invited by Korean company.
11. If available, original and photocopy of valid visa(s) and arrival stamps to OECD member countries (excluding Japan) within the last 5 years. Valid visas to OECD member countries will greatly increase your chances of getting approved so be sure to submit these if you have them. For a complete list of the OECD countries, please visit their site here.  Although Japan is an OECD country, they have excluded it from the valid ones because some applicants have submitted copies of FAKE Japanese visas. Shame on them. Having an OECD visa increases your chances of approval.

Step 2: PROVIDE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Depending on your employment status, these are the additional documents that you’ll need to provide.

A. FOR EMPLOYEES

1. Original certificate of employment to be printed on your company’s official letterhead. It must contain your position at the company, date hired, salary, office address, HR landline number (cellphone number is not allowed), and HR e-mail address.
2. Original personal bank certificate. It must include account type, current balance, account opening date, and 6 months average balance (ADB).
3. Original or certified true copy of bank statements / passbook for the last three (3) months
4. ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 
5. Copy of PRC or IBP card (if applicable).
6. If invited by a Korean national, you must also provide an invitation letter and photocopy of your invitor’s passport or ID card.
7. If invited by a company in Korea, you must also provide an invitation letter and photocopy of the Korean company’s business permit.

B. FOR BUSINESSMEN

1. Photocopy of business registration from SEC or DTI.
2. Photocopy of business or mayor’s permit.
3. Original personal bank certificate. It must include account type, current balance, account opening date, and 6 months average balance (ADB).
4. Original or certified true copy of bank statements / passbook for the last three (3) months.
5. Photocopy of income tax return (ITR Form 2316) with personal TIN number. Frequent travelers who have traveled as tourists to OECD member countries within the last 5 years are exempt from submitting an ITR.
6. Copy of PRC or IBP card (if applicable).
7. If invited by a Korean national, you must also provide an invitation letter and photocopy of your invitor’s passport or ID card.
8. If invited by a company in Korea, you must also provide an invitation letter and photocopy of the Korean company’s business permit.

C. FOR HOUSEWIVES

1. If husband is employed, husband’s original certificate of employment printed on company’s official letterhead. It must contain husband’s position at the company, date hired, salary, office address, HR landline number (cell-phone number is not allowed), and HR e-mail address. If husband is self-employed, photocopies of his business registration from SEC or DTI as well as their business or mayor’s permit.
2. Original personal or husband’s bank certificate. It must include account type, current balance, account opening date, and 6 months average balance (ADB).
3. Original or certified true copy of personal or husband’s bank statements / passbook for the last three (3) months.
4. Photocopy of husband’s income tax return (ITR Form 2316). Frequent travelers who have traveled as tourists to OECD member countries within the last 5 years are exempt from submitting an ITR.
5. Photocopy of NSO-issued marriage certificate.
6. If invited by a Korean national, you must also provide an invitation letter and copy of your invitor’s passport or ID card.
7. If invited by a company in Korea, you must also provide an invitation letter and photocopy of the Korean company’s business permit.

D. FOR STUDENTS / MINORS

1. Original school certificate.
2. Photocopy of school ID.
3. Photocopy of NSO-issued birth certificate.
4. Parents’ supporting financial documents:

• If parents are employed, original certificate of employment. It must contain their position at the company, date hired, salary, office address, HR landline number (cell-phone number is not allowed), and HR e-mail address. If parents are self-employed, photocopies of their business registration from SEC or DTI as well as their business or mayor’s permit.
• Parent’s original bank certificate. It must include account type, current balance, account opening date, and 6 months average balance (ADB).
• Parent’s original or certified true copy of bank statements / passbook for the last three (3) months.
• Photocopy of parent’s income tax return (ITR Form 2316). Frequent travelers who have traveled as tourists to OECD member countries within the last 5 years are exempt from submitting an ITR.
• Photocopy of parents’ NSO-issued marriage certificate.

5. If invited by a Korean national, you must also provide an invitation letter and copy of your invitor’s passport or ID card.
6. If invited by a company in Korea, you must also provide an invitation letter and photocopy of the Korean company’s business permit.

E. FOR RETIREES

1. Photocopy of senior citizen ID.
2. Original personal bank certificate. It must include account type, current balance, account opening date, and 6 months average balance (ADB). If bank certificate is under another family member’s name, then proof of relationship must be submitted. (ie photocopy of marriage contract for spouse, birth certificate for child, etc.)
3. Original or certified true copy of bank statements / passbook for the last three (3) months. If bank account is under another family member’s name, then proof of relationship must be submitted. (ie photocopy of marriage contract for spouse, birth certificate for child, etc.)
4. If invited by a Korean national, you must also provide an invitation letter and copy of your invitor’s passport or ID card.
5. If invited by a company in Korea, you must also provide an invitation letter and photocopy of the Korean company’s business permit.

