Korean Visa Application Direct Walk-in Embassy | Manila, Philippines (as of August 31, 2022)

Sharing my answers to frequently asked questions on my Instagram Stories here in the blog. Hope you will find this helpful on your Korean Visa Application especially for these coming weeks (Autumn 2022). 

Good luck!

Disclaimer: Things may change in a span of a day so make sure to keep yourself updated with any changes! These are all just based from personal experience last August 30, 2022, thank you!

~ News of Korean Embassy accepting walk-ins - June 2, 2022

~ As of September 1, 2022, the Korean Embassy now has separate lines for individual applicants, travel agents, etc. They will only accept 100 individual applicants (walk-ins) per day. Posted the notice below.

~ As of September 7, 2022, the Korean Embassy will will implement a designated travel agency system, effective September 19, 2022 (Monday). In addition to the existing requirements, applicants must accomplish the Power of Attorney document (from the Embassy) when they apply through the accredited travel agencies. SOURCE

FAQ 1: Ang hirap po ng ginawa niyo, hindi po ba pwede sa agency mag submit?

Actually ma agency talaga ako pre pandemic, suki ako sa Rakso coz ang tagal kong Single visa lang. 🤣😅 

For yesterday hindi namin plinano mag direct, in fact asa Rakso na si Pax tapos tumatawag sya sakin na from 25 applicants, TEN nalang daw inaaccept now sa agencies! Tapos sa sobrang nabump na their other clients, sa September 26 na daw ang next slot nila—which is too late na for our scheduled flight. Nalaman ko na pumila yung friend ko sa embassy the night before and 3-7 days lang ang processing duration pag direct sa embassy… so di na kami umuwi ni Paxie and nag Grab na pa Korean Embassy to camp out!

Met up in Greenbelt nung sure na kaming bigo ang agency plan namin and to gather our thoughts. We ate a lot nadin, bought toiletries and bubble wrap to sit on, etc. 

Hindi na namin hinintay mag September coz sabi din ng mga agencies na katabi namin sa pila, grabehan talaga ang surge dahil sa free BTS concert sa Oct 15 (yes ilang beses ko to narinig sa random kuyas sa line). May autumn travelers surge naman even before, but iba daw to! Baka magka changes uli by September so antay antay tayo ng news.

FAQ 2: Hindi po ba pwedeng magpa lista ako sa gabi, tapos balik nalang po ako ng umaga pag open na embassy?

Actually cinonsider namin ni Pax to nun una, and naka book pa sya ng place sa BGC na buti pwede icancel 🤣 BUT they have a “roll call” sa line ng 2am, 3am, and 5am so if wala ka sa pila and para din fair sa mga nag babantay ng line, forfeited your spot. 

The “list” is actually unofficial and hindi embassy or guard gumawa— but buti nalang everyone na nag antay since 2pm the day before honored it para may SISTEMA and to be FAIR sa mga pumila naman talaga. Nakakatuwa na wala talagang nagpa singit (wag gagalitin ang mga walang tulog). 🤣 So nun lagpas 300 na yung applicants sa list, may mga nagpa waitlist pa din in case may umalis sa pila.

You can take a break naman like kami panay Jollibee and Shell Select namin or CR break, but balik kami by roll call.  

If hindi talaga kaya, an option is pede ka naman mag hire ng taga pila mo and go back ng 5/6am. Sabihin nalang sa mga asa pila na ikaw magrereplace dun sa taga pila mo, but bawal magpasingit pls! Make sure to declare if for ilang tao ang pinipilahan niya.

Just across the footbridge are 24-hour establishments like Jollibee and Shell Select. Ok din yung CR sa Shell, and there's also a Shakeys na 24 hours open. As for charging, there's a Php 5 coin phone charging machine inside Shell Select, but medyo mabagal lang pag charge.

FAQ 3: What are the requirements? 

Actually almost same lang sya from pre-pandemic requirements EXCEPT dapat naka TYPE and PRINTED OUT na yung application form (dati kasi sulat kamay lang ako). 

