Filipinos planning to visit South Korea must comply with the new visa requirements for tourists.
The embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines made the announcement on its website this month. The new requirements for Korean tourist visas will take effect on March 1, 2015.
Those who are travelling after this date will need to provide additional information from the required Certificate of Employment, Bank Certificate and copy of Income Tax Return. The embassy also requires applicants to submit their Bank Statements.
For the Certificate of Employment, it must include the applicant’s position, date hired, compensation, address, office landline number (cellphone number is not allowed), and e-mail address.
The applicant’s Bank Certificate meanwhile needs to include the account type, current balance, account opening date, and six months’ average balance.
Another additional requirement is the Bank Statement for the last three months. The Bank Statements/passbook must be in its original or certified true copy form.
The Income Tax Return copy must also include the applicant’s personal number.
“All documents must be issued within 3 months on the date of application,” the embassy said.
The Korea Tourism Organisation said 434,951 Filipino tourists visited South Korea in 2014.