How to Get a Multiple Entry Korean Visa for Filipinos

Changdeokgung, Seoul
credits to the Korean Culture and Information Service

How I Got My Multiple Entry Korean Visa 2017 (Tips and FAQ)

Remember that infamous Cebu Pacific piso fare that was held earlier this month? The one that kept crashing got sold out after just a few hours of it being posted? Well, I was one of the lucky ones who actually got to avail of their sale! I got a roundtrip ticket from Manila to Incheon (Korea) for ---wait for it--- 2,270 PHP!! I couldn't believe it could go that cheap!

I was so excited, I immediately began researching about where to go, what to see and eat...but all the while, there was this nagging feeling inside my head like I forgot something important and after some time I realized...oh nooo, I still need a visa to enter Korea! I tried researching if they offer visa exempts like Taiwan, but unfortunately they do not.

TIP#1: You do not need a plane ticket to apply for a Korean visa. In fact, the Korean Embassy advise against doing this. (They've obviously never experience piso fare syndrome haha)

So, the next thing to do obviously, was to apply for that Korean visa ASAP. Ok, full disclosure...my trip isn't actually for another 7 months. But I'm a worrier. I've been reading left and right how the Korean Embassy is strict in giving out visas to Filipinos. So I figured, I would just apply for one now so I have enough time to reapply if I have to. 

TIP#2: If you get denied in your application for a Korean visa, you have to wait another 6 months to reapply.

TIP#3: An approved single entry Korean visa is valid for 3 months after issuance.

I was already planning to apply for a multiple entry Korean visa to circumvent that 3 month rule I mentioned above (read on to see how I was able to do this). I was thinking that in the event they issue me a single entry visa instead of a multiple entry visa then I'll just reapply again when my travel date is nearer, since it should (theoretically) be easier to reapply once I've already been granted one. Caution: follow at your own risk. I've read about a blogger who didn't use her single entry Korean visa and reapplied for another one the same year, and she was asked to pay 1,350 PHP as penalty.

TIP#4: Applying for a Korean visa is FREE for those intending to stay 59 days or less.

For those who are interested, here are the various Korean visa fees. Click the link if you want to see the official page from the Korean Embassy. For Filipinos, see below:

For Philippine Passport holders:  

     59 days (or less) stay in Korea -- GRATIS

     60 to 90 days stay in Korea -- PHP1,800.00

     More than 90 days stay in Korea (not applicable for tourist visa)

           Single Entry -- PHP2,700.00

           Multiple Entry -- PHP4,050.00

*Fees may differ for some nationalites

I started preparing my documents to apply for the Korean visa soon after coming back from another trip (more on that on another post!).  I suggest preparing for your application well in advance because they are asking for A LOT of requirements. See official list from the Korean Embassy here or see screenshots below.

Requirements for Employees

Requirements for Students

TIP#6: If you are neither of the above, the Korean Embassy have several other categories you may apply as: businessmen, housewives/househusbands, retired senior citizen, Korean's sister/brother-in-law, Korean's parents-in-law, Filipino married to a Korean, religious workers, seafarers, workers with Visa Issuance Number, short term employment, studying in Korea, Filipino Married to a foreigner working in Korea, foreign resident in the Philippines, children of a Filipino married to a military personnel stationed in Korea, Filipino married to a military personnel stationed in Korea, parents of a Filipino married to a military personnel in Korea and a D9 visa. To know more, click here.

The Tourist Visa Requirements for Filipino Employees:

1. Application Form (link here)

Print these in A4 paper and fill out legibly with no erasures. The immigration officers at the Korean embassy are very particular about the neatness and completeness of your application form. Do NOT leave any field blank. Write N/A instead.

I'll be writing a whole different post on how I filled out my application form so stay tuned :)

UPDATED: See my detailed step-by-step guide on how I filled up my own application form.

2. 1 piece of Passport size colored picture (Please attach on the application form)

Just go to any photo studio and say that you need it for a Korean visa application. They should know the specifications already. But just so you know too, here are important stuff: Size is 35 x 45 mm. Background should be white. Do not smile. Ears out. Do not cover eyebrows with bangs. Photo should be less than 6 months old.

