Korean Visa Application

A few of my friends have already been to Korea and told me not fuss to much about visa application but can you blame me from being all paranoid and nervous? We already bought the tickets. We already have a place to stay and our itenerary has already been planned out from day 1. So all that's really left is applying for a visa.

So what are the requirements?

I got this leaflet from the embassy. Note that these are requirements for employees.

1. Application Form - you can get one from the embassy or you can download it from their site (click here). Use black ink and capital letters and avoid erasures. Follow the instructions on how to fill it up.

2. 1 pc. Passport size colored picture - use white back ground, no accesorries, don't smile, show your ears. You can tell the photographer its for a visa and they should know what to do. The photographer told me visa pictures are passport sized as well but the face has a different size ratio than the usual passport size picture. Paste this picture in the application form.

3. Original Passport (6mo. valid) - if you have an old passport staple it with the new one. I personally used paper clips instead of staples since I'm afraid to damage the chip in the electronic passport wherever it is located.

4. Copy of passport first page - this would be the data page of the passport, the one with your picture.

5. Original Employee Certificate - it should indicate the length of stay in the company, the compensation you receive, and the number of your hr so they can verify it.

6. Original Personal Bank Certificate - request the bank to put the date the account was opened. It should indicate the balance in your account.  I think 30-50k is a safe number. In some banks requesting to put the date it was opened will also show your average daily balance. Account should be open at least 3 months.

7. ITR or BIR Form 2316 - we submitted form 2316 for the previous year provided by our company.

Arrange the documents in the order listed above.

Where to apply? 

The Korean Embassy is located at McKinley Hill Taguig. You can take a taxi from Ayala Ave straight to the embassy for about PHP100. Or you can take the MRT to Magallanes station and board a citylink bus/fx/van to McKinley Hill near San Lorenzo Place and SM Savemore. From McKinley, you can take a free internal shuttle with the C5 route and go down at C5 and walk to the embassy. Visa Application is from 9-11 AM but gates open at 8AM. I arrived just before 9AM and they were already accepting visa applications. I hope our government agencies can learn how to do this.

When to apply?

We applied a month and a half before our expected date of departure. This is so we can prepare other documents if ever they ask for additional requirements because they sometimes do. Call me paranoid but it's better to be safe than sorry.

What to expect when applying?

Basically you just have to submit the requirements and get the claim stub. You have to log in and leave an id in the guard station. When you go inside, you have to sign up again and get a number. Wait for your number to be called. Pass the requirements in the window and get your claim stub and that's it. The claim stub indicates when you can get your passport back.

What to expect when claiming?

This is usually 5 working days after your application date. There are 3 scenarios I'm aware of.
1. You get your passport with the visa stamped on it. Of course this is what everyone prefers.
2. You get your passport with a piece of paper saying you visa application was denied.
3. You're asked for additional requirements and wait for another 5 workings days for the result.

Visa claiming is from 2-4PM but my friend arrived at 1:30PM and she was already entertained.

So after 5 days of worrying.. drum roll please.. tada! Our visas were approved!

What a relief that was. You can check the embassy's site for more details.
http://embassy_philippines.mofa.go.kr/english/as/embassy_philippines/visa/requirement/