Essential Reading Before Studying Abroad 7) Complete Guide to Philippine Visas

Hello everyone

We are AWork Study Abroad, a specialized institution for Philippine language study programs.

What visa do you need to study a language abroad?

It can vary depending on how long you plan to stay,

but broadly speaking, there are three options: applying for and receiving an SSP,

extending your visa,

or obtaining an ACR-I Card

You can think of it in these three ways.

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< Philippine Tourist Visa >

If you hold Korean nationality,

you can stay in the Philippines visa-free for 30 days.

If you exceed 30 days,

you must apply for a stay extension.

If you're doing a short-term program within 30 days,

you can stay without applying for any separate documents or paying any fees,

but beyond that, you'll need to apply for an extension.

To study on a tourist visa, you separately need an SSP,

and if you stay 59 days or more,

you must also obtain an ACR-I Card separately.

The first visa extension allows up to 29 additional days,

and the second visa extension allows up to 30 more days.

It's a bit of a hassle, but you need to apply for an extension every month,

and if you don't apply for the extension, penalties will be added.

In the worst case, it may become difficult to visit again in the future,

so you should be careful.

What you'll need at this time is your passport and the visa extension fee,

and extensions are possible up to the 5th time. 

The cost for the first extension is around the mid-3,000 peso range.

However, extension costs may vary depending on local circumstances

or the language school, so please keep this in mind.

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< What is an SSP? >

SSP stands for Special Study Permit,

and is required when entering the Philippines visa-free for language study, etc.,

no matter how long you stay,

it is a study permit you must obtain without exception.

It's granted through your language school,

and since it's issued with a unique number,

if you change language schools or re-enter the country, 

you'll need to obtain it again.

Once issued, it's valid for 6 months.

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< What is the ACR-I Card? >

This is a card called the "I-Card,"

and you can think of it as a foreign resident certificate.

Foreigners staying in the Philippines for 59 days or more

must obtain it, and once issued,

it remains valid for 1 year, even upon re-entry.

It can be issued together during your second extension,

and there's no need to reissue it separately even when changing language schools.

The cost is around 70,000-80,000 KRW.

Like our country's resident registration card or passport,

it can be used as your personal ID within the Philippines,

so if you lose it, it can cause a difficult situation,

so please be careful to keep it safe.

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In today's post, we've covered

everything about Philippine visas.

If you visit the link below, you can find

various other information related to language study,

so please feel free to contact us anytime if you have any questions.

⬇️Go to AWork Study Abroad⬇️

Business Hours 10:00 - 19:00 (Closed weekends/holidays)

Email info@aworkacademy.com

Contact 1855-0631