Published: 2022 • 09 • 21

One of the countries I’ve been almost desperately wanting to return to is South Korea. So when the Korean government announced it would finally begin accepting tourist visa applications again, I was the first to book flights.

The problem is, Korea is an extremely popular destination, especially among Filipinos. While the Korean Embassy in Manila is still trying to get back to normal operations, visa applications started piling up. But that’s not all. The embassy has also posted a notice warning against submission of falsified requirements like certificates of employment, bank certificates, ITR or other documents, implying a rise in dubious documents it receives. According to travel agents we talked to, it’s because of this that the embassy became stricter and more meticulous in reviewing applications.

All these led to the Embassy limiting the number of applications it accepts per day. Walk-in applicants formed