KVAC increases Korean visa processing fee to P1,000

Planning a trip to South Korea soon? You might want to submit your visa application sooner rather than later.

In an announcement, the Korea Visa Application Center said that its processing fee will increase from P900 to P1,000 starting Aug. 25. This rate adjustment applies to all applications submitted to the center on or after that date.

While the South Korean tourist visa itself remains free of charge for Philippine passport holders, applicants must pay the KVAC service fee to cover handling.

Turnaround times typically take around 10 business days, though processing can vary depending on application volume.

The fee update comes alongside recent efforts to simplify the overall process. In February, KVAC has already eased several requirements, most notably eliminating the need for three months' worth of bank statements.

Additionally, student applicants now only need to provide an Original School Certificate or a copy of their valid student ID. For group or family applications, shared supporting documents—such as invitation letters, relationship records, or business papers—only need to be submitted once under the designated primary applicant’s file.