Tourist visa to Korea for Pinoys
If you’re a Filipino and you want to go to Korea, the first thing that you must do is to acquire a visa… and it isn’t easy!
More than a decade ago, visas are not required for Pinoys. They can come and go as much as they wanted but things changed in 1994 when the Philippine government requested to the Korean government to require visas for Filipinos travelling to their country. That’s what I learned from watching “Magandang Gabi Bayan” three or four years ago.
Let me talk about the individual tourist visa. I had applied for a tourist visa almost three years ago but I was turned down for some reason. I wasn’t disheartened but my hubby (then fiance) was… I remember reading an article where DOLE secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said that it’s harder to get a Korean tourist visa than to get a US visa. It’s probably true…
Unlike a US visa application, there is no interview conducted when applying for a Korean tourist visa. They also don’t require additional documents like land titles or car registration, and the likes. What you will need to provide them are… (1) bank certificate stating your savings, (2) certificate of employment showing your salary and position, (3) latest ITR (income tax return), (4) your passport and a copy, plus the (5) visa application form and (6) 2×2 pictures and if you have been invited, (7) a notarized invitation letter.
You have to go to the embassy really early! They open at 9AM but you have to line up outside before they let you in. Where do you have to go? The Korean Embassy is located at Pacific Star Building at the corners of Gil Puyat Ave. and Makati Ave. Right in front of a gas station, you can’t miss it!
When I applied for my tourist visa, I was there as early as 7AM and the line was already long… After arriving at the place, just follow the queue outside. At around 10 minutes before 9AM, the guard will let people in. You have to get a Visitor’s Pass by providing an ID. It doesn’t have to be a fancy ID, the one issued by the postal office will do. You’ll have to ride the elevator and get off on the 18th floor. There will be another line before entering the main office. The guard (who’s really friendly and nice) will ask you if it’s your first time to apply for a visa (in general) or not. If it is then he will give you a number for Window 3. If not, then you’ll be provided a number for Window 4. You’ll have to sit down and wait until it is your turn. The Korean lady on Window 3 is Ms. Park Ok (at least, the last time I was there)…
When your number is shown on the LCD display, you’ll have to go to Window 3 and present your documents. Like I told you, there’s no need for an interview. If your documents are complete, she’ll staple them and give you a claim stub for your passport. If you have submitted an incomplete set of documents, she’ll ask you to come back and complete your documents. If you’re planning to stay in Korea for more than 59 days, you’ll have to pay 1,500 pesos as visa fee. A stay of less than 59 days is free. Paying doesn’t guarantee an approval.
Application usually ends at 12PM. If your number is not called at that time, you’ll have to come back another day and fall in line, and get another number! Hehe…
Waiting time is usually 7 days. To claim your passport, you’ll have to come in the afternoon of the designated date in your claim stub. Again, you’ll have to queue outside and wait for the embassy to open. I really hate waiting because it makes me all nervous and excited!
If you get a visa, congratulations! If not, then try again later… after 6 months!
My mother applied for a tourist visa two weeks ago and got hers last Tuesday. She’s been here last year for our wedding and it just took her three days to get her visa. We sent her a notarized invitation last year but not for this year. She has a US resident visa so that probably helped her. Anyway, she’s planning to come here on the 7th of August via Asiana Airlines (whose unionized pilots are currently on strike) from the Clark International Airport. The airport is a 15-minute drive from our residence in Angeles City (we live about 200 meters from the gates of Clark).
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Hi there to all! I just want to know, why there is such a comment as getting Korean Visa is harder than getting a U.S visa? Are they that strict? When there are so many Koreans in the Philippines? Uhmp!
7Days ba talaga ang duration ng paghintay sa Visa mo?
ask ko lang.. pwede naman hindi ikaw personal ang pumunta sa Korean embassy para magpresent ng mga docs di ba? ok lang ba yung kasama mo lang na papuntang Korea ang nandoon? At sa ka after 7days pagkuha pwede ba na yung isang kasama nyo na ang kumuha hindi yung original pumunta ng embassy?
tanong lang po… kahit 4 days lang ang person sa korea kailangan pa rin ng visa?
yes… kailangan ng visa kahit 4 days lang
good morning miss. betchay,
itatanong ko lng po kung may naddeny din po bang applicant sa f3 visa?thnk you po1
hi,ask qa lng un history at certificate of marriage history mangkaiba?kc un sister qa inv qa d2 sa korea
ang dmi nia need pra mkakuwa nang visa eh
e2 un need nia
1.copy of korean&filipino passport nmin mang asawa
2.married certificate nso
3.invitation leeter
4.history
thanks
hi poh,ask ko lng kung ano p un need nang sister qa pra mkakuwa nang visa.kc invi nmin cia d2 sa korea eh
alam qa copy nangpassport nmin mang asawa married certificate gling sa nso invitation letter
sak qa lng pati poh b history need nmin pdala sa sister qa kc sbi nia need daw un eh
thank u
god bless
Hello…. Number two (2) documents needed. Certificate of employment showing your salary and position. What if I can’t provide such thing. I’m not working for a year already. I’m just a private home base online tutor. Any advice…..thanks
HI Richard! I can’t really answer. The embassy people are very particular with the required documents. They make adjustments though for special cases like for the dependents of Filipino expats working in Korea or those who are married to Koreans. Otherwise, they’re quite strict with the documentary requirements.
Hello! anybody can tell me kc kare release lang ng result ng visa ko for tourist sa korea,and it was deny! hindi nagbibigay ng reason ang embassy kong bakit disapproved,nakaka panlumo and I really need to go there for private reason,scheduled next month. I just want any reason just to ease the pain,and to satisfied the reason why im denied.
hi Thalia! you need to show proof kasi that you’re really just visiting korea temporarily.
my husband is working in korea and his employer is planning to invite me instead of my husband take a vacation here in the phil.kaylangan b ung employer nya mismo magpa-authenticate ng invitation s korea.can somebody please tell me the procedure on how to authenticate the invitaton letter.tnx!!!
This is a response for Happy’s question…natural lang na yong koreano ang mag authenticate ng inivitation kc siya ang nag invite sau..ang asawa mo ang kontrak worker lang sa korea…wala siyang bisang mag invite saiyo..
hi happy! oo. korean lang ang pwede mag-invite so siya ang gagawa ng invitation letter. there’s no need for authentication as long as the korean gets it from a law office in korea
Ask ko lang po, pano po ba mag-apply ng visit visa sa korea? kasi my friend ako korean, his been here trice since december 2007. And his planning to invite me to go there, pwede nya po ba ko iinvte dun ng walang occasion? and fresh graduate palang po ako, la pa kung work. tnxs!!!
hi axcel! pakibasa na lang to http://www.buhaykorea.com/2008/04/15/getting-a-tourist-visa-to-korea-for-pinoys/
good evening! pano po pag wala pa kung work, ano po ba ung mga kailangan na requirements?
hi axcel! if student ka, you can use your parent’s documents plus your school registration docs…
hey… do you know a forum or a place where i can ask our fellow filipinos about some things? I’m going to have a vacation there soon… id like to ask where to go, if the hotel we’re going to avail is okay.. i have plans on going to a music show.. other how to’s…. PLS
i really need help..
hi…ang asawa q korean,gus2 qng papntahn d2 ang 2 kng kptid,pewde m bng svhn s akn kng pno mgaply s korean embassy at kng ano ang mga kailangan??tnx
Hi! I just got my visa today (Yehey!). Thank you very much for the very informative and helpful post and comments from this blog.