I used to be not too long ago granted a multiple-entry Korean visa, whereas Vins acquired a single-entry visa. This prompted us to look into the up to date Korean visa utility course of, together with qualify for a multiple-entry visa, the necessities it’s worthwhile to put together, and the bank cards that may assist make the applying course of simpler.
On this article, we’ll share with you the method of making use of for a Korean short-term visa for tourism or enterprise functions. We’ll solely be discussing vacationer visas right here, since that’s the one kind we’ve personally skilled making use of for. If you happen to want details about work visa, scholar visa, or some other visa sorts, we will not be one of the best supply for these.
DISCLAIMER: We aren’t employed by or affiliated with the Korean Embassy in Manila or the Korean Visa Utility Heart (KVAC). We’re merely sharing ideas primarily based on our personal expertise.
What kind of visa do you have to apply for?
A C-3 Korean visa is a short-term customer visa to enter South Korea for short-term stays. It’s mainly the go-to visa for folks touring for tourism, visiting household/associates, attending occasions, or brief enterprise journeys.
Sorts of C-3 Visas
Beneath the C-3 class, there are a number of frequent subtypes:
- C-3-9 (Vacationer Visa). That is the most typical, for sightseeing and leisure.
- C-3-1 (Quick-term common). That is for conferences, conferences, or non-tourism visits.
- C-3-4 (Enterprise). That is for brief enterprise actions (no native employment).
Validity: Single or a number of entry (is determined by approval)
Keep Length: Normally as much as 59 or 90 days per go to, relying on what you can be granted
Objective: Non-work (you can not earn earnings in Korea underneath this visa)
Visa Payment: FREE for stays of as much as 59 days, P2000 for stays of 60-90 days. That is completely different from the processing charge that the Korean Visa Utility Heart will cost you. KVAC is a separate entity from the Korean Embassy. I’ll talk about the ultimate price later.
Korean Visa Necessities
Primary Necessities
Listed here are the fundamental necessities. That means, no matter whether or not you’re an worker or self-employed, you’ll want these paperwork:
- Visa Utility Type No. 17. You’ll discover the obtain hyperlink right here: SK Visa Utility Type 17
Later, I’ll talk about accomplish this manner intimately.
- 1 piece passport-size coloured image. Listed here are the rules:
– Taken throughout the previous 6 months (ought to look the identical as your present look)
– No hat or head cowl that blocks the hairline or hair
– Full-face view, dealing with the digital camera
– Plain white or off-white background - Unique Passport
- Photocopy of Passport Bio-page
- Unique copy & Photocopy of legitimate visas and arrival stamps from international locations which can be members of Organisation for Financial Co-operation and Improvement (OECD). Solely from throughout the previous 5 years. Provided that relevant.
You’ll be able to examine the up to date record of member international locations right here: OECD Member Nations
- Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If relevant solely, for professionals like docs, legal professionals, and so on.)
- Unique Private Financial institution Certificates. The next particulars should be indicated:
– Account Title
– Account Sort
– Account Quantity
– Account Opening Date
– Present Stability
– Common Day by day Stability (ADB) for the previous 6 months - Invitation Letter (if invited). There isn’t a particular template for the invitation. You should use any format so long as the required particulars are current. However you would possibly simply wish to use this pattern type from the embassy itself:
Pointers:
– Should be in each English and Korean.
– No must have it notarized.
– Should point out the size of keep, objective of the invitation, go to bills, your relationship, and the non-public data of the inviter together with contact particulars.As well as, submit:
– If the inviter is a person: Photocopy of the inviter’s Korean ID. This could be a resident register card, driver’s license, or alien registration card.
– If the inviter is an organization or group: Photocopy of enterprise registration certificates or distinctive quantity certificates for non-profit companies, authorities businesses and organizations.
Are financial institution statements required? Not anymore. Financial institution statements for the previous three (3) months was a requirement, however it was waived beginning February 20, 2026.
Further Necessities
Along with the overall necessities above, you’ll additionally want to offer extra supporting paperwork relying in your employment standing or relationship to the inviter.
For Staff
- Photocopy of Earnings Tax Return (ITR) or BIR Type 2316
- Unique Certificates of Employment (COE). Should point out the next particulars:
– Applicant’s Place
– Date you have been employed
– Compensation/Remuneration
– Workplace Deal with
– Landline Variety of your Employer’s Human Sources
– E-mail Deal with of your Employer’s Human Sources
NOTE: You may need encountered data stating that if your organization doesn’t have a landline quantity or if the COE doesn’t have a moist or bodily signature, a letter rationalization is required. However once more, that’s not the case. The rule has been modified not too long ago.
