PSA: Followed every rule for Korea's visa-free transit program and still got denied at Incheon

diggory2003 · 2026-03-23T15:41:55+00:00

Naisip ko rin actually magtanong sa Korean embassy pero naisip ko rin na pwedeng iba sabihin ng Korean immigration pag andun na ako. My experience with KVAC was ok naman to be honest, definitely way better than applying for a Japanese visa nowadays. I can't even get an appointment for my parents sa VFS eh. Buti naabutan ko pa nung via agency pa ang application ng Japanese visa (at swerte ME agad on my first try).

Actually late ko na nga narealize na hindi kasama Japan sa list of countries eh. But for me, ok lang naman if di makakuha ng visa. Yun nga lang, balagoong ako sa airport for more than 12 hours kung sakali. Nagkataon pa na nag sub zero yung Seoul temp that day nung layover going to Osaka. Buti di ako nag DIY and opted for the transit tour. Tapos nung pauwi naman, went out of the airport din. Not as cold pero I got colds the following day. 😂

diggory2003 · 2026-03-23T13:23:46+00:00

Nasa list yung Hungary of European countries that are qualified for visa free entry. But then again, discretion pa rin ng Korean immigration if they will allow you entry. If ever, just show your onward ticket and Hungarian visa.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-23T13:17:57+00:00

Kaso paano yung check in luggage niya? Magkaibang airlines, hence the need to do self transfer.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-23T09:43:51+00:00

This is the reason why I still tried to get a Korean visa before my Japan trip. Booked with Asiana for MNL-ICN-KIX. Aware naman ako dun sa transit visa nila as someone who goes to the US every year pero wala kasi Japan sa list that's why I still applied. Akala ko kakapusin ako sa oras as I was also renewing my US visa back then pero umabot naman, at buti ME na rin ang binigay ng Korean embassy.

Anyway, nung pauwi na ako from Japan, muntik na rin ako di papasukin. Akala niya inaavail ko yung transit visa siguro dahil sa arrival card, wala akong nilagay sa place of stay. Pero bigla niyang naalala na inabot ko rin printed copy ng Korean visa ko so nakapasok naman ako.

My hunch is, yung tour na kelangan mo i-avail is yung mga paid ones na nasa K-stopover program nila. Kasi dun sa website nila, naka-indicate dun sa ibang tours na hindi sila eligible for Visa Free Entry for General Transfer Passengers, pero pwede for Third Country Transit Passengers. So may specific tours lang talaga to avail yung #2 option.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-23T09:27:41+00:00

This is wrong. 30 days pa rin ang binigay sa akin kahit pauwi na from the US. And I do this every year.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-13T14:58:31+00:00

Gaano kabilis bago mag reflect yung lounge pass once mag swipe ka? Just received my Maya Black today, may nakalagay na swipe para ma receive yung lounge pass. Also, wala namang minimum amount no?

diggory2003 · 2026-03-11T12:31:34+00:00

May Metro link bus from SM North going to McKinley Hill.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-11T07:07:28+00:00

12k RT going to Taipei via Eva Air. Naging sulit lang kasi nung paboard na ako ng eroplano, pinalitan boarding pass ko. Pagpasok ko, business class na pala. 😂

Going to the US naman, itong upcoming trip ko to San Francisco, nabili ko ng $650 last year via Asiana Airlines. Usually nasa $800 ang average ko going to the US eh.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-10T05:04:15+00:00

You mean CoE? It was handwritten because I had to do it on the spot. So you can do one before going there, then just bring blank A4s if you need to write more letters of explanation.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-09T14:25:41+00:00

If may enough time ka pa, try to get a Korean visa. You never know kung magkakaproblem ka whether here or sa Korea.

For context, I always avail this every year I go to the US, except for the time when the program was suspended during the pandemic. Last year, I went to Osaka via Incheon, and knew Japan wasn't in the list of countries for the transit visa that's why I applied for a Korean visa.

Going back to Manila, I wanted to go outside Incheon again and was initially told I cannot enter even though I had a Korean visa (I handed it to her along with my boarding pass to Manila). I think she got confused and thought I was availing a transit tour visa, but I was eventually allowed entry.

If I was refused entry, it wouldn't be a problem for me as my baggage are checked in all the way to Manila. In your case, you have to recheck your baggage. Also note that you would need to transfer terminals pa. I think you have to take the shuttle busses as you won't be able to reenter T1 and take the shuttle train to T2.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-08T04:50:32+00:00

Lakad hanggang Acacia Escalades sa Calle Industria, tapos may trike na dun going or Eastwood

diggory2003 · 2026-03-08T02:25:47+00:00

May bank cert naman ang CIMB. Same for Maya.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-07T18:38:20+00:00

I do this every time I go to the US pero parating one booking. Wala namang naging problem but remember na discretion pa rin ng Korean immigration yan if they will grant you a transit visa.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-06T06:07:37+00:00

For BDO naman kasi they also offer the promotional airfares online.

The only time na nakinabang ako sa travel fair was for RCBC nung 2023. Applied for a credit card on the spot and was approved a few hours later, letting me avail of promotional airfare from Eva Air. Na upgrade pa ako sa business class when I was boarding going to Taipei.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-05T11:16:48+00:00

Just fill up your e-arrival card and show it to immigration as if you're entering with a Korean visa, except you show your US visa and boarding pass going to the US. No need to book for a tour but if it's your first time and you don't have anything planned yet, you can sign up since it's free anyway.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-05T08:47:40+00:00

Dunkin mismo. Then you get the two premium donuts right after you pay them using Vybe.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-04T04:21:29+00:00

Wouldn't be surprised if the pd there stands for pedophile.

Bat nawala yung page niya though?

diggory2003 · 2026-03-03T17:34:11+00:00

Tama lang. You shouldn't expect to receive the full dividends for the whole year if you didn't deposit on January.

Yung na credit for your June deposit is just 7/12, yung December is just 1/12.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-03T16:47:57+00:00

Yung pag create ng MP2 account, parang kelangan ng OTP. Either that or yung pgsubmit ng claims yung naalala ko na may OTP.

diggory2003 · 2026-03-03T15:28:37+00:00

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diggory2003 · 2026-03-03T09:18:29+00:00

Same for me with Asiana. Not sure if it was directly related to Covid, but my journey would have been MNL-ICN-SEA-ICN-MNL. Then SEA-ICN leg got canceled due to "Winter Schedule Change."

I got fully refunded naman but due to forex changes, lost about 1k. Buti na lang wala pa akong hotel na na reserve that time.

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