Are you dreaming of exploring South Korea but feeling overwhelmed by the South Korea visa application process as a freelancer? Don’t worry, you’re not alone!
Many Filipino freelancers face the same challenge, especially without a Certificate of Employment (COE). But
I’m here to tell you it’s possible! I recently applied for a South Korean visa to attend the Training of Trainers program in Seoul, South Korea. The program focuses on the IDEAS project Enhancing Digital Economy Participation for ASEAN Women MSMEs.
I know getting a visa can be tough, so I’m sharing my experience step-by-step. Hopefully, this makes it easier for you!
How I Schedule a Korean Visa Application (Korean Embassy Manila)
Booked for a South Korea visa appointment HERE.
We were told that only one schedule is available each month to book a South Korea visa appointment.
When it comes to booking your South Korea visa appointment, you have two choices: sign up for an account or use the non-membership login. I’ll be honest, the signup process gave me a bit of a headache at first (no verification code received! 🤯), but the non-membership login worked for me.
Heads up: Be prepared for a bit of a battle. The appointment slots are super limited. It took me around 4 hours of refreshing the page on my phone, laptop, and computer simultaneously to book one finally. It was that difficult! But don’t give up! Persistence is key! 💪
South Korea Visa Requirements I Submitted
1. Original passport valid for at least 6 months including previous passport. Remember to check the specific South Korea visa validity for your chosen visa type.
2. Completed South Korea visa application form – typewritten on A4 paper –attached. The font should be Arial with a size of 12 for the form.
3. 2 pcs photos 1.77 x 1.37 inches colored with white background studio taken. Ensure these photos meet the South Korea visa photo requirements.
4. Copy of Passport’s First page (Bio-data page)
5. Original Bank Certificate (must include account type, account number, currency, current balance, opening date, 6 months Average Daily Balance-ADB, issued within 3 months)
6. Bank Statement (original or certified true copy of bank statements/passbook for the last 3 months).
7. ITR (Income Tax Return). It should include the pages with net income and total revenue.
8. Invitation Letter since I am invited by an organization in Korea.
9. Handwritten letter of explanation since I lack a Business Permit and Certificate of Employment.
Invitation Letter
Handwritten Explanation Letter of Lack of Documents
How to Fill South Korea Visa Application Form
Be very careful when you fill in the South Korea visa form. Make sure you put the right information in all the boxes and don’t forget to fill in every part that’s needed.
Make sure to check everything again to catch any mistakes. This will help avoid problems that could slow down your application.
Tracking Your South Korea Visa Application Status
Visit this link HERE and fill up your name, passport number, and birthday. While filling this up, I noticed I got different results from 2 browsers.
Ready to learn more about my 10 Days South Korea travel in South Korea trip? Read my travel to Korea experience HERE.