Based on the replace, “the submission of a proof letter can be waived in circumstances the place there isn’t any landline quantity indicated, or when it’s issued with an digital signature. So long as different reachable contact data (e mail handle or cell phone quantity) is offered, the doc can be accepted.”
For Self-Employed (Enterprise Individuals/Entrepreneurs)
- Photocopy of Earnings Tax Return (ITR) or BIR Type 2316
- Photocopy of Enterprise Registration from DTI or SEC
- Photocopy of Mayor’s Allow or Enterprise Allow
For Housewives
- Unique PSA Marriage Certificates
- Photocopy of partner’s Earnings Tax Return (ITR) or BIR Type 2316
- Private or Partner’s Unique Financial institution Certificates (indicating the account title, account kind, account quantity, opening date, present steadiness, and common every day steadiness (ADB) for the previous 6 months)
- If partner is employed: Partner’s Certificates of Employment (indicating the place, date employed, compensation/remuneration, workplace handle, and get in touch with quantity and e mail handle of employer’s Human Sources)
- If partner is self-employed:
– Copy of Enterprise Registration from DTI or SEC
– Copy of Mayor’s Allow or Enterprise Allow or Mayor’s Allow
For College students
- Unique copy of College Certificates or Copy of College ID (as of Feb 20, 2026, it’s an either-or scenario, in contrast to earlier than when each are required)
- Unique PSA Delivery Certificates
- Dad and mom’ Unique PSA Marriage Certificates
- Dad and mom’ Unique Financial institution Certificates (indicating the account title, account kind, account quantity, opening date, present steadiness, and common every day steadiness (ADB) for the previous 6 months)
- Photocopy of partner’s Earnings Tax Return (ITR) or BIR Type 2316
- If mother and father are employed: Dad and mom’ Certificates of Employment (indicating the place, date employed, compensation/remuneration, workplace handle, and get in touch with quantity and e mail handle of employer’s Human Sources)
- If mother and father are self-employed:
– Copy of Enterprise Registration from DTI or SEC
– Copy of Mayor’s Allow or Enterprise Allow or Mayor’s Allow
Others
Non secular employees, retirees, and partner, kids, and in-laws of Koreans additionally must submit extra necessities. Simply go to the VISA REQUIREMENTS web page of the web site of the Korean Embassy in Manila. However, in your comfort, you can too examine the particular hyperlinks beneath:
Simplified Checklist of Necessities
A simplified record of necessities program has been prolonged till December 2026. This reduces the variety of paperwork to be submitted by elected officers, high-ranking authorities officers, skilled license holders, and eligible gold or elite bank card holders. Let’s simply give attention to the final two.
For Eligible Credit score Card Holders
No must submit financial institution paperwork and ITR, offered that you’ll submit the next:
- Employment Certificates
- Copy of Credit score Card (entrance solely, with full data. You solely must cowl the 3-digit CVV.)
- Newest three (3) months bank card invoice (account assertion)
- For fast relations: Proof of relationship with the first card holder (beginning certificates or marriage certificates)
What playing cards are lined?
For BPI and BDO, listed here are the accepted playing cards:
In the meantime, beneath are the accepted playing cards for RCBC, Metrobank, and PNB. If you happen to’re holding any of those bank cards, you and your fast relations (mother and father, partner, minor kids, and partner’s mother and father) can reap the benefits of it. However for relations, you’ll additionally must submit proof of relationship with the first cardholder. Solely major cardholders and fast household are eligible, not supplementary cardholders.
For Skilled License Holders
No want for financial institution paperwork and ITR in case you are a doctor, dentist, veterinarian, pharmacist, licensed public accountant, or lawyer (together with prosecutors and judges), and your fast relations (mother and father, partner, minor kids, and partner’s mother and father), offered that may submit the next:
- Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (for legal professionals)
- Unique Certificates of Employment
- For relations: Proof of relationship
If you happen to discover, we didn’t submit flight bookings or lodge reservations. They’re NOT required. Even if you happen to embrace it, the workers will simply take away them from the pile. We have been truly visiting Korea this time round as a part of a cruise, so we included the cruise reserving displaying that now we have a Busan port of name, however they handed it again to me.
Learn how to Accomplish the Visa Utility Type
Earlier than we deal with the submission course of, let’s first give attention to one of the vital doc that it’s worthwhile to submit — the visa utility type.
To start with, ensure you have the most recent model. As of this writing, the latest model was final revised in February 2022. You’ll be able to examine the earlier part of this text for the hyperlink.
