Despite the recent Visa-Free development in Taiwan, Visa is still required for Philippine passport-holders who intend to visit the Republic of Korea (South Korea) for tourism. The process of securing a Visa is still a challenge for many, even for those with stable and high-paying jobs and those that have been to several countries before. But in recent years, the Korean government has relaxed the requirements for visiting tourists in general. In fact, it has accommodated special arrangements with leading banks in the Philippines  by extending some privilege or preference to card-holders of Banco de Oro (BDO) and Bank of the Philippine Island (BPI) to avail of multiple-entry Visa if one owns a valid credit card included in the joint promotion.

Take note that only SELECTED cards are included , so if you’re one of these card-holders, then start preparing your documents and start your plan to visit Korea in as many time you want. Here’s a quick guide:

WHO ARE QUALIFIED? 

The promo is applicable only to the following cardholders:

For BPI Cardholders

• BPI Gold Master Cardholders : Multiple-entry visa to Korea valid for 3 years
• BPI SkyMiles Platinum Master Card and BPI Amore Visa Platinum cardholders : Multiple-entry visa to Korea valid for 3 -5 years
• Gold BPI Express Teller Debit Cardholders : Multiple-entry visa to Korea valid for 3-5 years

 

For BDO Cardholders

• BDO Gold Cardholders : Multiple-entry visa to Korea valid for 3 years               (Gold Visa Credit Card, Gold MasterCard Credit Card, Gold UnionPay Credit Card, Gold JCB Credit Card)

• BDO Elite Cardholders : Multiple-entry visa to Korea valid for 3-5years      (Platinum Visa Credit Card, Titanium/Platinum and World Elite MasterCard Credit Card, Gold/Platinum/Cathay Pacific and American Express Charge Cards issued by BDO, Diamond UnionPay Credit Card, Diners Club Premiere)

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?

To be able to avail of this privilege, the cardholder must submit the following:

• Latest original credit card account statement and photocopy of the credit card
• Original credit card should also be presented.
• For applicants who receive their statement through e-mail, they should visit the bank to acquire the original copy of the statement.

• Other requirements such as Visa Application Form, Employment Certificate/ Business Permit are still required.

The promo also provides that cardholder-applicants are EXEMPTED from submitting Bank Certificate and ITR (Income Tax Return) when applying. This offer is valid until 31 December 2019 only. For complete list of Visa Requirements and other updates, please visit the Korean Embassy website.

It is important to note, however, that the approval or issuance of Visa is still within the discretion of the Korean Embassy.

Reference: Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines