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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Travel agencies tighten e-group visa rules after 4 Filipinos go 'TNT' in Korea

Travel agencies tighten e-group visa rules after 4 Filipinos go 'TNT' in Korea

Published Aug 28, 2026 11:40 am
Seoul, South Korea is covered in snow during a winter season (Jonathan Hicap)
Seoul, South Korea is covered in snow during a winter season (Jonathan Hicap)
Travel agencies in the Philippines have imposed stricter requirements for group tour applicants to South Korea after four Filipinos failed to return home.
One agency said the four left their tour group in South Korea and overstayed illegally.
As a result, the agency that issued the e-group visa was allegedly fined P500,000 per person, or a total of P2 million.
“Incidents like this also put designated travel agencies under stricter monitoring and may lead to sanctions affecting future group visa processing,” Tinventures Travel and Tours Agency posted on Facebook.
To prevent similar cases, agencies have added new requirements for Filipino e-group visa applicants.
Travel Perfect now requires passengers to “execute a notarized waiver and undertaking acknowledging their responsibilities and obligations as travelers.”
Each applicant must also provide 10 contact persons with addresses and contact details “for verification and emergency reference purposes.”
Conquer PH Travels by Sams Travel and Tours Services now requires applicants to submit the names of five guarantors “who can attest to the applicant’s personal circumstances and commitment to return to the Philippines after their authorized stay in South Korea. Complete contact information and residential addresses of the guarantors must be provided and may be subject to verification.”
Recently, the Korean Embassy in the Philippines suspended 11 travel agencies for one month and another for six months, without explaining the reasons.
Filipino visits to South Korea have surged. Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) data show 615,141 Filipino tourists visited in 2025, up 19 percent from 2024.
This placed the Philippines sixth in South Korea’s inbound tourism market after China, Japan, Taiwan, the US, and Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, South Korea remained the Philippines’ top source of tourists in 2025, with 1.34 million arrivals, accounting for a 20.76 percent market share.

Related Tags

Korean visa South Korea Korea travel e-group visa Korea Korean Embassy in the Philippines
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