Also, napansin ko din mas strict na sila sa supporting docs so best talaga if you have certificate of employment, itr, etc. May mga nagleletter to explain if may kulang sila, but with the surge of applicants parang ang strict lalo ng embassy na dapat complete ang papers. 

Hindi ako expert dito so pls DM travel agencies like Rakso for your Qs- marespond sila sa Facebook nila. 

Korean Visa Requirements for Employees:

1. Duly accomplished and signed application form (must be computerized, font style and font size is Arial 12 only) 

2. One passport sized colored picture (white background) 

3. Original passport (at least 6 months valid beyond intended stay) 

4. Copy of passport data page 

5. Original copy of valid visas and arrival stamps to OECD member countries for the past 5 years 

6. Original personal bank certificate (must include account type, current balance, account opening date, and average daily balance). 

7. Original bank statement or certified true copy of passbook for the last 3 months 

8. Photocopy of ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 

9. Original PSA Marriage contract (if applicable) 

10. Original employment certificate (must include applicant’s position, date hired, compensation, office address, HR landline numbers and e-mail address) office mobile number is not allowed as contact number of the company. 

11. Copy of PRC /IBP ID (if applicable only) 

12. Copy of company ID 

For businessmen, students, retiree, and other conditions, kindly check Rakso's website for more details.

FAQ 4: Ganyan ba talaga kadami nag aapply ng Korean Visa?

Dati pa naman dumadami nag apply lalo pag pa autumn or spring na, but nakaka agency padin ako noon kaya masasabi ko unusually grabehan talaga yung ngayon maybe because: 

1. Madami na expirean na ng multiple visas nung pandemic, so lahat halos back to start 

2. Autumn / Chuseok season 

3. Yung free BTS concert talaga this October 15! Yun din bukambibig ng mga katabi naming agencies na walang kinalaman sa Kpop. May nadidinig akong kuyas sinasabi "pupunta naman yan sa Pilipinas" or "sino ba yung BTS" hahahah. Anyway, I am guessing after Oct 15 magiging back to normal na uli.

FAQ 5: Pang ilan kayo, tapos what time ulit kayo nag start pumila?

Around 6:40pm kami nakarating, pang 160th na kami (out of 280/300 allowed applicants at that time). Earliest sa group namin (yung number 1) arrived 2pm palang.

6:40pm, and madami nang applicants who came before us:

The guard did not allow us to stay in front of the embassy (unsafe din coz super near the road), so the group crossed the street to the footbridge. Sakto din it started raining nung madaling araw, we had roof over our heads. It was also nearer the 24-hour establishments and restrooms.

FAQ 6: How many walk-ins inaaccept?

Kahapon 300 daw, but nung nasa loob kami nag cut to 280. So best talaga agahan ang pag punta.

Note: As of Sept 1, 100 walk-ins per day nalang accepted.

FAQ 7: How much ang tourist visa?

Free! Pag direct sa embass, wala ako nilabas na money at all.

FAQ 8: What time kayo natapos?

Around 11am na kami natapos. 

We were able to move back sa tapat ng Korean embassy around 6:30am. Pinag-bawal kami tumambay the night before, thus we moved sa footbridge. 

To be fair to the embassy, they let us in around 7:30am palang so we can stay in a safer vicinity. Then around 8am I think, asa loob na kami ng aircon. Nakaka tulog na ako noon while waiting for my number.

We applied August 31, and we were given September 7 as releasing schedule:

FAQ 9: No issues with hiring someone to wait noh? Inform nalang yung pila? (I saw sa stories mo hehe)

Yes yung kalikod kong kuya driver daw sya ng boss nila, but nung umaga nireplace na sya nun actual na haharap sa embassy. No issues sa amin, basta declared if ILAN yung persons na ipinipila niya doon sa list para mabilang din if abot pa sa 250-300.

FAQ 10: Weekdays lang ba open ang embassy?

Yes.  

Thank you for messaging me your questions, I was able to composed this blog / Instagram Stories.. Hopefully to help those who are also planning to apply for Korean visa soon!

KOREAN VISA UPDATES, AS OF SEPTEMBER 1, 2022:

Click Photo To Enlarge

KOREAN VISA UPDATES, AS OF SEPTEMBER 7, 2022:

SOURCE