10/21/09

Korean Visa for Pinoys

Filipinos who wish to visit South Korea should first acquire a visa, gratis or free of charge for Filipino citizens. You may visit their office in Makati or Cebu (whichever is near) or have it applied through a travel agency. My sister chose to apply through an agent. The processing usually takes 3 days to 1 week or longer depending on the documents supplied. My sister got her visa without an interview within 3 days after submitting the application, according to the agent, it is because she already has a U.S Visa. She was to fly with Korean Air from MNL to LAX via Seoul and will stop-over in Seoul for 3 days from Los Angeles on her way back. I applied for my visa directly from the Consulate of Korea in Dubai. I was granted 15 days tourist visa valid for 3 months, single entry, 2 days after submitting my application.

Address in the Philippines:

South Korea Embassy , Philippines
10th Floor, The Pacific Star Building Sen. Gil Puyat corner Makati Avenue
Makati City
Metro Manila
Philippines
Phone:
+63-2-811-6139
Fax:
+63-2-811-6148
Email:
dipinfom@hiwire.net.ph

South Korea Consulate , Philippines
Mezzanine Floor, UC-ICTC Bldg., Gov. Cuenco Avenue, Banilad
Cebu
Philippines
Phone:
+63-32-231-6345
Fax:
+63-32-231-6345

South Korea Embassy , United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi
PO Box 3270
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Phone:
+971-2-4435337
Fax:
+971-2-4435348
+971-2-4450160
Email:
keauhlee@emirates.net.ae

Dubai:
South Korea Consulate, Dubai
Villa # 39 Street 42 B Area 342 Jumeirah 2 Dubai tel no. 04 3449200.

Requirements :

  1. Salary certificate/ Letter from the company (if you working).
  2. Bank Statement for at least the last 3 months.
  3. Valid Passport
  4. 1 Passport size photo.
  5. Application form.


25 comments:

  1. hi! thanks for the blog.

    what if you are not working?

    what should i do?

    ReplyDelete
  2. A notarized invitation letter form Korea and photocopy of your sponsor's passport would be required. For Businessman: A photocopy of Business Registration Permit for SEC or DTI
    and Business Permit or Mayor’s Permit For Students: Proof of enrollment. Basically, you have to prove that you have a reason go back to your country and that you have enough funds to support your stay :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. do you have a link on where i could get an application form?

    thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Interesting. I always wanted to travel sometime in nearby ASEAN countries, thanks for the addresses.

    ReplyDelete
  5. UPDATE: We visited the same agency where my sister applied for her visa to Korea to inquire for my younger sister and according to them, tourist visa is no longer free of charge. We had our younger sister assessed and according to them she might not be granted a visa coz she just graduated (nursing), her age (20's)and current status (looking for job). These are common reasons for denying a tourist visa.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Same fate with your youngest~~~ But my feet were about to walk through Japan~~~ It's disappointing... It's really really sad that being a Filipino is getting more pathetic.. T_T

    ReplyDelete
  7. what if my husband is currently working in korea for 5yrs and he wanted me to visit him there. is it possible that i will be granted a tourist visa? i also just graduated(nursing)but i'm 33yo now.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi I am working in Abu Dhabi and planning to visit Korea in January 2011. On Korean Embassy website (Abu Dhabi) its not indicated there the need of a Salary Certificate. Should I rely on this information? The reason for asking this is because it is very difficult to secure certificates from my company, all I can present are the passport, bank statement and my contract. Will these documents suffice in order for them to process my visa?

    ReplyDelete
  9. A company certificate indicates how many years you are in the company and tells whether you are STILL in that company at the time of application so i believe it's a strong document to prove your capacity to travel and RETURN or Go out after the visit but then again, it is still better to call the embassy before submitting the application. Based on all of my colleagues who travelled to Korea, we all submitted a salary cert.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi, I personally went to Korean Embassy today and I was given this form with list of requirements. You are right, Salary Certificate is one of the requirements. I spoke to our HR and was informed that they can only issue a Salary Certificate if the purpose of request is for opening of bank account or to submit to Philippine government. I have no choice but to choose "submit to Philippine government" option and I dont know if Korean Embassy will accept that. You may not be familiar that in UAE, companies especially contracting ones, are uber allergic to their employees applying for a tourist visa somewhere else, afraid that he/she might abscond and it is sad that I'm a victim of this phobia.

