Extended! Multiple Entry Visa for BPI and BDO Cardholders and How To Get Yourself One

There was a time that I thought that gaining a single entry Korean visa is impossible, let alone a multiple one. I've also always thought that with way to much Koreans in the Philippines, it is really unfair that we Filipinos are given a hard time entering their country. Thanks to BDO and BPI, more Filipinos are able to get multiple entry visa for being a Gold or higher credit card holder. Yes, getting a credit card is still quite hard for some Pinoys but if you have the will, BDO (and BPI) have the way. :)

Here's some tips on how to get at least a Gold credit card with BPI and BDO.

1. Get a secured credit card. 

I for one did this trick. See my blog post here. In a nutshell, a secured credit card is a type of credit card wherein you have a hold amount as a collateral for the card. It functions like a normal credit card and is also eligible for the promotion. As of writing, you need at least Php75,000 credit limit. This means that your hold out amount should be at least Php94,000 as BPI promises a credit limit of  80%-90% of your hold amount. To make sure that I meet that point, I kissed my Php100,000 goodbye for a year.

BDO on the other hand is a different story. It is not that well known but BDO offers a secured credit card, they just don't have it publicly announced. You have to go to your branch of account and hope that a manager knows about it. It may mean opening a time deposit account. To have a gold credit card, its credit limit should at least be Php50,000.

2. Ask for a credit limit increase

This is applicable for those who has a regular credit card with BDO or BPI but in a lower tier. As soon as your card turns 6 months, you can request for a limit of at least Php75,000 for BPI and Php50,000 for BDO. Pray hard for it to be granted then request for a card upgrade to Gold. This was how my friend got his Gold BDO card. He was luckily given a Shopmore card with Php50,000 limit. He immediately requested for an upgrade upon receipt and after one month, went on to successfully secure himself a three year multiple entry.

This Credit Card promotion was introduced  way back in 2015 and is extended up to December, 2019! You can check it here in the Korean Embassy’s announcement section.

Cheers!

#kolokoytravels - Seoul - Arrival

As promised, this is an effort to create a chronicle of my day by day experiences in Seoul last September 13 -18, 2016. If one could remember my post, my day 1 is scheduled as below:

7:00 AM - Departure MNL
12:00 PM - Arrival ICN
Allot at least an hour or two to go through immigration, change currency, buy T-Money, pick up a WIFI device, and purchase a train ticket to Seoul
1:00 PM - Travel to Hotel
AREX EXPRESS/NON-STOP TRAIN take about 43 mins travel time
2:00 PM - Hotel
3:00 PM - Seoul Animation Center
4:00 PM - Namsam Cable Car / N Seoul Tower
8:00 PM - Myeongdong Dinner
11:00 PM - Back to Hotel

Both of my flights to Seoul back in November 2015 and September 2016 were via Air Asia, and I could not complain much. Travel time is four hours. I know airport food is bad, (at least for economy flights) but tried it anyway. Hate to admit it, but I did enjoyed Air Asia's Nasi Lemak, a Malay fragrant rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. I've read that a traditional one consists of sambal, anchovies, peanuts and boiled egg. It is Malaysia's national food and would love to try the authentic version sometime in the future.

Expectation VS Reality. Haha!

Both flights were on time and I didn't experience any hassle during immigration. One should know by now that:

1. Although it is common practice to book an early arrival flight to your destination and a late departure going back, consider that most hotels, hostels and guesthouses have a standard check-in time of 2:00 PM and checkout time of 12:00 PM. It is best to check with your accommodation's terms on check-in and check-out times.
2. Be at the airport at least 4 hours before an international flight, especially if your flight is in the afternoon or during the rush hour. Everyone know what it's like in EDSA. You don't want to miss your flight, do you?
3, Check in online. In my experience, there are always a separate line for those who have already undergone the process of web check-in,
4. Have your travel documents ready. Make sure that your passport is more than 6 months before its expiration date, and have at least 2-4 blank pages.
5. DO NOT get over-baggage. It hurts. It will really hurt your pocket. I had my own little story but would blog about it sometime in the future. :)
6. Always pray for a safe flight. Enough said.

