I used to be not too long ago granted a multiple-entry Korean visa, whereas Vins obtained a single-entry visa. This prompted us to look into the up to date Korean visa software course of, together with the best way to qualify for a multiple-entry visa, the necessities you must 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. When you want details about work visa, pupil visa, or some other visa sorts, we will not be the perfect supply for these.
DISCLAIMER: We aren’t employed by or affiliated with the Korean Embassy in Manila or the Korean Visa Software Heart (KVAC). We’re merely sharing ideas primarily based on our personal expertise.
What kind of visa must you apply for?
A C-3 Korean visa is a short-term customer visa to enter South Korea for non permanent stays. It’s principally the go-to visa for individuals touring for tourism, visiting household/pals, attending occasions, or quick enterprise journeys.
Varieties of C-3 Visas
Below the C-3 class, there are a couple of frequent subtypes:
- C-3-9 (Vacationer Visa). That is the most typical, for sightseeing and leisure.
- C-3-1 (Brief-term normal). 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: Often as much as 59 or 90 days per go to, relying on what you can be granted
Goal: Non-work (you can’t earn earnings in Korea below this visa)
Visa Charge: FREE for stays of as much as 59 days, P2000 for stays of 60-90 days. That is completely different from the processing payment that the Korean Visa Software Heart will cost you. KVAC is a separate entity from the Korean Embassy. I’ll talk about the ultimate value later.
Korean Visa Necessities
Fundamental Necessities
Listed here are the fundamental necessities. Which means, no matter whether or not you’re an worker or self-employed, you’ll want these paperwork:
- Visa Software Kind No. 17. You’ll discover the obtain hyperlink right here: SK Visa Software Kind 17
Later, I’ll talk about the best way to 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 are 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 test the up to date listing of member international locations right here: OECD Member International locations
- Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If relevant solely, for professionals like medical doctors, attorneys, and so on.)
- Unique Private Financial institution Certificates. The next particulars have to be indicated:
– Account Title
– Account Sort
– Account Quantity
– Account Opening Date
– Present Stability
– Common Every day Stability (ADB) for the previous 6 months - Invitation Letter (if invited). There is no such thing as a particular template for the invitation. You need to use any format so long as the mandatory particulars are current. However you would possibly simply need to use this pattern type from the embassy itself:
Pointers:
– Have to be in each English and Korean.
– No must have it notarized.
– Should point out the size of keep, goal of the invitation, go to bills, your relationship, and the non-public info 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 generally is 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, but it surely was waived beginning February 20, 2026.
Further Necessities
Along with the final necessities above, you’ll additionally want to supply extra supporting paperwork relying in your employment standing or relationship to the inviter.
For Staff
- Photocopy of Revenue Tax Return (ITR) or BIR Kind 2316
- Unique Certificates of Employment (COE). Should point out the next particulars:
– Applicant’s Place
– Date you had been employed
– Compensation/Remuneration
– Workplace Handle
– Landline Variety of your Employer’s Human Sources
– E-mail Handle of your Employer’s Human Sources
NOTE: You may need encountered info 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 clarification is required. However once more, that’s not the case. The rule has been modified not too long ago.
In keeping with the replace, “the submission of an evidence letter shall be waived in circumstances the place there isn’t a landline quantity indicated, or when it’s issued with an digital signature. So long as different reachable contact info (e mail tackle or cell phone quantity) is offered, the doc shall be accepted.”
For Self-Employed (Enterprise Folks/Entrepreneurs)
- Photocopy of Revenue Tax Return (ITR) or BIR Kind 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 Revenue Tax Return (ITR) or BIR Kind 2316
- Private or Partner’s Unique Financial institution Certificates (indicating the account identify, account kind, account quantity, opening date, present stability, and common day by day stability (ADB) for the previous 6 months)
- If partner is employed: Partner’s Certificates of Employment (indicating the place, date employed, compensation/remuneration, workplace tackle, and get in touch with quantity and e mail tackle 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 state of affairs, 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 identify, account kind, account quantity, opening date, present stability, and common day by day stability (ADB) for the previous 6 months)
- Photocopy of partner’s Revenue Tax Return (ITR) or BIR Kind 2316
- If mother and father are employed: Dad and mom’ Certificates of Employment (indicating the place, date employed, compensation/remuneration, workplace tackle, and get in touch with quantity and e mail tackle 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
Spiritual employees, retirees, and partner, youngsters, 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, to your comfort, it’s also possible to test the particular hyperlinks under:
Simplified Listing of Necessities
A simplified listing 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 concentrate on 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 info. You solely must cowl the 3-digit CVV.)
