South Korea C-3 processing for Manila nomads increased to 12 working days

South Korea's short-term visit (C-3) visa processing in Manila increased from 10 to 12 working days Oct. 1, 2026, the Korea Visa Application Center in Manila announced. For nomads applying through this route, that means a longer turnaround. Express applications still take five working days.

Regular processing takes 2 working days longer

The center published the notice Sept. 30. It specifies working days, not calendar days, for both regular and express applications. The change concerns applications handled through Manila, not a documented increase across all South Korean consulates or visa categories.

The center closes on weekends, Philippine holidays and Korean consulate holidays. That means the stated 12-working-day period shouldn't be treated as 12 consecutive dates on a calendar.

Applicants may visit the center on the next working day after receiving an SMS notification, the notice says. The processing period and the passport collection date aren't necessarily the same day.

Which visiting nomads face the longer wait

The scope isn't limited to Filipino applicants. Foreign nationals holding permanent residence in the Philippines can apply for a Korean visa, the center's frequently asked questions page says. For specified nationalities, applicants must hold a Philippine long-term residence visa and have continuously stayed in the Philippines for more than two years, the Korean Embassy's linked requirements say. Those eligible applicants applying through Manila for C-3 visas fall within the category named in the notice.

Applicants using the separate F-1-D Workation route aren't named in this C-3 notice. Neither are travelers entering without applying for a visa. Applications at other consular posts shouldn't be assumed to follow Manila's revised timetable.

The notice changes processing time for C-3 applications; it doesn't announce a change to permission to work.

When applicants can file

C-3 applicants with a fixed departure date should allow for the extra two working days and the collection step. Applications can be submitted two months before the intended travel date, the center says.

A confirmed flight itinerary or hotel reservation isn't necessary for the application. A tentative flight date and hotel name suffice, according to the center's frequently asked questions page.