Want to know how to get Korea visa for Filipinos, even without submitting ITR?
Being a Filipino citizen, one of my dreams is to have multiple-entry visas issued to me, even though we have a “weak” passport (for now!)
After all, the feeling of opening your passport, seeing your stamps and touching your visas makes you feel kilig and fulfilled in life, doesn’t it? Or is it just me who’s “addicted” to applying for visas? I guess it’s both 🙂
Imagine my gratitude and pure bliss when I was granted a multiple entry Korean visa!
Hopefully, you’ll experience this happiness, too…
It’ll be easier for you to book piso-fare seat sales and stalk your K-pop idols enjoy your favorite Korean food while taking delight in the culture that Korea has to offer.
I wanted to share this Korea Visa Guide to you, my fellow readers, because I want you to realize how simple and straightforward the process really is. Hopefully, at the end of this article, you’ll have an idea as to how you can get started getting your Korea visa for Filipinos.
Reminders on Korean Visa Requirements
- This Korea Visa for Filipinos Guide is for tourists only. If you’re applying for another type of Korean visa, kindly check out the official website of South Korea Embassy.
- You don’t need to book your flights/accommodation/tickets to Korea tourist spots yet. When they check your submitted papers, they’ll just give it back to you, so please don’t book anything before submitting your Korean visa application.
- If you don’t have any credit card under their promos yet (BDO/BPI/RCBC) and it’s your first-time applying for a Korean tourist visa, please apply for a single-entry tourist visa first.
3 Tips to Boost Your Chances in Getting Multiple Entry Visa in Korea
You can get a multiple-entry Korean visa if:
1. You’re a frequent traveller to South Korea
To increase your chances, it’s better that you’ve visited South Korea:
– more than 4 times in the past 2 years; OR,
– more than 10 times in total (with at least 1 of the visits done within the past 2 years)
Grabe, no?
Now, if you haven’t met this multiple-entry requirement yet, don’t lose hope. I’ve seen posts from lucky travelers who were granted multiple-entry visa even though they’ve only been to Korea once.
In the end, it really depends on the consul-in-charge, so read on to increase your chances. (Crossing my fingers to be granted another multiple-entry Korean visa next year, too!)
2. Your credit card is eligible for the Korean visa promo
Good news for you – the South Korea embassy has an on-going promo until December 31, 2019!
Simply put, if you have an eligible credit card, you have the chance to get multiple-entry Korean visa for 3 to 5 years. Also, you’ll be exempted from submitting a bank certificate and ITR.
Check out if your card’s eligible here:
- BDO Gold Cardholders: Gold Visa Credit Card, Gold MasterCard Credit Card, Gold UnionPay Credit Card, Gold JCB Credit Card
- BDO Elite Cardholders: Platinum Visa Credit Card, Titanium/Platinum and World Elite MasterCard Credit Card, Gold/Platinum/Cathay Pacific and American Express Charge Cards issued by BDO, Diamond UnionPay Credit Card, Diners Club Premiere
- BPI Gold Master Cardholders
- BPI SkyMiles Platinum Master Card and BPI Amore Visa Platinum Cardholders
- Gold BPI Express Teller Debit Cardholders
3. Get a multiple entry visa to Korea for Filipinos with a secured credit card
You’re not a frequent traveler and you don’t have an eligible credit card?
Here’s what we did.
If you’re someone who doesn’t have a “job” in technical terms, but you’re still earning money and you have a source of income (freelancer, online entrepreneur, stock trader, author, among others), you can get a credit card even without submitting a Certificate of Employment or ITR to the bank.
Visit your nearest BDO/BPI bank and inquire about “secured credit card”.
If the person you’re talking to isn’t familiar with it, you can request them to inquire with the head office. Or, you can explain it to them yourself. 🙂
The gist of this is simple – you’ll open a bank account with them (savings account/time deposit) and it’ll be considered as the “collateral” in exchange for your credit card.
For example, based on personal experience, for a BDO Gold Visa card, you’ll deposit P65,000. Your credit limit will be 80% of this, so it’s P52,000.
You’re not allowed to withdraw your money yet because it’s your “security” – since you don’t have a “documented job with stable income source”, the bank needs to have a “security deposit” to make sure that if you can’t pay your credit card balance, they’ll use this for that.
No problem, though. Just think of it as a savings account that you won’t touch for a short while.
After getting my BDO Gold Visa credit card and using it for Uber/Grab only, I waited for the Statement of Account and used this to submit to the Korean embassy, together with the usual requirements for a Korea visa application.
Three days passed, and this I welcomed this beauty into my life. Hi, multiple-entry Korean visa!
Final Thoughts on Multiple Entry Korea Visa for Filipinos
I hope this article is helpful to you! If you:
– have any questions on getting a Korea visa for Filipinos, or,
– have something to add to the experience of getting a multiple entry Korean visa…
Please let me know in the comments below!
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Lianne
hello ms lianne, very helpful po ung tips ninyo. ask ko lang po sana gusto ko din pong mag travel sa korea khit 3 days lng as single entry ok na po sakin un, ask ko lng ung BDO Gold Visa Credit card, once na meron ka na po nun eh magkano naman po ang show money na requirement para maka tour? ok na po ba kahit 80k lng pera? at need pa ba ng CoE sa company? kasi now im a stock trader sa PSE online and sa pag trade within 3 years eh gusto ko naman i-reward sarili ko by travelling. pls reply,, and thank you so much
Hi, Nebskee! My pleasure.
Re: show money, we usually recommend allotting at least P10,000/day stay in Korea. If you’ll be there for 3 days only, in my opinion, P80,000 is enough.
Good for you! I also trade stocks although I’m still a beginner. 🙂 According to Embassy, a COE is required. If not, maybe you have a business certificate you can show?
Hi Ms. Lianne! Glad to have read your blog here. 🙂 Though, I have a question, what if I want to withdraw the “security deposit” which I have made to the bank, would you know the process? Thanks a lot in advance! 🙂
Hi, Joan. Thanks for leaving a comment. For withdrawal process, simply head on over to the customer service section of the branch of the bank you went to. You’ll be asked to sign the form, and usually they’ll release it within 20 business days (based on my friend’s personal experience) 🙂