Arrival

Once you are in Incheon International Airport, allot at least an hour or two to go through immigration, change currency, buy T-Money, pick up a WIFI device, and purchase a train ticket to Seoul. In  that order.  Why? My friend and I happened to claim our AREX ticket to Seoul first and got caught up doing selfies on the train since we were one of the first ones there. 10 minutes before it departs, I suddenly remember that we still have not gotten our pre-booked WIFI devices. LOL. It slipped from our minds since we are enjoying the free WIFI of the airport and the train itself. It was really lucky for us to be allowed and were able to get off, exit the station and claim our WIFI devices and being allowed in again for the next train free of charge. Although we lost an hour of travel time, it is better than arriving in Seoul Station and then go back to ICN all over again.

Tips:

1. If you own a credit card, check with your issuer if there's an ongoing promotion. We scored a free AREX ticket to Seoul by just presenting our JCB Lucky Cat card. A discounted fare for adults is 8,000 won.  Lucky indeed. We would have gotten a free ticket back to Incheon if only we remembered using JCB on our expenses.
2. Buy Korean won while still in the Philippines. Never exchange all of your money at airports since they have the worst exchange rates and are always lower than local money changers in that country. Make sure to exchange just a small amount of your cash and then exchange the rest of your money once you find a local money changer. Czarina's and Sanry's are two of the most popular money exchange in Manila. I believe some banks also offer one but you need to have it reserved weeks before your intended flight.
3. Pre-book your WIFI devices. Even though many are available upon arrival, it would be less of a hassle filling in forms and conversing in English when you can just present a voucher and claim your device in minutes. I booked mine with WiFi Korea the first time I was in Seoul while my second one and almost all of my international activities with Klook.

To be continued.

#kolokoytravels - South Korea - My 6 Days 5 Nights Itinerary

For most people, including myself, drafting an itinerary is one, if not the best part of travelling. It comes along with the excitement of scoring a ticket from a seat sale and the anxiety brought about by applying for a Korean Visa.

First off, I really would like to write a guide about Seoul but do not have the time or enough expertise to create one. This is just based from my personal experience which I would like to put into writing.

This is how I drafted my Seoul itinerary for my September 13-18, 2016 trip. Although this is my second time being in Seoul, this is the first time that I'm travelling with a companion. I therefore considered including the basics even though I have already been there before. There's so much to see and to experience that six days are not really enough - one reason to get a multiple entry visa. Haha!

I will try my best to do a day by day report with tips and take aways but for now,  I will begin with a summary. My excuse to get this post updated sometime in the future.

Day 1 

7:00 AM - Departure MNL
12:00 PM - Arrival ICN
Allot at least an hour or two to go through immigration, change currency, buy T-Money, pick up a WIFI device, and purchase a train ticket to Seoul
1:00 PM - Travel to Hotel
AREX EXPRESS/NON-STOP TRAIN take about 43 mins travel time
2:00 PM - Hotel
3:00 PM - Seoul Animation Center
4:00 PM - Namsam Cable Car /
N Seoul Tower
8:00 PM - Myeongdong Dinner
11:00 PM - Back to Hotel

Day 2

7:00 AM - Train to Everland
10:00 AM - Everland
4:00 PM - Travel to Hongdae
6:00 PM - Explore Hongdae
10:00 PM - Back to Hotel

Day 3

8:00 AM - Gwanghwamun Square
9:00 AM - Gyeongbokgung Palace
11:00 AM - Lunch at Tosokchon Samgyetang
12:00 PM - Changdeokgung / Huwon Garden
2:00 PM - Changgyeonggung
4:00 PM - Bukchon Hanok  Village

Day 4

Korean Folk Village
Dongdaemun Design Plaza
Cheonggyecheon Stream and Cheonggye Plaza
Namdaemun Market
Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain

Day 5

7:00 AM - Travel to Gapyeong
9:00 AM - Gapyeong Rail Park
12:00 PM - Petit France
2:00 PM - Nami Island
6:00 PM - Travel to Seoul
8:00 PM - Explore Myeongdong

Day 6

Depature ICN
Arrival MNL

Resources:

Visit Korea
Pinoy Exchange Seoul City Thread
Korea Subway Map

#kolokoytravels - South Korea - How To Get Multiple Entry Visa via BPI and BDO Credit Cards

Back in November 2015, I was able to get the chance to travel to Seoul, South Korea with a single entry visa. It was for 6 day trip at during the early winter season.

