Korea visa C-3 · family and friends
Invitation letter for a Korea visa — on the Embassy format, with the budget and the checklist
Short answer. The letter of invitation on Embassy Form #1 is open below — your friend or relative in Korea fills it in and signs. Invitation letter: invitee’s details and contacts, purpose and period of stay, who bears the travel expenses; the purpose and the relationship in detail. No prescribed format — the Embassy form may be used. No notarization (Embassy checklist (6 Aug 2026), Notes).
- Bank certificate must be issued on or aftertype the date
- Photo must be taken on or aftertype the date
- Single-entry visa valid until (if issued that day)type the date
Check your own case.
Embassy of Korea in the Philippines, «Short Term Visit Visa for Family and Friends», updated 6 August 2026: bank certificate issued within the last 3 months; photo taken within 6 months; single-entry visa valid for 3 months from the date of issue.
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Trip budget
Who pays what — you or your friend in Korea
Prices are examples — put in your own. If you stay 60 days or more, the ₱2,000 visa fee is added to your part.
- Send the form to your friend in Korea: they fill in both parts, the purpose and the period, and sign — no notarization.
- They send it back with a copy of their passport bio-page or Korean ID.
- Get your bank certificate (issued within 3 months, with ADB) and apply at the Korea Visa Application Center in BGC.
Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines, «Short Term Visit Visa for Family and Friends», updated 6 August 2026: visa fee for Filipinos — 59 days of stay or less gratis, 60 to 90 days ₱2,000, visa center fee separate; the invitation letter states who bears the travel expenses. Days of stay = nights + 1.
Liza, Layers template assistant
Tell me the dates and who pays what — I will fill the form for your friend in Korea and show the budget.
If you stay 60 days or more, I add the ₱2,000 visa fee to your part.
Deadlines
The rules, with the source
| What | Deadline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Invitation letter | Invitee’s details and contacts, purpose and period of stay, who bears the travel expenses; the purpose and the relationship in detail. No prescribed format — the Embassy form may be used. No notarization | Embassy checklist (6 Aug 2026), Notes |
| Inviter’s ID | Copy of the inviter’s passport bio-page (or Korean ID); a registered alien — ACR / alien residence card | Checklist: Acquaintances of Korean; of Registered Alien |
| Bank certificate | In the applicant’s name, issued within the last 3 months: account name, number, type, opening date, current balance and 6-month average daily balance (ADB) | Checklist, Notes |
| Visa fee for Filipinos | Stay of 59 days or less — gratis; 60 to 90 days — ₱2,000; the visa center fee is separate | Checklist, Visa Fee |
| Where to apply | Korea Visa Application Center (KVAC), 9F Brittany Hotel BGC, Taguig — all applications since 29 August 2023 | Checklist, KVAC |
| Who cannot invite | E-9 visa holders in Korea cannot invite family or friends | Checklist: Registered Alien |
Read on the official checklist of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines (PDF attached to the board post, updated 6 August 2026) and the Embassy invitation format (31 August 2023). The Embassy may ask for more documents; the visa is decided on the applicant’s documents, not on the inviter’s status.
Step by step
What to do, in order
1
Agree on the plan
Dates, city, who pays the flight, accommodation and daily costs — the calculator splits it.
2
The inviter fills in the form
Embassy Form #1 below: both parties, the period and the purpose; details on a separate page.
3
They sign and send it with their ID copy
Passport bio-page or Korean ID; no notarization.
4
Get your bank certificate
Issued within 3 months, with ADB for 6 months.
5
Add your papers
Application form no. 17, photo, passport and copy, proof of employment and ITR if applicable.
6
Apply at KVAC
9F Brittany Hotel BGC, Taguig.
Questions
Does the invitation letter need notarization?
No — the Embassy checklist of 6 August 2026 says the invitation letter does not require notarization.
Is there a fixed format?
No prescribed format, but the Embassy form may be used — it is the one below.
Do I pay a visa fee?
For Filipinos: gratis for a stay of 59 days or less, ₱2,000 for 60 to 90 days. The visa center fee is separate.
Official sources
Other documents
Keep the papers in one place
Letters, receipts and notices in one folder you can share with family or a lawyer. The templates and the editor are free; Layers is free for up to 20 people.
This is a ready letter and a trip budget, not legal advice.