List of Accredited Travel Agencies for Korean Visa Application
There are two ways to obtain a tourist visa for South Korea, one of the most well-liked travel destinations for Filipino travelers:
- First and foremost, by making a personal appointment through the Korean Embassy’s Online Visa Appointment System
- Secondly, by submitting your application through a travel agency recognized by the Korean Embassy (note that walk-ins are no longer accepted at the embassy).
Getting an appointment through the website is currently difficult due to the overwhelming number of applicants, thus having the ability to handle it through a travel agency is fantastic.
Additionally, it is a better choice for individuals who live outside of Metro Manila and don’t have a lot of free time. 36 travel agencies have been approved by the Embassy, but several of them have locations throughout the Philippines.
The South Korean Embassy has approved the following travel companies to handle visa requests.
MANILA
In the City of Manila, the Embassy has accredited ten travel agencies, but two of them have numerous locations.
- Budget Travel & Tours Inc.
- Getaway Tours International Inc.
- Las Palmas Tours & Travel Agency, Inc.
- Horizon Travel & Tours, Inc.
- Pan Pacific Travel Corporation – Binondo Main Branch
- Rajah Travel Corporation – Manila Branch
- Pan Pacific Travel Corporation – Ermita Branch
- Rakso Air Travel And Tours Inc. – Manila Branch
- Reli Tours And Travel Company – Lucky Chinatown Binondo Branch
- Rakso Air Travel And Tours Inc. – Binondo Branch
- Uni-Orient Travel Inc.
- Worldwide link Travel & Tours
MAKATI
There are around 20 approved travel agencies located all over Makati.
- Constellation Travels, Inc.
- Ark Travel Express Inc.
- Adventure International Tours Inc
- Airmark Tour And Development Inc
- Casto Travel Philippines Inc.
- Blue Horizons Travel And Tours Inc.
- City Travel & Tours Corporation
- First United Travel Inc.
- Feel Yeson Travel And Consultancy Corp.
- Las Palmas Tours And Travel Agency, Inc. – Makati Branch
- North Star International Travel, Inc.
- Marsman Drysdale Travel Inc.
- Pan Pacific Travel Corporation – Makati Branch
- Rajah Travel Corporation
- Travel Services, Inc.
- Sharp Travel Service Phils., Inc.
- The Baron Travel Corporation
- Rakso Air Travel And Tours Inc.
- Swire Travel Phils, Inc.
- Reli Tours And Travel Company
- Uni-Orient Travel Inc. – Makati Branch
MANDALUYONG
- Aboex Travel And Tours
- Danpoong Travel Services (Formerly Mnk Travel & Tours Corp.)
- Reli Tours And Travel Company – SM Megamall Branch
- Travel Pros – SM Megamall
PASAY
- Come On Phils. Golf & Travel Agency Inc.
- Island Resort Club Tour Services, Inc.
PASIG
- Uni-Orient Travel Inc. – Pasig Branch
QUEZON CITY
- International Journeys, Inc
- Travel Pros – SM North EDSA Branch
TAGUIG (BGC)
- Danpoong Travel Services (Formerly MNK Travel & Tours Corp.)
- H.I.S. (Philippines) Travel Corp.
- Party-On Travel And Tours Incorporated
- JTB Asia Pacific Phil. Corp.
ILOCOS
- Aboex Travel And Tours – Ilocos Branch
BULACAN
- First United Travel Inc. – Bulacan Branch
LAGUNA
- Travel Services, Inc. – Laguna Branch
PAMPANGA
- City Travel and Tours Corporation – Pampanga Branch
- Rakso Air Travel And Tours Inc. – Pampanga Branch
- Las Palmas Tours And Travel Agency, Inc. – Pampanga Branch
ZAMBALES
- First United Travel Inc. – Subic Satellite Office
CEBU
- First United Travel Inc. – Cebu Branch
- Rakso Air Travel And Tours Inc. Cebu Branch
- Grand Hope Travel, Inc.
- Uni-Orient Travel Inc. – Cebu Branch
- Travel Services, Inc. – Cebu Branch
ILOILO
- Rakso Air Travel And Tours Inc. – Iloilo Branch
CAGAYAN DE ORO
- Rakso Air Travel And Tours Inc. – Cagayan De Oro Branch
DAVAO CITY
- Rakso Air Travel And Tours Inc. – Davao Branch
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)
1. Do you have any trusted travel agencies to suggest?
Consider applying through Constellation Travel if you’re from Makati or another region of the south. If you’re from Metro Manila’s northern regions, check out International Journeys in Quezon City.
2. If I’m submitting my application through a travel agency, do I need to make an appointment with the Korean Embassy?
NO. The appointment must be made on behalf of you and the other candidates by the designated travel agency.
3. Do I need to meet any extra requirements if I apply through a travel agency?
Yes! In addition to the usual procedures, you must also submit a Letter of Attorney for Visa Application if you intend to apply through a travel agency.
4. How much does it cost to apply for a Korean visa through a recognized travel company?
Typically, the range is P700 to P1500. Rates are variable amongst agencies.
Keep in mind that the actual visa is FREE. There is no fee due to the Korean Embassy. Here, the service fee levied by the travel agency is what you are paying for.
5. Does a travel agency have the right to reject an application?
Yes. The Korean Embassy has established a cap or restriction on the number of applications each authorized travel agency may submit, just like on individual applications. Therefore, travel agencies may cease accepting applications if they believe they have achieved that number or if the backlog grows.
A travel agency may also reject your application based on its evaluation or on other aspects of the submitted documents that are pertinent.
6. Can I submit my application using a tour operator that is not recognized by the Korean Embassy?
Yes. Other tour operators can still make an appointment with the Korean Embassy online, but they must wait for a space to open up. Additionally, some non-accredited travel agents will route your application through one that is.
In some provinces without any certified agencies, this is the situation. A local organization that is not accredited may opt to send it to a partner organization that the Embassy has chosen. But this setup typically costs more because of the layers.
Top Seoul Hotels
Here are some of the best hotels in Seoul that are available if you’re seeking a place to stay.
- Mercure Ambassador Seoul Hongdae
- Hostel HARU
- Hostel Tommy
- Moxy Seoul Insadong
- Hongdae Style Guesthouse
- Nine Tree Hotel Dongdaemun
Visit Newsnowgh.com for the most up-to-date information on changes to visa criteria, prospective paths to obtaining legal residency, and others.