Just a few issues that it’s worthwhile to notice.
- It should be printed on an A4-size paper.
- Computerized or handwritten? Earlier than the Korean Visa Utility Heart was established, again when most functions have been lodged at journey businesses, there was a rule that the shape should be achieved digitally, besides the signature part. There was even a required font: Arial, measurement 12. I believe this was for legibility. Handwritten kinds have been discouraged. I’m undecided if this rule continues to be strictly carried out. However I didn’t observe it. I used Arial measurement 16. It wasn’t referred to as out or rejected.
- For fields that aren’t relevant to you, depart them clean. Some say put N/A, some say depart it clean. I left it clean and I didn’t have any drawback when the KVAC workers checked it. Additionally, there have been fields that I missed and he or she instructed me to simply fill it in on the spot — handwritten. So there’s that. So they aren’t completely in opposition to handwritten kinds, a minimum of in some components.
So let’s begin. The method is definitely fairly easy for probably the most half, so let’s undergo the sections that is perhaps a bit complicated one after the other.
Private Particulars
1.2 한자성명 漢字姓名 (Hanja Seongmyeong). That is truly asking in your Korean title. If you happen to don’t have one, simply skip it. I left it clean.
1.7 Nationwide Id Quantity. I don’t have a nationwide ID but, so I left it clean.
Particulars of Visa Utility
2.1 Interval of Keep. I normally simply select brief time period keep lower than 90 days.
2.2 Standing of Keep. That is truly the aim of your go to or the visa kind that you simply’re making use of for. If you happen to’re touring for tourism, write C-3-9 TOURIST or just TOURIST. (This is perhaps completely different in your case.)
Beneath it, you’ll discover a part labeled FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY. DO NOT WRITE ANYTHING THERE. Go away the whole lot clean.
Let’s transfer on to PAGE 2.
Passport Data
All the things it’s worthwhile to write right here, yow will discover in your passport’s bio web page. However pay further consideration to those fields.
3.1 Passport Sort. Select REGULAR.
3.7 Does the applicant have some other legitimate passports? If you happen to don’t have one, select NO. Then depart the fields beneath it clean.
The subsequent few sections are very straightforward to know — Contact Data, Marital Standing and Household Particulars, Training and Employment. Let’s skip to Part 8.
Particulars of Go to
8.1 Objective of go to. Tick the field that corresponds to your objective. In my case, it’s TOURISM/TRANSIT.
8.2 Supposed Interval of Keep. Simply write what number of days you intend on staying in Korea. You’ll be able to write 1 day, 2 days, no matter is true.
8.3 Supposed Date of Entry. The date you’ll enter Korea or the date that your flight will arrive in Korea.
8.4 Deal with in Korea. If you happen to’re staying at a lodge, write down the lodge’s full handle. If you happen to’re visiting on a cruise ship, enter the title of the ship.
8.6 Has the applicant traveled to Korea within the final 5 years? If no, simply tick NO and depart the remaining clean. I’ve been to Korea a number of occasions earlier than however not throughout the final 5 years in order that’s what I did. If you happen to’ve visited Korea within the final 5 years, enter the aim and dates of your keep.
8.7 Your journey historical past excluding Korea throughout the final 5 (5) years. Simply enter the nation, objective and dates of keep. There are solely 5 rows offered, so if you happen to’ve been to extra, you possibly can write it down on a separate sheet.
Particulars of Invitation
9.1 Is there anybody inviting the applicant for the visa? If nobody is inviting you, simply select NO and depart the remainder of the part clean. In any other case, enter their particulars.
Funding Particulars
Part 10 is all about Funding Particulars.
10.1 Estimated journey prices in US {dollars}. Simply enter how a lot you suppose you can be spending in Korea. My solely steering right here is to make it make sense. Make certain your declared funds matches the size of your keep. For instance, if you happen to’re staying for 20 days, don’t put solely USD 100 there.
10.2 Who can pay for the applicant’s journey bills? Discover that there’s a notice right here: Any related individual together with the applicant and/or group. So if you happen to don’t have a sponsor and you can be funding the journey your self, write your title within the A area. Then within the B area, write MYSELF. Sort of help: FINANCIAL. Then write your contact quantity.
Help with the Type
11.1 Does the applicant obtain help in finishing this manner? I didn’t, so I simply selected NO and left the remaining clean.
Declaration
That is the final half.
Sort the date of utility in YYYY / MM / DD format.
Then kind your title and signal within the tiny house beneath APPLICANT NAME and SIGNATURE respectively.
Submitting Your Utility
After getting gathered all the necessities, it’s time to submit them to the Korean Visa Utility Heart.
