⛔️ Note: This post was last updated in 2020, before the pandemic. Please visit the official website of the Korean Consulate in Cebu for the latest updates.

Applying for a South Korean visa in Cebu is not that different from that in Manila. The required documents are exactly the same. The only difference is in the actual lodging of the application at the consular office and the length of the processing time.

A friend very recently applied for a South Korean visa in Cebu and we asked her to document every step of the way, so now we’re sharing it with you. Here goes.

1. Gather all basic requirements.

The set of requirements varies according to the applicant’s employment status. In this post, we will only tackle the four most common types of applicants: employees, self-employed, housewives, and students. The list follows a certain order, but for the purpose of this article (and so you would easily understand the process), let’s break it down to basic, financial, and OECD documents.

Here are the basic requirements regardless of your employment status. Meaning, ALL applicants MUST have the following:

1. Duly accomplished application form. New form as of January 2020: Download here. You can also find it below.
2. Passport (must still be valid for at least 6 months)
3. Photocopy of the passport Bio page (Page 2)
4. 1 passport size colored photo
5. If invited by a Korean: an Invitation letter and a copy of the inviter’s passport. (Ignore if not applicable.)

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The Section 2 of the application form calls for details of Visa Issuance Confirmation. This section is only for those with a document called “Confirmation of Visa Issuance.” Many people think it refers to previous Korean visas; NO, IT DOESN’T. The “Visa Issuance Confirmation” is a completely different document, usually issued in Korea.

2. Complete financial and employment documents.

For Employees

1. Certificate of Employment. Must be original; and must have the address of the employer, the landline number and email address of employer’s HR department, applicant’s position, date hired, and compensation. Mobile number is not allowed.
2. Original Personal Bank Certificate. Must include account type, current balance, account opening date, ADB.
3. Original or certified true copy of bank statements/passbook covering the last 3 months.
4. ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316.
5. Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If applicable only)

For Self-Employed

1. Photocopy of Business registration form from DTI or SEC
2. Photocopy of Business permit or Mayor’s permit
3. Photocopy of ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 with corresponding payment receipt from BIR authorized bank
4. Original Personal Bank Certificate. Must include account type, current balance, account opening date, ADB.
5. Original or certified true copy of bank statements/passbook covering the last 3 months.
6. Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If applicable only)

For Housewives or House Husbands

1. Your own or your husband’s original Bank Certificate. Must include account type, current balance, account opening date, ADB.
2. Your own or your husband’s Bank Statement. Original or certified true copy of bank statements/passbook for the last 3 months.
3. If husband is employed
   – Husband’s Original Certificate of Employment. Must be original; and must have the address of the employer, the landline number and email address of employer’s HR department, applicant’s position, date hired, and compensation. Mobile number is not allowed.
   – Copy of ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 Copy.
4. If husband is self-employed
   – Copy of husband’s Business Registration from SEC or DTI
   – Copy of husband’s Business Permit or Mayor’s Permit(Copy)
   – Photocopy of husband’s ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 with corresponding payment receipt from BIR authorized bank
5. Photocopy of NSO Marriage Certificate

For Students

1. Original School Certificate
2. Photocopy of School ID
3. Photocopy of NSO Birth Certificate of applicant
4. If parents are employed
   – Parents’ Original Certificate of Employment. Must be original; and must have the address of the employer, the landline number and email address of employer’s HR department, applicant’s position, date hired, and compensation. Mobile number is not allowed.
   – Copy of ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 Copy
5. If parents are self-employed
   – Copy of parents’ Business Registration from SEC or DTI
   – Copy of parents’ Business Permit or Mayor’s Permit(Copy)
   – Photocopy of parents’ ITR (Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 with corresponding payment receipt from BIR authorized bank
6. Parents’ Original Bank Certificate. Must include account type, current balance, account opening date, ADB.
7. Parents’ Bank Statement. Original or certified true copy of bank statements/passbook for the last 3 months.
8. Copy of parents’ marriage certificate.

