After publishing my freelancer BIR registration guide where I briefly mentioned that I got my Korean visa in Cebu approved as a self-employed professional, I’ve been receiving inquiries about the Korean visa requirements for self-employed individuals. Even my freelancer friends personally asked me how I did it.
Did I submit an Income Tax Return (ITR)? This is a common concern for freelancers and digital nomads who haven’t registered their profession or freelancing gigs at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) yet.
Although I was granted a Korean visa without ITR before, I made sure to have all my documents complete this time around. I got my BIR Certificate of Registration (COR) as well as my ITR (BIR Form 1701A) and submitted them for my Korean visa application in Cebu.
South Korea Visa: Increase Your Chances Of Approval With These Tips!
Tip: Before your Korea trip, prepare your travel essentials such as T-Money Card, Korea SIM Card, eSIM, and pocket WiFi for your transport and connectivity needs.
Thankfully, I got my Korean tourist visa and finally experienced spring in Korea, indulged in a variety of delicious Korean street food, and shopped for Korea souvenirs again.
Now, let me guide you through the process if you would like to apply for a Korean visa as a self-employed individual.
How To Schedule A Korean Visa Application Appointment (korean Embassy Manila)
[UPDATE]: If you are a professional holding a PRC license such as doctors, dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, accountants, and lawyers (IBP ID), you are exempted from submitting bank certificates, bank statements, and Income Tax Return (ITR) under the Simplification of Visa Application announced by the Korean Embassy and Korean Consulate in Cebu.
You might be wondering why there are different types of Korean visa requirements for self-employed individuals. Actually, if you check both lists, the requirements are pretty much the same except that you need to provide a Certificate of Employment (COE) for employees and SEC / DTI Business Registration and Business Permit or Mayor’s Permit for businessmen.
If you registered at BIR as a self-employed professional like me, you won’t have any of those documents. Instead, you may submit a photocopy of your BIR Certificate of Registration (COR) together with a cover letter explaining your situation.Here are the Korean visa documents I submitted as a self-employed professional:
Korean Job Application Form: Fill Out & Sign Online
5. Original and photocopy of valid visas and arrival stamps to OECD countries I visited for the past 5 years (I submitted my previous Australia visa and Japan visa)
9. Photocopy of Annual Income Tax Return (ITR) or BIR Form No. 1701A (This form is specific for individuals earning solely from profession or business)
Family members only mean your spouse, parents, children, and siblings. Your romantic partners and friends are not included, so don’t write their names down even if you are traveling with them.
Visa Issuanceembassy Of The Republic Of Korea To The Kingdom Of Belgium And The European Union And Permanent Mission To The North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Put the type of support you are getting or you will shoulder such as FINANCIAL SUPPORT, HOTELS, FLIGHTS, or TOURS.Sample Korean visa application form for self-employed individuals completely filled out for your reference
Arrange your Korean visa documents according to the listed requirements so you can easily check if they are all in order. Then, proceed to submit them.
If you are based in Manila and other parts of the Philippines, you can walk-in and submit your Korean visa documents at the Korea Visa Application Center (KVAC) in Manila. KVAC charges a service fee of ₱900. You may refer to our Korean visa guide for Filipinos for more details.
How To Fill Out A South Korea Visa Application Form [step By Step Guide]
If you are based in Cebu, you need to schedule an online appointment before you can submit your documents to the Korean Consulate in Cebu. Please refer to our Korean visa online appointment guide for the steps. It’s free and you don’t need to pay for any service fees. Read our Korean visa in Cebu guide if you are applying in Cebu.
Alternatively, you may submit your documents to any designated travel agencies to process your Korean visa. Their handling fees vary, but for your reference, RELI Tours & Travel costs ₱2, 400 to process your Korean visa, which already includes the ₱1, 500 handling fee and ₱900 visa fee.South Korea visa fees 2024
For those who applied via KVAC or travel agencies, you will receive a text message once your passport is ready for pick up regardless of the outcome.
Korea Visa Application Form ≡ Fill Out Printable Pdf Forms Online
Cebu-based applicants will get a slip where the tentative release date and time is indicated. You can proceed to the Korean Consulate in Cebu on the specified schedule.
