Hallyu enthusiasts, have you checked off South Korea from your bucket list yet? For those who haven’t — or to anyone who’s hoping for another round — the Korean visa application process might just get easier, as the Korean Embassy in the Philippines is set to unveil a new application center.
READ: Korea Visa Application Center to Open in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines has announced the opening of the Korea Visa Application Center (KVAC) in Taguig City. Located on the 9th and 10th floors of Brittany Hotel BGC at 6 McKinley Parkway, Taguig City, the KVAC will be the go-to place for submitting visa applications and collecting passports.
Effective from the opening of the center, the embassy will no longer accept visa applications or release visas directly. This shift aims to enhance efficiency and provide better services to applicants.
It is expected to open its doors on August 14, 2023, with a pilot operation period until August 25, 2023. During this pilot phase, only applications with online reservations will be accepted. However, once the official operation begins on August 29, 2023 (date subject to confirmation), applications without online reservations will also be accepted.
An important change to note is the discontinuation of the current online visa appointment system. After the last opening of slots for the month of August, the online reservation requirement will be eliminated. From August 29, 2023, walk-in visa applications at KVAC will be accepted on any working day, without any limit on the number of applications accepted per day.
For the period of August 1 to 25, 2023, online reservations will still be required for visa applications. The slots for online reservations will open on July 27, 2023 at 9 a.m. From August 1 to 11, applications with online reservations will be accepted at the Korean Embassy. Starting from August 14 to 25, applications with online reservations will be processed exclusively at KVAC.
Additionally, starting from August 29, 2023, visa applications at KVAC will be accepted in person or through one of the designated travel agencies. The list of designated travel agencies for 2022 will remain valid, and an updated list will be announced in the future.
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines will provide further details about the new visa policy and other visa-related information in the future, so stay updated on the latest announcements through its official Facebook page. Good luck and happy travels!
