If you’re missing a Korean visa requirement like the ITR, you may write a cover letter that’s addressed to the Embassy.
In a nutshell
- Do I need to prepare a cover letter for my Korean visa application? Submitting a cover letter is an optional step in the South Korea visa application process. You can write one to explain why you are unable to submit an ITR or provide more context to your source of funds, occupation, travel history, etc.
- How should I write one? Korean visa applicants usually write a cover letter that consists of an introduction of themselves as an applicant, their reason for writing to the Embassy, and a brief explanation or statement. A sample is provided below.
- Which font should I use? You may want to use font style Arial or Times New Roman and size 11 or 12.
- Prepare for your upcoming trip! Aside from writing a cover letter for your visa application, consider booking a cheap eSIM from Korea Telecom or this 2-in-1 transportation and payment card!
How to Write a Cover Letter for Your South Korea Visa Application
There are two main reasons why visa applicants write a cover letter to the Embassy of the Republic of Korea: they lack a requirement or they feel the need to explain some things about their situation. Here are some common scenarios:
For Employees, Freelancers, & Self-Employed Professionals
- They have no ITR to submit.
- Their Certificate of Employment (COE) lacks particular information, such as a landline number.
- They are a home-based or remote worker for an overseas company that cannot provide a COE that’s signed by hand.
For Entrepreneurs
- They are a business owner who is unable to send in their ITR or Form 2316 with a receipt from an authorized bank.
For Students, Recent Graduates, & Unemployed
- They are a student whose parents are unable to provide their ITR.
- They recently graduated from school and are currently looking for a job.
General
- They cannot submit their valid visa/s and arrival stamp/s from the past 5 years because they lost their old passport.
- There’s a discrepancy between the name on their birth certificate and other documents.
- They wish to explain their relationship with the person who will pay for their trip.
- The applicant would like to explain why they included supporting documents in their Korean visa application, such as photos of their recent trip, credit card billing statements, a notarized affidavit, and the like.
- They were previously denied a visa and would like to relay some changes to their circumstances.
If you find yourself in any of these scenarios or similar, know that it does not automatically mean that you need to write a cover letter. This step is completely optional. In fact, some applicants write one even if they have a complete set of requirements. With that said, if your gut tells you that explaining something to the Korean Embassy will help strengthen your application, go for it. You can use our template below as a guide.
Sample Cover Letter for Korean Visa Applicants
Before you write to the Embassy, keep this in mind: your cover letter has to be concise. Those who go over visa applications do not have the time to read long paragraphs, so stay on their good side by keeping it short and sweet. Here is a sample template that helped me obtain my Korean visa when I applied for the first time:
February 25, 2024
Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Republic of the Philippines
122 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Town Center
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City 1634 Philippines
Dear Sir/Madam:
Good day! I am writing this letter to explain why I am unable to submit my Income Tax Return (ITR) for my visa application.
I started my new job as a freelance video editor two months ago, and I have yet to process my ITR. However, my target date to secure this document is in April 2024.
For your reference, you will find attached the latest project contracts that I have with my clients.
In the past five years, I traveled to Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan as a tourist. If given the opportunity, I hope to explore South Korea for 5 days and visit Seoul and Gyeonggi-do.
Thank you for taking the time to review my application.
Respectfully yours,
Signature
Your name
1. Date, Address, & Salutation
In the first few parts of your Korean visa application cover letter, include the date when you plan to submit your visa application, the address of the Embassy, and the salutation. Here’s what it would look like:
Date
Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Republic of the Philippines
122 Upper McKinley Road, McKinley Town Center
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City 1634
Philippines
Dear Sir/Madam:
If you will apply at the Consulate in Cebu, here’s the appropriate opening:
Date
Consulate of the Republic of Korea in Cebu
12/F Chinabank Corporate Center, Lot 2, Samar Loop cor. Road 5
Cebu Business Park, Mabolo, Cebu City
Philippines
Dear Sir/Madam:
2. Introduction
Briefly state what you are writing about. Keep it 1-2 sentences short so that the visa officer will know your intent right away. Below is a sample:
Good day! I am writing this letter to explain why I failed to submit my Income Tax Return (ITR) for my visa application.
3. Reason
In the succeeding part, talk about your situation. If you do not have an ITR, you may want to assure the visa officer that you will obtain one in the near future:
I started my new job as a freelance video editor two months ago, and I have yet to process my ITR. However, my target date to secure this document is in April 2020.
4. Supporting Documents
You can then inform the visa officer about the relevant documents that you have prepared.
For your reference, you will find attached the latest project contracts that I have with my client.
5. Purpose of Travel
The final part of your letter of explanation is where you want to establish that you’ll travel to Korea for leisure. If you have visited other countries in the past as a tourist, it will be good to include them here. Name the most recent ones if you’ve visited a lot. Moreover, if you are fond of Korea, you can also talk about it briefly in this section.
In the past five years, I traveled to Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan as a tourist. If given the opportunity, I hope to explore Seoul for 5 days and visit the likes of Gyeongbokgung, Lotte World, and Nami Island.
6. Closing & Name Block
End the body of your cover letter by thanking the visa officer and adding a complimentary close.
Thank you for taking the time to review my application.
Respectfully yours,
Signature
Your name
7. Signature
Print the cover letter of your Korean visa application on an A4-size paper, then sign using a black pen.
Specifying the purpose of your trip
You’ve got to admit — while writing a cover letter can seem daunting, the part where you clarify your purpose of travel can be quite fun. After all, this is where you get personal. If you would like to express your (or your family member’s) interest in Korean culture, products, destinations, and others, do so. Just remember to keep it short. When you share a little bit about your interests and itinerary (specific attractions and activities), the more it may help the visa officer learn about your purpose of travel.
Note
When applying for a tourist visa, keep in mind that you should demonstrate that you have strong ties in your home country and that you have the capacity or sources to fund your trip. If you think that you are not able to prove these at the moment, you have two options: postpone your application until you have all the necessary documents or change in circumstances, or write a short and honest cover letter about your situation.
Klook Promo Code for South Korea
Use our promo code TRAVLISTS on Klook here to get up to 8% off on your booking!
Korea Seat Sale ✈️
Find cheaper airfare from Jeju Air, Cebu Pacific, PAL, Korea Air, AirAsia, & more!
- Manila to Incheon (MNL to ICN)
- Clark to Incheon (CRK to ICN)
- Mactan-Cebu to Incheon (CEB to ICN)
- Davao to Incheon (DVO to ICN)
