Tips and Guides for Korean Visa Requirements

Planning to go to Korea? Don’t know where to start? Here are some tips and guides for Korean visa requirements which you need to know.

Tip and Guides for Korean Visa Requirements

What is the difference between a visa and a passport?

Visa is where it grants a passport holder to enter, leave, or stay in a country for a period of time. Some common type of visas is tourist, student, working, and spouse visa.

A passport is the one used to identify the citizenship of a person upon international travel. It is used as an identification where the holder’s complete name, birth date, gender, photo, and passport number are written.

Basic Requirements

• Application Form
• Passport size (colored picture)
• Original Passport
• NSO/PSA Birth Certificate (If traveling with a family member)

Additional Requirements

For Employees

• Original Certificate of Employment
• Original Personal Bank Certificate
• Original/ Certified True Copy of Bank Statement (account statement for the last 3 months)
• Photocopy of Income Tax Return (ITR) or Form 2316
• Photocopy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If applicable only)

For Business Owner

• Business Registration from SEC or DTI (copy)
• Business Permit or Mayor’s Permit(copy)
• Original Personal Bank Certificate
• Certified True Copy/Original of Bank Statement (account statement for the last 3 months)
• Photocopy of Income Tax Return (ITR) or Form 2316
• Photocopy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If applicable only)

For Students

• Original School Certificate
• School ID (copy)
• PSA Birth Certificate (copy)
• Parents’ Documents
  – Original Bank Certificate
  – Bank Statement
  – Photocopy of NSO Marriage Certificate (copy)
  – If employed: Employment Certificate Original
  – If Self-employed:
  – Business Registration from SEC or DTI (copy)
  – Photocopy of ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316
  – Business Permit or Mayor’s Permit (copy)
  *If parents already have a valid visa, attach a photocopy of parents’ valid visa. If not traveling together with parents, attach a photocopy of passport or valid ID of parents.

For Housewives/Househusbands

• PSA Marriage Certificate (copy)
• Original Personal or Wife/Husband’s Bank Certificate
• Original/Certified True Copy of Wife/Husband’s Bank Statement
  – If the wife/husband is employed:
  – Employment Certificate Original
  – ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 (copy)
  – If the wife/husband is self-employed:
  – Business Registration from SEC or DTI (copy)
  – Photocopy of ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316
  – Business Permit or Mayor’s Permit (copy)
  *If parents already have a valid visa, attach a photocopy of parents’ valid visa. If not traveling together with parents, attach a photocopy of passport or valid ID of parents.

For Seafarers

• Seaman’s book (copy)
• Medical Certificate (copy)
• OEC Receipt (copy)
• Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC)
• Original Guarantee Letter from Manning/Shipping Company in the Philippines (No given format)
• Copy of 2 Guarantee Letters from Korean Company (Refer to attached Embassy formats)
• Korean Company business permit (copy)

For Filipino Married to Filipino/Foreigners Working in Korea

• Passport First Page  (copy)
• Alien I.D (copy)
• Contract or Employment Certificate (copy)
• PSA Marriage Certificate (copy)
  If personally invited spouse: 
  – Copy of Invitation Letter
  *Note: E-9 Visa Holders cannot invite his/her family members

Other Information

Processing Time: 7 working days
Visa Fee: 59 days (or less) stay in Korea — GRATIS
60 to 90 days stay in Korea — PHP2,000.00

Tips

1. Must submit complete requirements.
2. Traveler’s passport should be valid until 6 months upon traveling.
3. A bank account should have enough money.
4. Travel as soon as possible upon the grant of visa because single entry visa holders have only 59 days allowed to stay in Korea.
5. Sponsorship is applicable for family members only or Korean companies if you are an employee of a Korean company that has an office in Korea.
6. Overstaying is a big NO! In other words, a single entry or multi-entry visa holder must return to the home country before the visa expires to avoid being blacklisted.
7. Visa processing and application is done thru designated travel agencies.
8. For sure multiple visa entries, apply for BDO/BPI/American Express Gold or Platinum Credit Card.
9. For freelancers, you may apply as a self-employed taxpayer if you want to have your ITR.

Check out  Wander with Jin’s posts like K-Guides, K-Travels, K-Dramas, and K-Foods for more information about Korea.

Xoxo, Hyejin 

“Not all those who wander are lost.”

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