Do not staple this; paste it on the box provided. I missed out on this box the first time and pasted it on the upper right corner instead. I had to reprint that whole page again, since I swear the paste I used was superglue *sigh*.

3. Original Passport (should be valid for more than 6 months)

Remove that cute passport cover you have there. I also brought my old passport since I qualify for #5 below.

4. Photocopy of Passport Bio-page (page 2)

I submitted in A4 paper to match the application form, but I don't think it matters.

5. Original & Photocopy of valid visa/s and arrival stamps to OECD member countries for the past 5 years (If applicable only)

Here are the 20 countries listed as OECD countries:

AUSTRALIA

AUSTRIA

BELGIUM

CANADA

CZECH REPUBLIC

DENMARK

FINLAND

FRANCE

GERMANY

GREECE

HUNGARY

ICELAND

IRELAND

ITALY

JAPAN

KOREA

LUXEMBOURG

MEXICO

NETHERLANDS

NEW ZEALAND

NORWAY

POLAND

PORTUGAL

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

SPAIN

SWEDEN

SWITZERLAND

TURKEY

UNITED KINGDOM

UNITED STATES 

I submitted my old passport with a valid 10 year multiple entry US visa along with photocopies of it and the arrival stamps. It's not a guarantee that you'll get approved for a Korean visa just because you have a visa to these countries but I'd say the chances are very high that you will.

TIP#5 The Korean Embassy categorize an applicant as a frequent traveler if he/she has traveled to any OECD countries within the past 5 years. Processing time is reduced to 3 working days instead of the usual 5 working days for first time travelers (to Korea).

6. Original Certificate of Employment

This must include the applicant's position, date hired, compensation, office address, HR landline number(cell-phone number is not allowed), and HR e-mail address.

7. Original Personal Bank Certificate

The Korean Embassy says that these must include account type, current balance, account opening date, 6 months average daily balance (ADB). Some banks have a standard format for their bank certificates though. Still, it doesn't hurt to ask. I submitted one that didn't include an account opening date and it was fine. On the other hand, I asked a BDO teller nicely if they can include everything on the list and they complied. So, if you have an account there this should be easy. The bank certificate costs 100 PHP and only takes a few minutes to process.

You may also submit time deposit and stock certificates like I did!

8. Bank Statement 

You must submit an original or certified true copy of bank statements/passbook for the last 3 months.

I kinda errr...forgot to include this in my application and was stressing out about it so much afterwards! It wasn't quite clear to me then what the difference between a bank certificate and a bank statement was. I figured the bank statements alone should be enough, as long as it showed enough to support your stay in Korea. I honestly don't know if I was just lucky, because this did not become an issue and I was still approved. Maybe the immigration officer got confused since I gave a lot of separate bank certificates in different formats and all? But please for your case, do NOT submit incomplete requirements. Don't give them a reason to deny your application.

To explain the difference between a bank certificate and a bank statement, the former is a document simply stating how much money is in the bank on a particular date, while the latter gives you a summary of financial transactions over a given period. The reason a bank statement is particularly important to visa officers is that it shows if there are any suspicious activity like a sudden large deposit for reason of just having "show money" during visa application.

9. ITR(Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 Copy 

I did not submit this because I was exempted for two reasons:

TIP#6: Frequent travellers who have travelled as tourist to OECD member countries within 5 years are exempt from submitting ITR.

TIP#7 BDO and BPI has an ongoing promo for gold and elite cardholders wherein they are exempted from submitting ITR and bank certificates AND qualify for multiple entry visa application. They have extended this offer until December 31, 2019. Here are the links for this announcement (and requirements): BDO, BPI

Gold cardholders are eligible for multiple entry visa to Korea valid for 3 years.

Elite cardholders are eligible for multiple-entry visa to Korea valid for 3-5 years.

I applied with two different BDO gold credit cards and was given a multiple-entry visa to Korea valid for 3 years. I submitted a photocopy of the front and back of my cards (don't forget to cover the CVV to prevent any unauthorized purchases) along with billing statements. I had one of them enrolled with paperless billing so I just submitted a printed copy, which is acceptable. But if you happen to have the original statement for the bank, it's better if you submit that.

10. Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If applicable only)

I do not have this. Skipped.

