These RCBC Credit Cards May Get You a Multiple-Entry Korean Visa!

Aside from select BDO cardholders, qualified principals of RCBC credit cards also stand a chance to get a 5-year multiple-entry Korean visa in 2020!

If you’re a principal premium RCBC Bankard cardholder who has a plan to travel to Korea in 2020, you may get a multiple-entry visa if you submit an application before December 31st!
Financial requirements like the ITR and Bank Certificate will be waived for you.
For proof, you must prepare a copy of the front side of your eligible RCBC credit card as well as your recent Statements of Account, together with other basic Korean visa requirements.
This RCBC Korean visa promotion in 2020 is similar to what select BPI and BDO credit cardholders enjoyed in the past years. (BDO Korean Visa promo is extended to 2022!)
To make the most out of your trip, be sure to book your travel activities with WAUG — Korea’s #1 Travel Activity Booking Platform! Check out the thousands of experiences that you can book in the app here.

Explore more: How to Apply for a South Korea Visa: Requirements & Process in the Philippines

UPDATE: June 13, 2020

Who can I apply for a Korean visa? To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines currently only accepts applications for long-term visas. Tourist visa processing (C-3) is still on hold pending the easing of travel restrictions in the Philippines.

What are the enhanced visa criteria? Those who are eligible to apply for a Korean visa must comply to these requirements and mandatory quarantine. Moreover, successful applicants will no longer be issued a visa sticker in their passport beginning July 1. Upon arrival in South Korea, they must present a printed copy of their visa grant notice instead.

What if I have a valid Korean visa? Single-entry Korean visas that were issued on or before April 5, 2020 are no longer valid. You will need to apply for a new one. However, if you have a valid short-term multiple-entry Korean visa (5 years), you do not have to reapply. Conditions permitting, it can still be used in the future. For reference, you can read the Embassy’s detailed explanation here.

Until December 31, 2020, active and current principal RCBC Bankard cardholders who will apply for a Korean visa will enjoy the following perks:

Chance to get up to 5-year multiple-entry Korean visa (to be issued when traveling during the promo period)
Exemption from submitting financial documents, like the ITR and Bank Certificate

Here’s a list of the eligible RCBC credit cards:

World Mastercard (including co-brands Balesin and The City Club)
Black Platinum Mastercard
Diamond Platinum Mastercard
Visa Infinite
Visa Platinum
JCB Platinum
UnionPay Diamond

Should you decide to participate in the RCBC Korean visa promo, you acknowledge that certain personal credit account information may be disclosed to the Korean Embassy and you waive the right to the confidentiality of credit account information for purposes of issuance of any visa.

How to Apply for a Multiple-Entry Korean Visa with a Qualified RCBC Credit Card

Applying for a Korean visa with your premium RCBC Bankard is similar to the process that regular Korean visa applicants (those not availing the promotion) undergo, save for the fact that you are not required to submit your ITR and Bank Certificate. Here are the steps:

1. Prepare the Korean visa requirements

Here are the documents that you must submit:

Application Form
1 Passport-size Photo
Original Passport
Photocopy of Passport Bio-page
Original and photocopy of valid visa/s and arrival stamp/s to any OECD-member country from the past 5 years, if applicable
Statement of Account (SOA) from the past 3 months
- Provide the original billing statements that were mailed to you.
- If enrolled in Electronic SOA (or eSOA), print out the latest statements.
Photocopy of the eligible credit card
- Submit a copy of the front side of your credit card. (Some travel agencies may request a colored copy.)
Other applicable documents:
- For employees: Also submit an original Certificate of Employment (COE)
- For business owners: Also prepare a copy of your DTI or SEC registration and a copy of your business permit
- PRC or IBP card, if applicable
- If invited by a Korean entity: Also submit their ID or business permit and a letter of invitation

If you want a description for each requirement, click here to read our article.