I don't know if it was the weather but I told myself that I would returning to this country and experience its multiple seasons. A way to do that, is to secure myself a multiple entry visa. I'm not really an expert in visa processing but various reads from online forums, one can conclude that having multiple entry visa factors in your financial capacity and travel experience the most. So if you have an impressive bank account and have traveled a lot of places prior to your application, chances of snatching one is quite easy. But what about us poor budgeted folks and first timers?

Thank God for BPI and BDO credit cards!

My Story:

I just learned early 2016, a few months after my first South Korea trip that BPI has an ongoing promotion for their card holders, and this, I believe was the real reason why I got pulled into the credit card world. I originally intended to only have a classic Blue Mastercard from BPI for my online purchases. While browsing BPI's current promos, I stumbled upon this banner:

Cardholders will be provided with multiple VISA with respective validity:

BPI Gold MasterCard - 3 Years

BPI Platinum  Credit Card - 3-5 years

Gold BPI Express Teller Debit Card - 3-5 years

And the rest is history. My BPI Blue credit card is only a secured credit card. What I did was to increase my hold out amount for it to be converted to Gold. At that time, you need to have a credit limit of Php 75,000 for your card to be converted.  It took one phone call and two weeks of processing including delivery, and I had my ticket to obtaining a multiple entry.

A friend's story:

What he had was a BDO Shopmore credit card. For a BDO card to be converted to Gold, we were told that a credit limit of Php 50,000 should be reached. Luckily, this was already his limit and all he had to do is to call BDO for his Shopmore be changed into a Gold one. In two weeks, he received his card. This was his first time in applying for a Korean visa and have only gone to HongKong once. He also received a multiple entry visa for three years. 

I know the promotion will end by December of this year, but guess what? It's extended until 2017!

I knew a lot of KPop and KDrama fanatics, and although I do not share their passion for such things, I really would love for them to experience it on South Korea itself. So for those who are wanting to finally go for that dream trip to South Korea and plans to visits multiple times in a year for three to five years, this is an excellent opportunity to increase the chances of getting a multiple Korean tourist visa by applying with BDO or BPI credit cards. Please note though that BDO and BPI does not guarantee a visa issuance, I've not heard of anyone getting denied yet. All of those I knew who tried were given multiple entry even for first timers.  

Getting Denied For a Korean Visa for Filipino Tourist in the Philippines

Image from giecvisa.com

For some, being granted a visa to visit their dream location abroad is one of the best feelings in the world. However, not all applications get approved, and being denied for anything is also one of the worst feelings one would have to endure for a time. This post is merely specualations, or should I say, wild /smart guesses based on my own experience, and what I've read or heard. The only ones who definitely know are the consuls and they are not talking. :) I believe this is done so no attempt to override their process would be done. Much like credit card companies, they won't tell and would just ask you to retry after a certain number of months, which in this case, you can only reapply for a Korean visa after 6 months.

Sad life, I know.

Now, I personally was not denied one, but my nephew was, and we applied at the same time. As mentioned here, his wife was sent to Seoul for a business trip, and she invited us to tagged along. All we have to spend is the airfare and pocket money as the accommodation is shouldered by the company. And guess what, its The Westin Chosun. :)

So here's our profile:

Me:
32 y/o
Single
Applied as a employed tourist
employed in a private company (BPO)
working for 3 and a half years in my current company as a Team Leader
Bank account: 4XX,XXX
Average daily balance: 2XX,XXX
Complete requirements

My nephew:
31 y/o
Married
Applied as a student (He's studying as a caregiver)
Enrolled in a school for caregivers
Unemployed
Complete requirements
Bank account: 7X,)XXX (a chunk of it placed on his bank account 2-3 weeks before as mentioned by his wife)
Average Daily Balance: ?

At a glance, one would think that I have a high chance of being approved because of my high bank account. But was it that really the case?

Personally, what I think the mistake my nephew made is that he only placed a huge chunk of money 2-3 weeks before his application.  I believe ADB for 6 months is more important for Korean consuls to consider rather than the actual current balance of your account as anybody can have an amount be deposited on their account just what my nephew did.

Was it because he is an unemployed 31 y/o student? Though he submitted his school records and it was verified by the Korean embassy, is being an unemployed adult a no-no when applying for a visa?

Was is because he is a student caregiver? Maybe they mistook him as a caregiver accompanying his wife?  I've read somewhere that caregivers are frowned upon on Korea as they found it arrogant to have someone to attend to you  during your travel period?

Maybe somehow he left a blank space on his application form? It is important that all fields have entries and ones that do not apply to you should be marked as N/A (not applicable).

Or was it because of he placed conflicting information that the Korean embassy couldn't verify? On my part,  the Korean embassy did called our HR department and I was asked to return their call. I did and was just asked a few questions about my job, tenure and my position.

At the moment, these are the reasons I could think of that made him be declined from being granted a visa. We could only comfort him at that time.

Appeals

I personally have not heard or read that one could appeal the denial. Heck, they couldn't or should I say wouldn't disclose the exact reason, much more review your appeal. But I guess one could try and just hope for the best. 

Anyway, I will be applying for my second Korean visa this August 2016 and I'm still very nervous about it. Will keep you updated. :)

How to Apply for a Korean Visa for Filipino Tourists in the Philippines

Let me share a journal entry I did last December 2014.

Wishes indeed do come true. Although I’m not a member of KPop or Koreanovela hysteria that is still felt here in the Philippines since Winter Sonata days, South Korea has become a popular travel destination for Filipinos including myself. For me, it was the uniqueness of their culture. From kimchi to KPop to hanbok,  it all screams KOREA! It also helps that there are a lot more cheap flights available all year round with increasing number of budget airlines even though  South Korea have kind of tightened up their visa requirements recently.

 I visited Seoul in November-December, 2015. My nephew's wife was sent to Seoul on a business trip and she invited her husband and I  to tag along. It was November 4, 2015, but the tentative dates were by the end of November. In such short notice, I didn't even think twice. I thought, this is it, let's go! Imagine the scramble I took to apply for a Korean visa. With the APEC summit looming ahead, I immediately went to my bank to have my bank certificate and personal statement be processed. I also went to my company's HR to have me sent a copy of my ITR and a certificate of employment. We applied November 16 a day before the APEC summit and were asked to go back by November 25. The target date was November 28. Imagine that!! I know there are a lot of guides out there, but I just want to share my personal experience.  So here it is, your guide on How to apply Korean Tourist Visa in the Philippines. :)

Let me tell you that I was so nervous about this at first. I could not decide whether to purchase a ticket even before being granted a visa and take a gamble or to just wait until my visa gets approved. The plane tickets and accommodations  rates are getting more expensive each day into the target date. Yes, I decided not to risk it and just wait until I get approved before purchasing a ticket. I do not have the time to worry about the possibility of my application getting rejected. Making it worse, it’s my first time to apply for a visa directly at any embassy. All I have was a Hong Kong stamp on my passport back in 2013. Images of sweaty,  long, snaking lines and persistent travel agents flashed through my mind, making me the dread the whole thing even more. To my surprise and relief, the application process for a South Korea tourist visa turned out to be one of the quickest and least painful queue that I’ve ever had to endure. It was so organized that I must have spent no more than 60 minutes there total. I bet it took me much longer just to go to the embassy and back! Imagine if we can have the same to our government agencies (think: NBI)!  There’s nothing to worry about provided that all your documents are in order and complete. Single-entry tourists visa are good for 3 months from their date of issue, so I suggest applying 1-2 months before your trip. :)

To apply South Korean tourist visa in the Philippines is very easy and straight forward. That is, if you have the funds to show and complete requirements. I've even read that is even easier if you are have travelled to an OECD member countries for the last 5 years as you are no longer required to submit an ITR. For a list of OECD countries, you can check it out here.