Note: ALL documents should be less than 3 months old and addressed to The Embassy of the Republic of Korea – 122 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig city 1634, Philippines

You should arrange your documents/requirements in the same order as the official list.

TIP#8: There is no need for an appointment or personal appearance during submission of application at the Korean Embassy so if you're busy you can just ask someone to submit them on your behalf.

Directions to the Korean Embassy:

The Korean Embassy is located at the corner of Upper McKinley Road and C5 in Taguig City (near SM Aura). To those bringing cars, they do not have a parking right on their compound. Instead, they'll direct you to a narrow street a bit further away from the Embassy where you can park your car. Parking is free.

Few more tips to remember on the day of your application:

• Submission of visa application is from M-F 8:30-11:00 am only. This is on a first come, first serve basis. The embassy advises that you arrive there before 10:30 am to allow enough time for processing. According to their website, applicants who arrive after 10:30 am may not be accommodated. We arrived there at 9:30 am on a Tuesday and there were a lot of applicants, but the waiting and processing time was pretty fast. We spent a total of maybe 15 minutes inside.

• Do not staple your documents beforehand. At the entrance of the consular office, someone will check all your documents and arrange them if needed. They will be the one to staple them for you. Afterwards, you'll be given a queue number, which should also indicate which window you will go to. Windows #1 and #2 are for first time travelers (to Korea) and window #3 is for frequent travelers with OECD member country visas.

• Family applications should be filed together at the same window, at the same time. A representative may file the visa applications of all family members.

• When your number is flashed on the screen in front, only one person may approach the window (I only assume that because there is only 1 seat in front of the cashier style glass covered window). They'll check all your documents, make some notes, ask questions if they have any and give you a claiming slip afterwards. Do NOT lose this.

• There is no expedite processing. Processing takes 5 working days for first time travelers and 3 working days for frequent travelers. Releasing time is only from M-F 1:30-4:00 pm only.

Q&A

1. Do all documents need to be original?

No. Aside from the passport, only the certificate of employment and bank certificate needs to be original. The rest may be just photocopies. For students, you'll need to submit your original school certificate too (and no, they will not give this back).

2. Can somebody other than my parents provide financial proof of support?

Yes. You'll need to submit an affidavit of support and proof of relationship along with the financial documents of your financier

3. Can I use my payroll account to obtain a bank certificate?

Yes, as long as it has enough funds to support your stay.

4. Is there a minimum required amount I need to show the Korean Embassy?

No. The Korean Embassy does not give a standard/required amount that you need to show to get approved. Going through countless accounts/blogs, 50,000 PHP looks to be a safe amount for a 3-5 day stay. 

5. Should I include a copy of my round trip ticket, hotel booking, and trip itinerary to increase my chances of getting approved?

No. They will just remove unnecessary documents at the entrance when they check your requirements anyway

6. Is there an interview during application?

Not really. They may or may not ask you to clarify something on your application if something is unclear or if they have additional questions. In my case, the ONE question I got asked was what my relationship to the other person I was also submitting an application for was. I gave her a two word answer and that was it!

7. When submitting the requirements on behalf of someone else, do I need an authorization letter?

No.

8. What are the reasons I may get denied in my visa application?
If you do get denied (let's hope not!), the consular office will paste a form on your passport with one of the reasons below encircled.

• Your passport is invalid.
• You are prohibited to enter Korea as per Korean Immigration law no.11 sec. 1 (Prohibition of Entry).
• Their record shows that you have previously violated the Korean law.
• You failed to submit the required document completely.
• The documents you have submitted cannot be verified.
• You failed to prove the purpose of entry to Korea.
• You failed to prove strong economic and family ties to the home country.
• Your inviter is not qualified to invite you.
• You failed to prove the relationship with your inviter.

The top two most common reasons for visa denials are usually the 6th and 7th one (which in my opinion are the vaguest among them all too. If they're going to crush people's hopes and dreams, I wish they would at least expound a bit more on how they come up with their decisions. Am I right?).

9. It's my first time out of the country, will I get approved?
Yes. As long as you have the complete requirements you will get approved. You'll get an even higher chance of getting approved if you're applying as a family.

Good luck on your application, maybe we'll bump into each other in Korea ;)