Traveling to South Korea?
Here's a comprehensive guide on how to get your South Korean tourist visa in Cebu :)
1. Determine what type of visa you need
There are different kinds of South Korean visas that you can apply but for this guide, we'll be discussing the application process for a tourist visa. If you are applying for a different kind of visa (e.g. work, spouse), you will need to contact the South Korean Embassy or Consulate for more information and for the complete requirements.
2. Prepare the required documents
Here's the list of requirements that you need to prepare. [Scroll to the bottom part of this page to download the list of requirements]
Duly filled up & signed computerized South Korea Visa application form.
One (1) Passport size colored photo
Original Passport (must be signed and valid for more than 6 months)
Photocopy of Passport Bio-page (page 2)
Original & Photocopy of previous and current valid visa/s and arrival stamps to OECD member countries for the past 5 years (If applicable only and Korea Visa will not be counted)
Original Personal Bank Certificate - must include account type, current balance, account opening date, 6 months average daily balance and must be addressed to: Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Cebu 12th Floor Chinabank Corporate Center, Lot 2, Samar Loop Cor. Road 5, Cebu BusinessPark, Mabolo, Cebu City
Bank Statement - original or certified true copy of bank statements/passbook for the last 3 months (same account as the Bank Certificate)
Original PSA Birth Certificate (for children traveling with parents; must be issued within 3 months)
Original PSA Marriage Certificate (if traveling with spouse; must be issued within 3 months)
Copy of Senior Citizen’s ID (if applicable only)
Additional Requirements for Employees
Original Certificate of Employment (must include applicant's position, date hired, compensation, office address, HR landline number(cell-phone number is not allowed), HR e-mail address, and date the certificate was issued)
Photocopy of ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 - stamped/received by BIR
Copy of company ID (front and back)
Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If applicable only)
Additional Requirements for Businessmen
Photocopy of Business Permit or Mayor's Permit
Photocopy of Business Registration from SEC (should include the page with the names of the stockholders) or DTI
Photocopy of ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 (with corresponding payment receipt from BIR authorized bank and should include the pages with net income and total revenue and stamped/received by BIR)
Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If applicable only)
Additional Requirements for Retirees
Retirement documents and Senior Citizen ID (copy) If bank documents to be submitted are named to another family member, submit proof of relationship. (Ex: Original PSA Marriage Contract for Spouse, original PSA Birth Certificate for child, etc.)
Additional Requirements for Students
Original Certificate of Enrollment (not the Registration Form / Registration Receipt)
Copy of School ID (front and back)
Original PSA Birth Certificate (issued within 3 months)
Original PSA Marriage Certificate of Parents (issued within 3 months)
Documents of Parents (Refer to above requirements e.g. if employed, businessmen)
Minor/students who are not applying together with parents should attach copies of their parent’s passports. If parents already have approved visas, copies of their visas should be attached.
If financially supported by relatives other than parents, submit an affidavit of support, complete financial documents of the supporter, and proof of relationship (allowed for Siblings, Grandparents, Aunt/Uncle) and the Original PSA Birth Certificate of the sponsor as proof of the relationship.
Additional Requirements for Housewives
If husband is employed: Original Husband's Employment Certificate [must include position, date hired, compensation, office address, HR landline number (cell-phone number is not allowed), HR e-mail address] and a copy of Income Tax Return (ITR) or Form 2316 stamped/received by BIR
If the husband is self-employed: Photocopy of Business Registration from SEC (should include all pages with the names of the stockholders) or DTI, Business Permit or Mayor's Permit (copy), Photocopy of Income Tax Return (ITR) or Form 2316 with corresponding payment receipt from BIR authorized bank/stamped/received by BIR.
Original Personal or Husband's Bank Certificate [must include account type, current balance, account opening date, 6 months average balance (ADB)]
Personal or Husband's Bank Statement (original or certified true copy of bank statements/passbook for the last 3 months)
Copy of PSA Marriage Certificate
Note:
Incomplete requirements and unoriginal documents may cause your application to be rejected, so remember to submit complete and original documents.
Old passports with previous travels within the last 5 years should be submitted together with the latest passport when applying for the visa.
If financially supported by a family member, attach an affidavit of support and proof of relationship.
For documents that cannot be submitted, a letter of explanation written by the applicant should be submitted
All PSA documents to be submitted must be original and issued within 3 months
The validity of the visa is only 3 months from the issue date. Do not apply more than 3 months prior to the date of travel. Apply for a visa prior to purchasing your airline tickets since visa issuance is subject to the approval of the consul in charge.
Do not submit falsified documents. Submitting falsified documents will result in denied visa issuance for several years.
The Korean Consulate in Cebu only accepts Visayas-based applicants. Please ensure your documents show your Visayas home and office/business address.
Allot several days allowance on top of the estimated processing time to ensure you get your visa before your travel date as it is possible for the processing time to be extended due to the volume of applications received by the embassy.
3. Submit your documents to any Wow Travel branch
Why file your Korea Tourist Visa application with Wow Travel?
For a small fee, we will handle the hassle of getting a time slot with the Korean Consulate, submitting the application and claiming the visa once it is released.
We will review the documents before we file them to the consulate to reduce the chances of deficiencies and/or disapproval.
We are an accredited Travel Agency by the Korean Consulate of Cebu for visa processing.
We have successfully secured more than 500+ approved Korean tourist visas for our clients.
We have multiple branches in Cebu which are located in very convenient locations.
You can submit the required documents together with the filing fee payment to any of the following Wow Travel branches:
Poblacion Lapu Lapu (inside Sayaka Copy Center)
4. Wait for the results
We'll let you know once your visa is approved and ready for pick-up. Processing will take normally 10-15 working days. Should your application be approved, make sure that your visa has your correct name, passport number, etc.
That's it then you'll be ready to #TravelWithWow to Korea!
Should you have any questions or concerns, just email us at hello@travelwithwow.com
Download the list of requirements here:
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is Wow Travel accredited by the Korean Consulate to process applications for Korea Tourist Visa? Yes, Wow Travel is one of the few accredited travel agencies by the Korean Consulate in Cebu.
Can Wow Travel process the visa application for applicants not based in Cebu? Yes but as of now we can only accept Visayas-based applicants since the Consulate in Cebu only accepts Visayas-based applicants.
How early can I apply for a Korea tourist visa? The validity of the visa is only 3 months from the issue date so do not apply more than 3 months earlier than your travel date so you still have a valid visa when you travel.
What countries belong to the OECD? OECD stands for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and it includes the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.
Can I process my application directly? Yes, you can apply directly to the Consulate but you'll have to dedicate time to find a slot of the appointment, submit the documents and pick-up the visa during releasing. For your convenience, Wow Travel can handle the hassle of doing all those things by yourself. We also review your documents prior to submitting to the Consulate to reduce the chances of deficiencies and/or disapproval.
Do you also offer tour packages for Korea? Yes, we do. Just send us an email or visit any of our branches to learn more about our Korea Tour Packages.
Should you have any questions or concerns, just email us at hello@travelwithwow.com