    In addition, the embassy also requires air ticket and hotel reservations? The thing is, online booking for air tickets is only valid for 24 hours and by the time I submit my application it is already expired. Im thinking if I will purchase the ticket online, theres still a posibility of getting denied and my money will be put to waste.

    What do i need to do? Please help? Did they require you to show itinerary (ticket and hotel reservation)?

    Thanks in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  11. 1.If you have been required to submit air ticket, i suggest you make a booking through a travel agency. They usually require you to pay within 10 days of booking, imediately submit your documents to the embassy before the booking expires, do not purchase online as most of the time online bookings are non refundable.

    2.Regarding hotel booking, i don't remember being ask to submit it but i did it nontheless to avoid wasting time looking for a hotel once I arrived and it proved to be a wise decision, why? I had a bad experience while facing the consul in the airport. Its a long story which I'd be posting soon on my travel horrors page! Anyhow, they called the hotel to confirm if I really made a reservation! huh!
    3. Itineray-No, I didn't submit, for my JAPAN travel, yes, was required.

    ReplyDelete
  12. hi,

    First of all I wanna thank you for your post and your blog because it really helps a lot,
    as usual I'm posting a comment to ask with regards to the bank statement if they require you to have a of of money in that account? or is there any minimum amount should be there?

    Thanks in advance...

    ReplyDelete
  13. hi!, thanks for your blog, it so helpful just wanna ask if they need a minimum balance in your account? or they are looking on how much money you have in your account??, how about if i will no bring the statement of account?is it OK?

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi,

    I am planning to visit korea with a friend. My friend has an aunt in korea and she will be provided with an invitation, and I guess I will be invited also. I am still a student and no income tax or Bir papers. What do I need upon applying to the korean embassy? Do I need the roundtrip ticket right away? and how much money my bank account should have?

    I hope you can reply to my questions.

    Thank you very much. You have a helpful blog

    ReplyDelete
  15. @harlene303: hmmm, my nephew ( also a student) submitted a school letter proving that he is enrolled for that year and since you are still a student i don't think you need to show a bank account. The invitation letter will be lieu of that.

    ReplyDelete
  16. hi can you help me how much do i need o pay for applying visa to korea if im going to apply true agency....

    ReplyDelete
  17. hello.. i have my friend american guy who works in KOrea,he ask me to visit him got a chance,is there any possibilities i could go there? Im presently working in kuwait? do i have to get a visa? invitation letter? How to apply for the visa? Any papers to submit? Hope u can help me...Thanks...Helena

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hi! Im Henrylen McMichael of Iligan City. My husband works in Seoul for a month now. He wants me to visit him for a month this October 2011 for a vacation. Someone said that he has to prepare an invitation for me to show to the Korean Embassy, is this true? I work as a Public Teacher, I don't know if our school can give us a Salary Certificate. So I can apply there in Cebu? Thank God for that. Manila is far from our city. How much money will I prepare for the application? Your reply would surely help me. Thank you and God bless!

    ReplyDelete
  19. hi, tnx for ur blog. u travel from dubai to sk or dubai to ph den sk ? cox i want to know even if i get korean visa in uae if i can use it wen i had vacation in philipines. thank you

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hello! I've got a Korean friend and she wants to invite me in Korea but aside from that she also wants me to work in her Montessori school but how come Pnoy's can't work there as ESL teachers even as staff? T.T how can I work in korea in legal way?

    ReplyDelete
  21. I travelled from Dubai to Korea. You can definitely use your regardless of where you applied for the visa for as long as it is valid once you enter the country and troughout your stay.

    ReplyDelete
  22. hi, im based here in dubai, should i apply as walk-in applicant for korean tourist visa?

    thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi,

    Salamat po Kabayan sa blog mo. Ilang araw ko ng hinahanap ang procedure panu maka apply ng visa sa korea. thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi, I have a korean friend and she has invitedme to go to KOrea... so instead of hotel reservation, can i use her home address? how much would a tourist visa cost? thanks!

    ReplyDelete
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    is nice, thats why i have read it completely

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    ReplyDelete

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