I’ve compiled some questions from our readers so you can also learn from them.1. Can I apply for a Korean visa without ITR?
This is the most common question, especially since most freelancers and digital nomads don’t have an Income Tax Return (ITR) yet. But yes, you may apply like I did where I created a cover letter explaining my situation. You may refer to my Korean visa without ITR guide, but I do not guarantee the same outcome for you. So, apply at your own risk.
Korea Visa Application Center In Maynila
To avoid complications, I suggest that you register your freelancing gig or online job at BIR so you’ll get your Certificate of Registration (COR) and ITR (BIR Form 1701A) as proof of your ties to the Philippines, and that you have a source of income to finance your Korea trip. You may read my freelancer BIR registration guide if you’re interested.2. How early can I apply for my Korean tourist visa?
You may apply for your South Korean tourist visa at least 2 to 3 months prior to your intended travel dates. Once your visa is granted, you still have 3 months (90 days) to use it before it expires.3. Can I book my flights ahead and submit them as supporting documents?
I understand how seat sales and promo fares get tempting at times. However, the Korean Embassy does not encourage you to book your flights ahead since visa approval is still not guaranteed. Having a confirmed flight ticket is not a sufficient supporting document and does not guarantee your Korean visa approval.
Korea Visa Requirements
But if you really want, you can consider submitting your credit card statements and proof of owned properties in the Philippines. You also need to write a cover letter explaining your current situation, especially when you lack some required documents like the ITR or COE.
You can check my Korean visa without ITR guide where I added a sample Korean visa cover letter. Feel free to tweak it based on your situation and what requirements you lack.
For my recent Korean visa application, I still submitted a cover letter explaining my current status as a self-employed professional.6. Should all documents be in A4 size bond paper?
Sample Korean Visa Application Form
Yes, all documents including photocopies should all be in A4 size. But if your bank does not print your bank certificate and bank statements in A4, it’s fine. Just make sure the rest of your documents are in A4 size.7. If I completed all my Korean visa requirements, will it guarantee my visa approval?
There’s still no guarantee that your Korean visa will be approved even if you submitted all the requirements. In fact, I overheard one applicant asking why she got denied when she submitted all required documents. She didn’t get a specific answer and could not do anything about it. It’s still a case-by-case basis and up to the Korean Embassy’s decision.
I understand how applying for a visa is nerve-wracking, time-consuming, and costly, so you’d want to increase your chances of visa approval as much as possible.
Visa Application Form For South Korea
While there’s really no definite formula, I suggest that you start off by traveling to visa-free countries to build up your travel history, and of course, save enough funds to finance your trip. You may read my tips to increase your chances of visa approval.9. My visa got denied when I applied in Manila. Can I re-apply in Cebu?
Unfortunately, you cannot apply or re-apply in Cebu if you are based in Manila or other parts of the Philippines. Only those who are based in Cebu can apply at the Korean Consulate in Cebu. Meaning, you must work or live in Cebu to apply for a Korean visa in Cebu.
Do you have other Korean visa questions or concerns not tackled here? Feel free to let us know on our social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube and we’ll try our best to respond to you.
I Created A H 1 Working Holiday Guide
Ready to jumpstart your self-employment or freelancing career? You might also want to read our SSS Online Payment Guide, PhilHealth Online Payment Guide, and Pag-IBIG Online Payment Guide.
Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a Korean visa expert. While I was granted a single-entry Korean tourist visa as a self-employed professional, I do not guarantee the same outcome for you. Visit the Korean Embassy or Korean Consulate in Cebu for more information.Getting ready to fill out the South Korea visa application form? Check out our step-by-step guide below and the list of travel deals in Seoul here!
Find the latest version of the South Korea visa application form here. You will have the option to download a PDF, Word, or HWP file.
Korean Visa Requirements For Filipinos
When I filled out my Korean visa application form, I downloaded the PDF file, annotated it on a PDF reader, and used
For the purposes of this blog, what you’ll see below is a sample with
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