UPDATE! (March 2018): The embassy has announced that starting 26 March 2018, first-time travelers who have NOT been to any OECD country as a tourist within the last 5 years must submit the following::

• Starting July 1, 2018. The company alphalist is no longer required. However, it may be requested as additional document for some applicants.
• For Employees applying before July 1, 2018, you must submit ITR with BIR Received or BIR Certified True Copy Stamp + Copy of Alpha List with BIR Received Stamp. You must highlight your name on the alpha list. If you cannot submit company alphalist for whatever reason (usually, confidentiality issue), you can ask your company to write a letter of explanation and submit that. However, according to the embassy, there may be disadvantage in visa approval for those who fails to submit. But this is the best you can do in this case.
• For Self-Employed, BIR Form with Corresponding Payment Receipt from a BIR-authorized bank.

If you’re a freelancer, read: Korea Visa FAQs

3. Photocopy all your OECD Visas

Only if you have them. If you don’t have any, skip this part.

What’s OECD, you ask? It’s the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. To see all the member countries of this organization, visit this website.

If you have been granted a visa for any OECD country, you need to submit both the ORIGINAL copy AND a photocopy of it. If you have multiple, submit them all. Although this does NOT GUARANTEE approval, it gives you better chances.

Update: JAPAN VISA is no longer honored for OECD consideration by the Korean Embassy.

Submission of ITR is waived for applicants who have traveled to South Korea more than 2x within the last 4 years and applicants who have traveled at least once to any OECD country within the last 5 years. This is according to Constellation Travels, which is an official embassy-designated travel agency.

4. Submit the documents to the Korean Consulate in Cebu.

Once you have completed all the requirements, it’s time to go the consular office. They entertain visa applications Mondays-Fridays 9am-11am only. Closed on weekends and holidays. If you’re not from Cebu but traveling there to apply, note that there may be local holidays so double check before going.

Also, Bring 2 valid IDs aside from your passport. I’ll explain why later.

Here’s the address:

KOREAN CONSULATE IN CEBU
12th Floor Chinabank Corporate Center, Lot 2, Samar Loop Cor. Road 5, Cebu Business Park, Mabolo, Cebu City
Email Address: phi_cebu2015@mofa.go.kr
Contact No.: (63-32) 231-1516(-9)

Here’s how to lodge your application:

• When you reach the lobby of Chinabank Corporate Center, approach the concierge, sign in, and leave an ID.
• Take the elevator to the 12th floor.
• Walk to your right. A guard will inspect your bag again. You will then be asked for another ID, which is why you should bring 2 IDs. The camera on your phone will be covered with a sticker. You will then be given a number and a list of documents (depending on your employment status).
• Arrange your documents according to that list.
• When your number is called, approach the VISA window (the one closest to the entrance) and hand over all the requirements. The officer will check each document and briefly assess it. If something’s not right or insufficient, all your documents will be handed back to you (so make sure they’re complete and correct).
• If the officer finds your pile satisfactory, you’ll be given a slip indicating the date and time of passport pick-up.

Visa Processing Schedule:
Mondays-Fridays 9am-11am only

Visa Fees:
FREE for stays shorter than 59
P1350 for 60-90-day stays

Processing time:
10-26 working days* depending on the volume of applications that week.

*IMPORTANT! The Korean Consulate in Cebu’s last announcement on their website states that the processing time will be 24-26 days. But it actually changes week after week depending on the volume of applicants. Best to call them beforehand for the latest processing period or check the latest announcement on their website.

5. Pick up your passport on the scheduled date of release.

Return to the embassy on the date indicated on the slip given to you and claim your passpport, hopefully it has a visa affixed to it.

Releasing of visa schedule:
Monday-Friday 2pm-4pm

Before leaving the counter, double check that your name, passport number, and other details are CORRECT to avoid troubles in the future.

If you have more questions, we answered frequently asked questions here: Korea Visa FAQs

For more information about Korean visa applications, contact or visit the official website of the Korean Embassy. While we always try to keep this post updated, always double check with the embassy.

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