Some people have asked me how I processed my Korean tourist visa (C3). Honestly speaking, obtaining a Korean tourist visa is not easy. It can really be stressful because of the many requirements that you need to comply. What’s worse is that after you’ve submitted the requirements, you won’t get any assurance that your visa application will be approved. Some applicants go home with a heavy heart because their visa applications have been denied.

In my case, my visa application wasn’t that difficult or complicated because of the fact that my husband is a Korean citizen. I know most Filipino women who are married to Korean men will agree with me. Ladies, we have to thank God for our Korean husbands! If it weren’t because of them, we would have never stepped our foot into the Land of the Morning Calm. Haha!

I processed my tourist visa at the Korean Embassy in Taguig City. It only took us 3 hours to get eveything done. After 3 weeks of waiting, I finally received my C3 visa. It was attached to my Philippine passport. The embassy granted me a 90-day sojourn which means that I can stay in Korea for 90 days. If a C3 visa holder plans to extend his/her stay in Korea, he/she can apply for a visa extension at the nearest immigration office.

We arrived in Korea on April 2, 2015. I wanted to work as an English tutor but I couldn’t do it because of my visa status. Tourist visa holders are not allowed to work legally in Korea. So my husband and I decided that I should change my visa status from C3 to F6 (tourist–>spouse). We went to the immigration office in Changwon and processed my F6 visa and my alien registration card (ARC) last May 14, 2015. It’s the nearest immigration office to my in-laws’ residence in Uiryeong. On June 18, 2015, I received my ARC with an F6 visa status. I was very happy that day. With my F6 visa (spouse visa), I can now apply and work legally as an English tutor at hagwons. A hagwon is a private language academy in Korea where most foreigners like me teach English to Koreans. F6 visa needs to be renewed every year. If Harry (my husband) wants to renew my F6 visa or not is definitely up to him. He calls the shots. For this reason, I think I have to be nice to him every single day. Hahaha!

Thanks for reading my post!