- Newest three (3) months bank card invoice (account assertion)
- For instant members of the family: Proof of relationship with the first card holder (start certificates or marriage certificates)
What playing cards are coated?
For BPI and BDO, listed here are the accepted playing cards:
In the meantime, under are the accepted playing cards for RCBC, Metrobank, and PNB. When you’re holding any of those bank cards, you and your instant members of the family (mother and father, partner, minor youngsters, and partner’s mother and father) can make the most of it. However for members of the family, you’ll additionally must submit proof of relationship with the first cardholder. Solely main cardholders and instant household are eligible, not supplementary cardholders.
For Skilled License Holders
No want for financial institution paperwork and ITR if you’re a doctor, dentist, veterinarian, pharmacist, licensed public accountant, or lawyer (together with prosecutors and judges), and your instant members of the family (mother and father, partner, minor youngsters, and partner’s mother and father), offered that may submit the next:
- Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (for attorneys)
- Unique Certificates of Employment
- For members of the family: Proof of relationship
When you discover, we didn’t submit flight bookings or lodge reservations. They’re NOT required. Even for those who embrace it, the employees will simply take away them from the pile. We had been truly visiting Korea this time round as a part of a cruise, so we included the cruise reserving exhibiting that we now have a Busan port of name, however they handed it again to me.
The best way to Accomplish the Visa Software Kind
Earlier than we sort out the submission course of, let’s first concentrate on some of the essential doc that you must submit — the visa software type.
Initially, be sure to have the most recent model. As of this writing, the newest model was final revised in February 2022. You’ll be able to test the earlier part of this text for the hyperlink.
A couple of issues that you must observe.
- It have to be printed on an A4-size paper.
- Computerized or handwritten? Earlier than the Korean Visa Software Heart was established, again when most purposes had been lodged at journey businesses, there was a rule that the shape have to be completed digitally, besides the signature part. There was even a required font: Arial, dimension 12. I feel this was for legibility. Handwritten kinds had been discouraged. I’m unsure if this rule continues to be strictly carried out. However I didn’t comply with it. I used Arial dimension 16. It wasn’t referred to as out or rejected.
- For fields that aren’t relevant to you, go away them clean. Some say put N/A, some say go away it clean. I left it clean and I didn’t have any drawback when the KVAC employees checked it. Additionally, there have been fields that I missed and she or he advised 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 elements.
So let’s begin. The method is definitely fairly easy for essentially the most half, so let’s undergo the sections that is likely to be a bit complicated one after the other.
Private Particulars
1.2 한자성명 漢字姓名 (Hanja Seongmyeong). That is truly asking to your Korean identify. When you 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 Software
2.1 Interval of Keep. I normally simply select quick 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 just’re making use of for. When you’re touring for tourism, write C-3-9 TOURIST or just TOURIST. (This is likely to be completely different in your case.)
Beneath it, you’ll discover a part labeled FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY. DO NOT WRITE ANYTHING THERE. Go away every little thing clean.
Let’s transfer on to PAGE 2.
Passport Info
All the pieces you must write right here, yow will discover in your passport’s bio web page. However pay additional consideration to those fields.
3.1 Passport Sort. Select REGULAR.
3.7 Does the applicant have some other legitimate passports? When you don’t have one, select NO. Then go away the fields under it clean.
The subsequent few sections are very straightforward to grasp — Contact Info, Marital Standing and Household Particulars, Training and Employment. Let’s skip to Part 8.
Particulars of Go to
8.1 Goal of go to. Tick the field that corresponds to your goal. 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 Handle in Korea. When you’re staying at a lodge, write down the lodge’s full tackle. When you’re visiting on a cruise ship, enter the identify of the ship.
8.6 Has the applicant traveled to Korea within the final 5 years? If no, simply tick NO and go away the remainder clean. I’ve been to Korea a couple of instances earlier than however not throughout the final 5 years in order that’s what I did. When you’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, goal and dates of keep. There are solely 5 rows offered, so for those who’ve been to extra, you may 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 go away 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. Be certain that your declared finances matches the size of your keep. For instance, for those who’re staying for 20 days, don’t put solely USD 100 there.
10.2 Who pays for the applicant’s journey bills? Discover that there’s a observe right here: Any related particular person together with the applicant and/or group. So for those who don’t have a sponsor and you can be funding the journey your self, write your identify within the A area. Then within the B area, write MYSELF. Sort of assist: FINANCIAL. Then write your contact quantity.
Help with the Kind
11.1 Does the applicant obtain help in finishing this manner? I didn’t, so I simply selected NO and left the remainder clean.
Declaration
That is the final half.
Sort the date of software in YYYY / MM / DD format.
Then kind your identify and signal within the tiny house under APPLICANT NAME and SIGNATURE respectively.
Submitting Your Software
After you have gathered all the necessities, it’s time to submit them to the Korean Visa Software Heart.
You don’t want an appointment or prior reservation. There may be an choice to schedule an appointment for a payment. However walk-in candidates are accepted.
Right here’s the step-by-step submission information:
1. Make your option to the Korean Visa Software Heart in BGC.
Right here’s the total tackle: 9/F (Zone 2) Brittany Lodge, 6 McKinley Parkway, Aura Advanced, BGC, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Sure, the middle is housed in a lodge constructing — Brittany Lodge — simply subsequent to SM Aura.
These are the working hours for submission of paperwork: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
While you arrive, enter the lodge and stroll by the lodge café. To your proper, you’ll discover a single elevator. Experience as much as ninth flooring. 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 principally discover a queue. When you’re arriving within the afternoon, there shall be two queues, one for submission and one for releasing. Be sure to’re in the proper queue. When it’s your flip, a employees member will test your paperwork and offer you a quantity.
In the event that they discover that there are lacking paperwork, they may probably let you know. If you must photocopy one thing, you are able to do that right here, too.
Some essential reminders:
- Solely the candidates are allowed on the KVAC. Ony youngsters, PWDs, and seniors are allowed a companion.
- Pictures and video recording are strictly prohibited inside.
After you have a quantity, get inside.
3. Wait to 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 under 30-ish minutes earlier than our quantity was referred to as.
However maybe throughout peak season, you is likely to be in for an extended wait. Advance reservation or appointment is likely to be helpful then. I don’t know for positive if it’s price it as a result of I didn’t avail of it.
As soon as your quantity known as, proceed to the higher flooring. You’ll even be assigned a counter.
4. Submit your paperwork.
While you method the assigned counter, the employees will totally test all of your paperwork, together with your solutions on the applying type. They may level out for those who missed a area or part and ask you to fill them out.
They may also instruct you to pay the service payment.
5. Pay the service payment.
Bear 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 payment.
Service Charge: P900
When you availed of their photocopy course of, you must settle it right here too. It prices P20 per web page.
After you have the receipt, return to your assigned counter. The employees will test your receipt. They may then let you know some essential reminders together with when you may anticipate the consequence and the best way to test 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. Await the consequence.
The processing time could fluctuate 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 Could 18, 2026.
It’s greatest to test the KVAC web site “Discover” part commonly for updates and bulletins.
Categorical software 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 have to be a sound cause for the request, which continues to be topic to approval.
Vacationer visa purposes, like ours, normally fall below the common processing class. So, on daily basis since, we might at all times test the Korean Visa Web site to test the standing of our software. Let’s discuss that.