Step 3: SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION AT THE ACCREDITED TRAVEL AGENCY OF YOUR CHOICE

For a complete list of the accredited travel agencies that process applications, click here.

Note that for visitors who are planning on staying there for less than 59 days, the visa itself is free of charge, but since the application process is now course through travel agencies, the agencies charge a processing fee anywhere between PHP500 - PHP1500.

Step 4. PRAY THAT YOUR VISA GETS APPROVED

Once you’ve submitted your application, there’s little else to do but wait and pray for the best. What I do personally is that long before I even submit all the requirements, I'd have been praying that it gets approved already. :-)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

How much do I need to have in my bank account to be granted a visa?
There’s no official amount. People have said at least PHP 50,000 but there’s no confirmation on this. People have mentioned that they’ve been approved with less. Some have been rejected with more. 

Your application is considered on many factors so there’s no amount that can guarantee approval. As long as your application doesn’t raise any red flags and you have enough money to support yourself for the duration of your stay, then you should have a good chance of getting approved. Having a regular paying job helps, because that means that you receive a monthly salary, hence you have the means to pay for the trip.

How early can I apply for a visa?
You can enter Korea at any time within the next 3 months (90 days) of the issue date. So if your visa is issued on July 1, you can enter anytime before October 1.

That means you can apply as early as 3 months before your departure date.

Do I need to have confirmed flight and hotel bookings?
No, you don’t. Confirmed flight and hotel bookings are not required. On the application form, you can just put down the contact details of the hotel you intend to stay at. It doesn’t have to be a finalized booking. You can always change after you’ve been granted a visa.

Is there an interview?
Not necessarily. An interview will only be conducted if they have questions about your application.

Do I need to book flights and hotels before applying?
NO. They're not required.In the application form, there is a question of where you will be staying. Just put in your choice of hotel or accommodation.

Do I really need a travel agency for the application?
YES. Starting July 2018, the Embassy is now requiring that all personal applications be coursed through an accredited travel agency.

However, if you're applying at the Korean Consulate in Cebu, you may still apply directly on your own.

Can I apply for a multiple entry visa?
Yes, but only under certain conditions. Frequent travelers who have visited Korea more than 4 times in the last 2 years or have visited Korea over 10 times in total can apply for a multiple entry visa. 

I heard about the BDO / BPI promo. Could you tell me more about it?
Until 31 December 2019, BDO Gold and Elite cardholders can apply for multiple entry visas to Korea. The same goes for BPI Gold credit card, BPI Platinum credit card, and Gold BPI Express Teller debit cardholders as well. 

To avail this, you need to submit the original copy and one photocopy of your credit card account statement.

Note that if you are receiving your statements by email, that printed statement is not accepted. You will have to go to your bank and ask for the original copy of the statement.

If I get rejected, how soon can I apply again?
After six (6) months.

Do I need a visa to Jeju Island?

No, Philippine passport holders can visit Jeju Island visa-free for up to thirty (30) days.

How long does the entire visa application take?
At least 10 WORKING DAYS.

That's the latest update from the Embassy effective August 22, 2019. You must also allow the agencies time to collect, document, sort out, submit and pick up the passports from the embassy.

RUSH processing is available, and the processing time is only 2 DAYS for an additional fee of PHP1100.

Can I submit just a bank certificate?
NO. Both a bank certificate and a bank statement showing account activity for the last 3 months is required.

I am applying with my family. Does everyone of us need to submit a copy of bank certificate/statements?
Only one copy will do, provided you are applying at the same agency at the same time.

Note that if the sponsoring family member is not an immediate family member is not an immediate family member (not a parent, sibling or child), an AFFIDAVIT of SUPPORT and PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP are required. For example:

GRANDMOTHER + GRANDCHILDREN. You need to provide an Affidavit of Support stating that the grandmother will be shouldering the expenses of the grandchildren.

If the grandmother is the father's mom, submit birth certificates of the grandmother, the father, and the grandchildren.

UNCLE/AUNT + NIECE/NEPHEW. This is not considered en 'immediate' relationship either, so an affidavit of support is also needed. Plus, birth certificate of the niece/nephew, the aunt/uncle, and the 'connecting parent'.

You might also want to read how to apply for a Japanese Visa.
Read also how to apply for US Visa

Republic of Korea Embassy in the Philippines

122 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City 1634
Tel: +632 856-9210
Fax: +632 856-9008
Website: embassy_philippines.mofa.go.kr
Facebook: mofakr.eng
Twitter: mofakr_eng
Email: philippines@mofa.go.kr
Office Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30AM-5:30PM
Filing: Mon-Fri, 8:30-11AM
Releasing: Mon-Fri, 1:30-4PM

For more travel articles, read here.