You don’t want an appointment or prior reservation. There’s an choice to schedule an appointment for a charge. However walk-in candidates are accepted.
Right here’s the step-by-step submission information:
1. Make your approach to the Korean Visa Utility Heart in BGC.
Right here’s the total handle: 9/F (Zone 2) Brittany Resort, 6 McKinley Parkway, Aura Advanced, BGC, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Sure, the middle is housed in a lodge constructing — Brittany Resort — simply subsequent to SM Aura.
These are the working hours for submission of paperwork: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
Once you arrive, enter the lodge and stroll via the lodge café. To your proper, you’ll discover a single elevator. Journey as much as ninth ground. You’ll instantly see the KVAC as quickly as you get out of the elevator.
2. Get a quantity.
AT the doorway to KVAC, you’ll largely discover a queue. If you happen to’re arriving within the afternoon, there can be two queues, one for submission and one for releasing. Be sure you’re in the best queue. When it’s your flip, a workers member will examine your paperwork and provide you with a quantity.
In the event that they discover that there are lacking paperwork, they may doubtless let you know. If it’s worthwhile to photocopy one thing, you are able to do that right here, too.
Some vital reminders:
- Solely the candidates are allowed on the KVAC. Ony kids, PWDs, and seniors are allowed a companion.
- Pictures and video recording are strictly prohibited inside.
After getting a quantity, get inside.
3. Wait in your quantity to be referred to as.
We truly didn’t wait that lengthy, not so long as we anticipated, a minimum of. We noticed on-line accounts saying they waited for hours. However in our case, from the second we got a quantity, we in all probability waited for less than 30-ish minutes earlier than our quantity was referred to as.
However maybe throughout peak season, you is perhaps in for a protracted wait. Advance reservation or appointment is perhaps helpful then. I don’t know for positive if it’s value it as a result of I didn’t avail of it.
As soon as your quantity known as, proceed to the higher ground. You’ll even be assigned a counter.
4. Submit your paperwork.
Once you method the assigned counter, the workers will totally examine all of your paperwork, together with your solutions on the applying type. They may level out if you happen to missed a area or part and ask you to fill them out.
They can even instruct you to pay the service charge.
5. Pay the service charge.
Keep in mind, in case your keep is shorter than 59 days, the precise visa is FREE of cost. You’ll solely be paying the service charge.
Service Payment: P900
If you happen to availed of their photocopy course of, it’s worthwhile to settle it right here too. It prices P20 per web page.
After getting the receipt, return to your assigned counter. The workers will examine your receipt. They may then let you know some vital reminders together with when you possibly can anticipate the end result and examine on-line.
The entire course of from our arrival on the KVAC till we left took one hour and 20 minutes.
From right here, you’ll be enjoying a ready sport.
6. Watch for the end result.
The processing time might range relying on the season. The height seasons are Spring (significantly the months of March and April) and Autumn (September to November). Earlier, KVAC introduced that the common processing time had been prolonged to twenty working days beginning March 17, 2026. Nonetheless, they later introduced that the common processing time had been shortened to fifteen working days, efficient Might 18, 2026.
It’s greatest to examine the KVAC web site “Discover” part often for updates and bulletins.
Categorical utility takes solely 5 (5) working days. However not everyone seems to be eligible for expedited processing. That is normally reserved for candidates invited by Korean nationals or corporations. There should be a sound purpose for the request, which continues to be topic to approval.
Vacationer visa functions, like ours, normally fall underneath the common processing class. So, every single day since, we’d at all times examine the Korean Visa Web site to examine the standing of our utility. Let’s discuss that.
Learn how to Test the Standing of your Visa Utility
- Go to visa.go.kr and click on on ENGLISH. Or you possibly can go to https://www.visa.go.kr/primary/openMain.do instantly. The web site appears to be like like this.
- On the left menu, hover on CHECK APPLICATION STATUS, then faucet on CHECK APPLICATION STATUS AND PRINT.
- Choose DIPLOMATIC OFFICE and enter your particulars: passport quantity, full title (final title, first title format) and beginning date (YYYY-MM-DD format)
- Click on SEARCH.
Within the first days, it’ll show UNDER REVIEW. However finally when the applying is authorised (hopefully), it’ll change to APPROVED.
It’ll additionally point out the kind of visa (single-entry or multiple-entry), expiry date of the visa, and standing of keep.
It’ll additionally show a hyperlink button labeled CERTIFICATE that may lead you to a replica of your visa. SAVE IT.
We received the end result on February 19, a lot sooner than the Feb 24 projected date. That’s 12 enterprise days (16 calendar days).
However it is best to nonetheless watch for the so-called “SCREENED and STORED” textual content message earlier than returning to KVAC to say your passport. It appears to be like like this:
This message is your go sign to say your passport.
Learn how to Decide Up Your Passport on the KVAC
The releasing course of is just about the identical because the submission course of. Simply head to the KVAC at Brittany Resort in BGC. These are the designated claiming hours: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Go to the KVAC at Brittany Resort, BGC.
- Take the elevator as much as ninth ground.
- Get a quantity. However ensure you’re queuing for releasing as an alternative of utility.
- As soon as your quantity known as, go upstairs and proceed to the assigned counter.
- Wait in your title to be referred to as and obtain your passport.
Make certain it’s actually your passport earlier than leaving.
Be aware that you simply received’t discover any visa sticker anymore. The Korean Embassy stopped utilizing bodily visas a number of years in the past. It’s now absolutely digital.
I simply hope that sooner or later, they received’t must maintain the passport anymore for the reason that visa is digital anyway. Simply examine it upon submission and hand it again to the traveler. There actually is not any must maintain it of their possession.
However I used to be nonetheless tremendous grateful as a result of it was my first MULTIPLE-ENTRY visa for Korea.
So how did I handle to get a a number of entry visa?
Learn how to Get A number of-Entry Korean Visa
There isn’t a clear record of necessities for functions for multiple-entry visa. You’ll be able to ask for one, however there isn’t any assurance your request can be granted.
How do you request for multiple-entry? By a cowl letter.
Earlier I discussed that I submitted a canopy letter. It appears to be like like this.
On this letter, I justified why I wanted one. I stated that I’m planning to go to Korea twice within the close to future. I specified the dates and objective of these go to, and the main points. I additionally defined my journey historical past and that I’ve no report of overstaying ever.
I’m truly fairly shocked to be granted a number of entries as a result of I’ve solely visited Korea TWICE and it has been 10 years for the reason that final one. However yay, nonetheless.
Does submitting a canopy letter mechanically imply you’ll be granted a multiple-entry visa? Nicely, NO. In fact not. It’s nonetheless utterly as much as them.
To reveal how unpredictable it may be: Vins and I’ve virtually an identical journey historical past and virtually an identical funds. We submitted the identical set of paperwork, some are shared. Joint financial institution accounts. Our cowl letter was the very same. However solely I used to be granted a number of entries. Vins received a single-entry visa.
So it’s actually arduous to inform.
Steadily Requested Questions (FAQs)
How early ought to I apply for a Korean visa?
You’ll be able to enter Korea at any time throughout the subsequent 3 months (90 days) of the difficulty date. So in case your visa is issued on July 1, you possibly can enter anytime earlier than October 1.
So which means, you possibly can apply as early as 3 months (90 days) earlier than your departure date.
However take notice that common processing takes 20 working days (as of March 2026), so ensure you don’t apply too near your journey date.
How lengthy would I be allowed to remain in Korea?
59 days, if you happen to’re granted a daily vacationer visa.
You’ll be able to apply for an extended keep, however you will need to have the ability to justify that.
Do I must e book flights and resorts earlier than making use of?
No. They’re not required. I’ve tried submitting these earlier than, however they eliminated it from the pile.
How lengthy does your complete visa utility take?
As talked about beforehand, the processing time varies relying on the season. It normally takes 15 to twenty working days. It’s greatest to examine the KVAC web site “Discover” part often for updates and bulletins.
Once we utilized for a vacationer visa, we have been instructed it will take 18 working days, however we truly acquired phrase that our visa was authorised after 12 working days solely.
I believe the quantity of functions additionally matter. If it’s peak season, it may take longer. However apply early to be secure.
How a lot is a Korean Visa?
Listed here are the present visa charges:
- For stays shorter than 59 days: GRATIS (FREE)
- For stays 60 days or longer: P2000
On high of that, KVAC prices a service charge:
Common Processing: P900
Categorical Processing: P1400 service charges + P1000 visa charge
What does a Korean visa appear to be?
Defend your funds when touring!
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Be part of The Poor Traveler Assist Group
✅ When you have any questions or want journey ideas, be happy to publish them to the TPT Assist Group. The members are very useful. This Fb help group has been round for a very long time, and lots of members have discovered journey buddies via it. You’ll be able to be part of too! Simply go to The Poor Traveler Assist Group. Be aware that that is completely different from The Poor Traveler Fb web page.
Updates Log
2026 5 24 – First uploaded
Edited by: Asta Alvarez