The best way to Verify the Standing of your Visa Software
- Go to visa.go.kr and click on on ENGLISH. Or you may go to https://www.visa.go.kr/principal/openMain.do straight. The web site appears 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 identify (final identify, first identify format) and start date (YYYY-MM-DD format)
- Click on SEARCH.
Within the first days, it is going to show UNDER REVIEW. However finally when the applying is accredited (hopefully), it is going to change to APPROVED.
It would additionally point out the kind of visa (single-entry or multiple-entry), expiry date of the visa, and standing of keep.
It would additionally show a hyperlink button labeled CERTIFICATE that may lead you to a replica of your visa. SAVE IT.
We acquired the consequence on February 19, a lot sooner than the Feb 24 projected date. That’s 12 enterprise days (16 calendar days).
However you need to nonetheless await the so-called “SCREENED and STORED” textual content message earlier than returning to KVAC to say your passport. It appears like this:
This message is your go sign to say your passport.
The best way to Choose 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 Lodge in BGC. These are the designated claiming hours: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Go to the KVAC at Brittany Lodge, BGC.
- Take the elevator as much as ninth flooring.
- Get a quantity. However be sure to’re queuing for releasing as an alternative of software.
- As soon as your quantity known as, go upstairs and proceed to the assigned counter.
- Wait to your identify to be referred to as and obtain your passport.
Be certain that it’s actually your passport earlier than leaving.
Observe that you just gained’t discover any visa sticker anymore. The Korean Embassy stopped utilizing bodily visas a number of years in the past. It’s now totally digital.
I simply hope that sooner or later, they gained’t must preserve the passport anymore for the reason that visa is digital anyway. Simply test it upon submission and hand it again to the traveler. There actually isn’t any must preserve 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?
The best way to Get A number of-Entry Korean Visa
There is no such thing as a clear listing of necessities for purposes for multiple-entry visa. You’ll be able to ask for one, however there isn’t a assurance your request could be granted.
How do you request for multiple-entry? By a cowl letter.
Earlier I discussed that I submitted a canopy letter. It appears like this.
On this letter, I justified why I wanted one. I mentioned that I’m planning to go to Korea twice within the close to future. I specified the dates and goal of these go to, and the main points. I additionally defined my journey historical past and that I’ve no document 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 routinely imply you’ll be granted a multiple-entry visa? Nicely, NO. In fact not. It’s nonetheless fully as much as them.
To exhibit how unpredictable it may be: Vins and I’ve nearly equivalent journey historical past and nearly equivalent 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 acquired a single-entry visa.
So it’s actually arduous to inform.
Ceaselessly 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 problem date. So in case your visa is issued on July 1, you may enter anytime earlier than October 1.
So meaning, you may apply as early as 3 months (90 days) earlier than your departure date.
However take observe that common processing takes 20 working days (as of March 2026), so be sure to don’t apply too near your journey date.
How lengthy would I be allowed to remain in Korea?
59 days, for those who’re granted a daily vacationer visa.
You’ll be able to apply for an extended keep, however you could be capable to justify that.
Do I must e book flights and inns 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 the complete visa software 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 test the KVAC web site “Discover” part commonly for updates and bulletins.
After we utilized for a vacationer visa, we had been advised it will take 18 working days, however we truly obtained phrase that our visa was accredited after 12 working days solely.
I feel the amount of purposes additionally matter. If it’s peak season, it may take longer. However apply early to be protected.
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 payment:
Common Processing: P900
Categorical Processing: P1400 service charges + P1000 visa payment
What does a Korean visa seem like?
Defend your funds when touring!
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Be a part of The Poor Traveler Help Group
✅ In case you have any questions or want journey ideas, be happy to put up them to the TPT Help Group. The members are very useful. This Fb assist group has been round for a very long time, and plenty of members have discovered journey buddies by it. You’ll be able to be part of too! Simply go to The Poor Traveler Help Group. Observe that that is completely different from The Poor Traveler Fb web page.
Updates Log
2026 5 24 – First uploaded
Edited by: Asta Alvarez
