In a bid to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, the Embassy of Korea in the Philippines announced a temporary suspension of short-term Korean visas that we’re issued on or before April 5, 2020.
Highlights
- Single-entry and multiple-entry Korean visas that are under the C-3 category — issued to general tourists, group tourists, medical tourists, and business visitors — that we’re issued on or before April 5, 2020 will be temporarily suspended beginning April 13.
- Bearers of the C-1 visa, which is issued to foreigners who intend to engage in temporary journalistic activities, will also be rendered unusable for the time being.
- However, those who hold an A, C-4, D, E, F, G, and H type of Korean visa will not be affected by the suspension.
- If you’re thinking about visiting a restaurant or having a quick road trip once we put a stop to the pandemic, use WAUG to book activities near you. Check out the app here and get an instant discount coupon if you create an account.
Explore more: Japan Travel Ban: Which Countries are Restricted Entry?
Korean Visas on Hold
To mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, the Embassy of Korea in the Philippines announced that C-1 and C-3 visas that were issued on or before April 5, 2020 will be temporarily suspended starting Monday, April 13. The new policy applies to Filipino tourists and business visitors who have a valid single-entry or multiple-entry Korean visa. Those subject to the policy will not be able to enter South Korea until the suspension is lifted. The Korean Embassy has not provided a timeframe for their policy.
However, Filipinos who were issued a long-term or a short-term employment visa, whether A, C-4, D, E, F, G, or H, will not be affected by the temporary suspension.
ROK’s neighboring country Japan had also made a similar announcement on March 26.
More on the C-3 Korean Visa
This is issued to foreigners who intend to enter South Korea for tourism, medical purposes, and short-term business engagements.
More on the C-1 Korean Visa
This is issued to foreigners who want to engage in short-term news coverage or establish a foreign news branch.
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Temporary Suspension for Visa-Free Entry and Visa-Waiver Programs
Aside from visa suspension, South Korea has also deferred its visa-free entry and visa-waiver programs for the time being for the following countries:
Countries Under the Suspended Visa-Waiver Program
- New Zealand
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Bahamas
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Haiti
- El Salvador
- Uruguay
- Jamaica
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Peru
- Guatamela
- Grenada
- Dominican Republic
- Brazil
- Saint Lucia
- Republic of Suriname
- Colombia
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Panama
- Bulgaria
- Italy
- Greece
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Denmark
- Germany
- Latvia
- Russia
- Romania
- Luxembourg
- Lithuania
- Belgium
- Switzerland
- Liechtenstein
- Spain
- Slovakia
- Iceland
- Estonia
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- Kazakhstan
- Turkey
- Portugal
- France
- Finland
- Hungary
- Morocco
- United Arab Emirates
- Israel
- Tunisia
- Lesotho
Countries Under the Suspended Visa-Free Entry Program
- Nauru
- Marshall Is.
- Micronesia
- Kiribati
- Australia
- Solomon Is.
- Tuvalu
- Fiji
- Hong Kong
- Taiwan
- Macau
- Brunei
- Samoa
- Tonga
- Argentina
- Ecuador
- Honduras
- Canada
- Paraguay
- Montenegro
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Cyprus
- Serbia
- Croatia
- Bahrain
- Oman
- Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
- Kuwait
- Mauritius
- Republic of South Africa
- Botswana
- Kingdom of Eswaitini
- Seychelles
Reference
To view the official Facebook post announcement of the Korean Embassy regarding the temporary suspension, click here.