2. Submit your documents to an accredited travel agency

Unless you’ll do a walk-in application in Cebu, you may contact any of the following travel agencies to have your Korean visa application processed:

Aboex Travel and Tours
Adventure International Tours, Inc.
Ark Travel Express Inc
Blue Horizons Travel and Tours Inc.
Budget Travel and Tours Inc.
Casto Travel Philippines Inc.
City Travel and Tours Corporation
Come on Phils. Golf & Travel Agency Inc.
Constellation Travels, Inc.
First United Travel Inc.
Getaway Tours International Inc.
Grand Hope Travel and Tours
H.I.S. (Philippines) Travel Corp.
Hanatour Manila Inc.
Hankookceb Corp.
Horizon Travel and Tours, Inc.
International Journeys Inc.
JOINENJOY (Island Resort Club Tour Services, Inc.)
JTB Asia Pacific Phil. Corp.
KP Joeun Consultancy Inc.
Las Palmas Tours and Travel Agency, Inc.
Marsman Drsydale Travel Inc.
MNK Travel and Tours Corp.
North Star International Travel, Inc.
Pan Pacific Travel Corporation
Party-on Travel and Tour Community Inc.
Rajah Travel Corporation
Rakso Air Travel and Tours Inc.
Reli Tours and Travel Company
Sharp Travel Service (Phils.) Inc.
Swire Travel Philippines Inc.
The Baron Travel Corporation
Travel Pros
TravelServices Inc.
Uni-Orient Travel Inc.

VIEW CONTACT DETAILS

Let your travel agent know that you are availing the RCBC Korean Visa promo.

3. Monitor your application result online

Once the Embassy reviews your Korean visa application, you can check the result online even before you get your passport from your chosen travel agency. Refer to our guide here about using the Korea Visa Portal. (If your application is approved, you will see if you were granted a multiple-entry Korean visa!)

When you have your Korean visa on you, do check out the following activities and tours that you can book with WAUG!

rcbc-credit-card-korean-visa-promo-2020 — *Get awesome perks when you book your activities using WAUG!*

The River Bella Cucina by Han River – around ₱1,700 before discount
WAUG Exclusive: Ganghwa Seaside Resort Luge – around ₱550 before discount
Han River E-Land Moonlight Cruise – around ₱850 before discount
Nami Island Petite France Bus Tour – around ₱1,800 before discount
Seoul Palace Tour – around ₱1,700 before discount

You can also check out these experiences that you can have in Boracay, Tokyo, Macau, Barcelona, and New York!

WAUG Pink Hopping Tour + Spa Combo – around ₱3,700 before discount
WAUG Exclusive: Tokyo Odaiba TeamLab Borderless Ticket – around ₱1,500
The Venetian Macau Gondola Ride – around ₱1,000 before discount
Barcelona 360º Skywalk Tour – around ₱6,700 before discount
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) – around ₱1,300 before discount

VIEW MORE OPTIONS

Don’t have WAUG installed on your phone yet? Go and download it here.

FAQ: RCBC Korean Visa Promo

Below we’ve listed the frequently asked questions (and answers!) regarding the promotion, however you may always contact RCBC or your chosen travel agency to get the most accurate responses for your inquiries.

1. Can RCBC supplementary cardholders join the Korean visa promo?

The promo is exclusive to active and current principal RCBC Bankard cardholders only.

2. Is there a chance that I won’t get approved? Is it possible that I’ll get a single-entry Korean visa instead of multiple-entry?

While we’ve heard a lot of successful application stories from BDO and BPI cardholders, there are also some few applicants who had their application denied. The most common reason for denial was that they were not able to prove their purpose of travel in detail.

This being the case, it is good to note that while your RCBC credit card is a huge factor to your Korean visa approval, other information such as your purpose of travel, background, and travel history will still be reviewed. If you’ll apply with your family, their status and details may also be taken into account.

Moreover, it’s not always the case that promo participants will get a multiple-entry visa for 5 years. It all depends on the Embassy’s overall assessment of your application, so be open to the possibility of getting a single-entry Korean visa or a multiple-entry with a shorter validity period.

Here is a relevant stipulation from the promo mechanics provided by RCBC:

“Issuance of any Visa shall be at the sole discretion of the Korean Embassy. Eligible applicants are not automatically issued a multiple entry visa. Issuance of visa whether single or multiple entry is subject for approval of the consul in-charge.”