Korean Visa Application Denied!!!

Korean Visa Application Denied!!!

My Korean visa application was denied!!!! But the thing is I got two previous Korean visa prior to this rejection. It is everyone’s nightmare to get denied of a visa. For first timers who wants to apply for a Korean visa the pressure is intense unlike to those who were approved with Korean visa previously. I remember how I felt during the first time I applied. It was a nerve-wracking moment. I am working as an online English E-educator  or better known as  online ESL teacher. It is quite difficult for us home-based teachers to obtain documents such as COE and ITR. The first time I applied for a Korean visa was last November 2016.

Here are the requirements:

1. Application form – make sure that there are no erasure and put N/A if the information is unavailable.
2. 1 piece of Passport size colored picture.  Attach it on the application form first page. In my case I always make sure that I have a white background to look more professional and neat.
3. Original Passport ( should be valid for more than 6 months )
4. Photocopy of Passport Bio-page (page 2 )
5. Original & Photocopy of valid visa/s and arrival stamps to OECD member countries for the past 5 years. If you previously traveled to OECD member countries such as Japan and Australia  or visited South Korea twice, your application process will take 3 working days.
6. Original Certificate of Employment  – must include the applicant’s position, date hired, compensation or annual salary, office address, HR landline number and HR e-mail address. Cellphone numbers are not allowed. In my case since I work as a home-based teacher, the company I am affiliated do not produce a COE but a COT ( certificate of teaching) instead.
7. Original Personal Bank Certificate ( must include account type, current balance, account opening date, ADB) – Inform the bank that you are going to use it for a Korean visa.
8. Bank statement (original or certified copy of bank statements/passbook for the last 3 months)
9. ITR (Income Tax return) or  a copy of Form 2316 – It is difficult for home-based workers to get an ITR. There are applicants who applied without an ITR but they provided an explanation letter.
10.  Copy of PRC card or IBP Card ( if applicable only )

I submitted all the requirements except for number 10. Since I have a Korean friend , I submitted an invitation letter with a photocopy of his passport.  For my bank certificate I had one hundred thousand pesos. After submitting all the documents in the embassy I was asked to come back after seven working days.  I was granted a GRATIS visa ( 59 days) which is free.

I applied personally since it was my first time and after five working days. Here is the photo of my first Korean Visa.

I went there in the winter of 2016. I stayed there for a month.

Although I stayed for a month I felt like it wasn’t enough since I really love the place. So there I planned to come back in the fall of 2017.

This time , I asked a friend to submit my application on my behalf. I still waited for 5 working days and for the second time I was granted a Korean Visa. It was still overwhelming  but I wasn’t nervous like the first time I applied.

I stayed there for a month. After this trip I planned to come back again by the end of December 2017 to experience New year in South Korea so I supposed I can apply  a Korean visa again by November after my trip in China.

So now for the third time I prepared all the documents I needed to be able to get a Korean visa. Once again I asked a friend to submit the application. I was identified as a frequent traveler so the result will be released after three days. I was too confident I will be granted since it is my third time but to my dismay ….. 
I was denied.

I even thought that my friend was just doing a prank on me, but no it is really happening, I was really denied! What went wrong?  My heart was broken and honestly I cried a lot. If that was my first time applying I can grasp it easily. However it was the third time!

They gave a piece  of paper inserted and stapled at the back of my passport informing me that my application was denied. The reason was “YOU FAILED TO QUALIFY FOR THE VISA CATEGORY THAT  YOU HAVE APPLIED”

I have already booked the ticket and I even had my winter outfit ready but oh no things happen…

I sent an email to the Korean embassy and asked whether if I can have an appeal. They replied and told me that there is no way to appeal and I have to wait for six months. So yeah I gave up and accepted the fact that I was denied on my third attempt. I already threw the piece of paper that they stapled together with the passport but at the back of my passport they put a stamped. This stamped impacted my entry to Jeju Island ( you can read my next blog )

Now after what happen I began thinking what went wrong.  So the following are the comparison of my application for Korean Visa.

1st  Time 

1. The money on my bank certificate was 100 hundred thousand pesos.
2. I applied personally.
3. I put a specific address. The place that I really stayed in Incheon.
4. I applied with an invitation letter from a Korean friend.
5. I applied in November 2016
6. I indicated  on page 4 of the application form section 10 (FUNDING DETAILS) that my Korean friend will shoulder  the accommodation and transportation and I was the one who paid for my flight ticket.
7. Country that I visited prior to application. ( Malaysia 2015 and 2016 )
8. RESULT – APPROVED /GRANTED.

2nd Time

1. The money on my bank certificate was 50 thousand pesos.
2. I asked a friend to submit the application on my behalf.
3. I applied with an invitation letter from a Korean friend.
4. I put a specific address. The place that I really stayed in Daegu.
5. I applied in August 2017. Seven months after I traveled in South Korea.
6. I indicated  on page 4 of the application form section 10 (FUNDING DETAILS) that my Korean friend will shoulder  the accommodation and transportation and I was the one who paid for my flight ticket.
7. Countries that I visited prior to application. (S. Korea, Singapore,Taiwan, Malaysia 2x)
8. RESULT – APPROVED/GRANTED

3rd Time

1. The money on my bank certificate was 30 thousand pesos.
2. I asked a friend to submit the application on my behalf.
3. I applied without an invitation letter from a Korean friend.
4. I did not put a specific address, I just wrote AIR BNB accommodation.
5. I applied in November 2017. A month after I traveled in South Korea.
6. I indicated  on page 4 of the application form section 10 (FUNDING DETAILS) that I will be the one who will fund my travel this time.
7. Countries that I visited prior to application. ( China, S. Korea - 2x , Singapore, Taiwan and Malaysia -2x )
8. RESULT – DENIED

Since they are not obliged to explain why they denied my Korean visa application so I came up with my own analysis. The reason indicated on the piece of paper was “YOU FAILED TO QUALIFY FOR THE VISA CATEGORY THAT  YOU HAVE APPLIED” So I deciphered every details.What went wrong?

1.  I don’t have an invitation letter from a Korean although nobody can claimed whether this option can impact your application well in my case it did. Why?
2. My money was only 30 thousand pesos hence, it is not enough to cover my trip and no one can help me with my finances in South Korea.In the funding details I wrote down that it will be me who will finance everything. So I assumed that it impacted my application.I just traveled from China when I applied for the third time. I was thinking it doesn’t make sense if I have more than 50 thousand on my bank account  so I was honest enough to submit a bank certificate with 30 thousand pesos.
3.  Although they said that it is fine that you don’t have a hotel or a guest house reservation yet, but the fact that it was there in the application form ( asking the place you will stay ) it makes sense and it matters. So on my third application where I wrote only AIRBNB  it really mattered.
4.  I applied too soon. I just visited South Korea in September 2017 and I want to go back in December 2017, there might be a suspicion why I want to keep coming back.

The reason why I kept coming back to South Korea because I wanted to experience the four seasons. I also  want  to grab the opportunity to get a multiple visa ( if you visited South Korea four times within two years ). I intentionally applied without an invitation because I wanted to be independent.  I have more or less two months to apply for a Korean visa again and I am looking forward to it.

Now I learned my lesson. I overlooked some information and details that can hinder my application. I was clumsy and too confident so I forgot to carefully check the requirements and the procedure.  I cannot guarantee that your application for Korean Visa will be accepted but my advice is to be EXTRA careful with the requirements. Don’t miss out small details. Like what other people say nobody can guarantee your approval. It is the consular’s decision and they will decide based on the requirements and your purposed of visit.