The Embassy of Korea in the Philippines made a clarification on the useability of valid tourist visas.
Highlights
- All short-term Korean visas that were issued on or before April 5, 2020 are currently suspended. This includes the C-3 visa type for tourists.
- If you have a multiple-entry visa that’s not due to expire this year, you will have to apply for a new one for as long as the suspension is in effect.
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Explore more: Say Goodbye to Korean Visa Labels Starting July 1
Do I need to reapply for a Korean tourist visa?
This is the question that many Korean visa-holders in the Philippines are asking, especially after the Embassy announced the temporary visa suspension. If you were issued a single-entry visa but were not able to to use it due to the COVID-19 lockdown, will you need to reapply? Or if you have a multiple-entry Korean visa that’s valid through 2021 onwards, will it still be useable? Here’s a quick explainer:
For Single-Entry Korean Visa Holders
By now, all single-entry Korean tourist visas that were issued on or before April 5, 2020 have expired (the validity period is typically 3 months from the date of issuance). This means that you will have to apply for a new one.
For Multiple-Entry Korean Visa Holders
It depends. For as long as Korean tourist visas remain suspended, you are expected to apply for a new one. This means that, even if travel reverts to normal (e.g. flights to Korea become available), you will still need to undergo the visa application process if the visa suspension is still in effect.
However, once the suspension is lifted, you’ll be able to use your multiple-entry visa through its expiration date. (For example, if the Embassy removes the visa suspension on December 1, 2020 and you have a multi-visa that will expire on June 1, 2021, you can still use it to travel to Korea from December 1 through May 31, 2021.)
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