Since it is my first time to apply for a visa, I'll only be tackling Tourist Visa Requirements for Filipino Employees. So if you are applying as otherwise, this post would not be helpful for you.

Tourist Visa Requirements for Filipino Employees

1. Application Form (You can download it from here.)
2. 1piece of Passport size colored picture (II don't think they have a rule on what color should the back ground is but I chose the ever classic white background. LOL)
3. Original Passport (Should be valid for more than 6 months. Attach your photo on the form with a glue. Never tape or staple your photo as the embassy won't accept this. Luckily, the embassy provides glue.)
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 applicable, and Korean Visas will not be counted)
6. Original Certificate of Employment
   (must include applicant's position, date hired, compensation, office address, HR landline number(cell-phone number is not allowed), HR e-mail address. This is important I believe. Miss one and it's goodbye visa!)
7. Original Personal Bank Certificate
   (Must include account type, current balance, account opening date, average daily balance (ADB). I also believe that this is very important. They actually call your emplyer to verify)
8. Bank Statement
   (Original or certified true copy of bank statements/passbook for the last 3 months)
9. ITR(Income Tax Return) or Form 2316 Copy
10. Copy of PRC Card or IBP Card (If applicable only)

Being the obssesive-compulsive that I am, I even made a hard copy of this list so I can literally check it off.

Where to Apply Korean Tourist Visa in the Philippines?

Address : 122 Upper McKinley Road
McKinley Town Center, Fort Bonifacio
Taguig city 1634, Philippines

There's no need to schedule an appointment. Just walk in and hope for the best. :)
Monday-Friday 08:30-12:00nn only

I personally took a taxi from Eastwood City to get there. Just inform the driver to pass along C5. Its right after the SM Aura Mall.  Those who are coming via EDSA, I must warn you, don't. But if you must allot at least two hours of travel time and expect more because of the eternal traffic. For those who are driving themselves there, I highly recommend that you go early since parking is pretty limited.

As you get to the Korean Embassy, you will be asked to log on their visitor's monitoring form at the entrance and to leave an ID to get your gate pass. You then head inside and follow the path towards the visa office, and get a number from the front desk nearest to the door.

There are three windows for visa application, Windows 1 and 2 are for those who are first-time traveler (those without a visa from any of the OECD countries) and Window 3 is dedicated for all those with visas issued by any of the OECD. countries.

As mentioned, the wait was short, maybe because we got there early and I made sure to have all my documents needed ready. Heck, I double, even triple check my documents while waiting and this includes going through the form again making sure I didn't leave any blanks.

As soon as your number flashes on the screen above the window or when you hear your number being called, head over and hand all documents to the embassy staff. He/she will check if you got everything complete and you will be handed a white claim card that contains the date of your passport's release.

Whew, that was fast!

How long is it to Apply Korean Tourist Visa in the Philippines?

First Time Applicants: 5 working days
Frequent Travelers: 3-4 working days

How much is the visa fee of Korean Tourist Visa?

59 days (or less) stay in Korea — GRATIS (free)
60 to 90 days stay in Korea — PHP1,800.00

We were asked to go back November 25, 2016. Imagine the agony I have to endure thinking whether I will be granted one or not. When the day finally came, I just head over to the same window and was given back my passport.

WOOOOOOT! Imagine my joy! I was very very very over the top happy, I could have cartwheeled  my way out of the embassy. Korea it was! Will do a separate article of my Korea trip last December as I only had the time now.

Unfortunately, this post would not have a really happy ending. It turned out, my nephew got denied. I will do a separate article about that although there's little to say as the embassy does not disclose the specific reason why you got denied They just provide you a paper with a check on the vague reason you got rejected. More on that in a few. :)