Europe / How-To / Travel / Visa

Applying for a Schengen Visa

G. DiazLeave a comment

Travelling to Europe is something that is probably on everyone’s travel bucket list. From seeing the Eiffel Tower in France, traversing up the Swiss Alps in Switzerland, or going Flamenco dancing in Spain, Europe has something to offer everyone. As a Filipino citizen, travelling to Europe means another trip to a European country’s embassy to obtain that visa. If your plans include going to a number of European countries that belong to the Schengen area (read more below), then this post is for you!

This blog entry contains the UPDATED visa rules and requirements

for a Schengen Short Term Visa via the French Embassy.

Similar to applying for a UK visa, applying for a Schengen visa (via the French Embassy) is easy, fast, and painless. Please do remember that I will be talking about applying for a Schengen Short Term Visa via the French Embassy. Short term visa is for those who are staying in the Schengen area for less than or equal to 90 consecutive days.

The first thing you have to figure out before applying for this visa is what country you will be spending the most time in. You will apply at the embassy of the country that you will stay the most days and not the country that will be your point of first entry. It may be the case that some embassies are easier to apply at (as I’ve read from other bloggers who have applied at different embassies). But I urge you to apply at the embassy of the country that you really want to explore and spend the most time in. I personally wouldn’t recommend applying at an embassy that others say is the “easiest” and you having to be in a country that you’re not as interested in just for the sake of ease of visa approval.

Now, before you go and download all the forms and whatnots required for the application, I would highly recommend that you figure out the actual travel dates and itinerary that you want to pursue. The visa validity depends on these dates! For example, my travel dates are 11 October to 02 December 2015 and the validity dates that were granted on my visa are 09 October to 09 December 2015. So, ladies and gents, no false travel dates please!

Once you’ve figured out your itinerary and travel dates, whether you had help from a travel agency or did them on your own, you can go ahead and start the visa application process. But before I start talking business, here is a glimpse of my experience.

My trip is mostly DIY (do-it-yourself, more on this in future blog posts): booked my hotels, figured out where to go on what day and reserved the day tours/city tours. I did have help with flight reservations because I was going on a total of ten (10) flights within Europe, plus the roundtrip Manila-Paris-Manila flight. I booked a roundtrip flight between Manila and Paris simply because roundtrip tickets are way cheaper than one-way tickets. I also had help getting travel insurance for the trip. Yes, you read that right. You need travel insurance from an embassy approved/accredited agency (click here for the list) as part of your application. Help came in the form of Voyager Travel and Tours (more info about them below) and I HIGHLY recommend them. They also got my appointment at the embassy. My appointment was 07 August 2015 and my visa was released 11 August 2015. Amazing, right? More on this below.

Now, how was the experience at the embassy? Well, honestly, it was partly similar to my UK visa application experience (read more here), except that here, there was an interview. I arrived 30 minutes before my appointment (recommended) and the guard asked me to turn my mobile phone off and this was surrendered to him. The guard will give you a claim stub (pink colour) for your phone and a separate piece of numbered paper (white colour). They will call the number on the white piece of paper and proceed to the window that was said when they called out that number. At this first window, you pay the visa application (Php 2,970 at the time of my application), they take your documents and passport(s), get your fingerprints (both hands), and take your picture. They will give you back your documents, except the passport(s), issues you a receipt and asks you to sit back down. The second time around, your name will be called and this is for the interview. Do remember that the person (a Filipino) at this window doing the interview will not be the one determining whether your visa application gets approved or rejected. I believe that the purpose of this interview is to double check what your documents say, like your travel dates, source of funds/income, and to generally determine whether you’re telling the truth or not.

Two tips to avoid annoying the interviewer. First, have your documents in the order that is indicated in the step-by-step application guide. If these are not in order, he/she will ask you to go back to your seat and arrange the documents accordingly. They are very strict with how the documents are arranged! Second, if you are not comfortable, or at the very least are having trouble, speaking in English, it is okay if you speak TagLish (Tagalog-English) or in full Tagalog. Remember that the interviewer is Filipino. The interview lasts about 5minutes and at the end of this, your receipt will be stamped with the date when your visa result will be ready. Questions range from who booked your hotels/flights, did you use an agency, what are your travel dates, why do you want to go there, etc. The results are released as fast as two (2) days from your appointment date!

Here is my Schengen Visa issued 10 August 2015.

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Here are some reminders for when you apply:

  • Arrive at the visa processing centre 30 minutes before your schedule. During peak seasons, there’s probably quite a line forming, so best be early so you don’t get delayed. You need to leave your mobile phone (that has been turned off) with the guard, but you are permitted to bring your bag inside.
  • Dress appropriately, think smart casual attire. For the women, none of the following: (a) booty shorts, (b) short, tight dresses, (c) sky high heels or slippers, and (d) too much make up. For the men, none of the following: (a) sando’s, (b) basketball shorts/cargo shorts, and (c) slippers. This is neither a party club nor a basketball court, there’s no need for these types of clothing. But please don’t dress like a slob! You have to look presentable. A good pair of pants, closed shoes, and either a button down shirt or nicer t-shirt top will do (yes, this applies to both men and women).
  • If you get bored very easily, you can bring a book inside to read.
  • Do not lose the receipt they give you! You or your authorised representative need this to claim the visa decision.
  • Relax! Relax! Relax!

Now let’s get our serious hats on and go through the formal business of discussing the do’s and don’t’s,  what you need to submit, and how much this application will hurt your wallet!

***NOTE: I will be discussing the visa application process for the Short Stay Visa, Tourism purposes only***

The Schengen Area

The Schengen visa is issued by the countries in the Schengen agreement that allows no border controls within the said regions. There are currently 26 countries in this agreement. All are countries in the European continent but not necessarily members of the European Union.

The following is a list of countries/places that you can visit with your Schengen visa:

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland

When and Where To Apply

As of January, 2014, valid Schengen visa (type: double or multiple entry), who have already entered the Schengen area, may travel to the Cyprus and Croatia without an additional visa and may stay for period equal to the remainder of the time for which the Schengen visa is valid. The said countries membership to Schengen region are in process.

You can apply for a visa, at the most, three (3) months before your intended travel date. The result of your application will be released two (2) to ten (10) days after the date of application. Your application must be lodged at the embassy of the country where you will spend the most days in. However, if the length of stay in each country is almost the same, apply at the country of your first point of entry.

For visa applications lodged at The French Embassy, regardless of the type, an appointment must be set before coming to the embassy. Beginning April 20, 2012, appointments may be set by calling the Embassy Call Centre. They will also be able to tell you how much the visa fee will be. The Embassy Call Centre is available nationwide, available Mondays thru Saturdays from 8am to 6pm except public holidays, and may be contacted thru any of the following numbers:

  • For PLDT/Smart/Touchcard Subscribers 1 (909) 101- 3333
  • For Globe/Innove/Touchmobile Subscribers 1 (900) 101- 3333
  • For Bayantel Subscribers 1 (903) 101- 3333

Here is a note from The French Embassy’s website regarding possible delays in getting appointments:

“WARNING! Because of longer waiting time to obtain an appointment (up to one month or more) at peak periods and holiday seasons, you are advised to make an appointment as soon as possible, but no more than 90 days in advance. Visa processing takes 7 days from the date of interview, but may take up to 4 to 8 weeks, specific to cases when further documentation is required.”

Cost of the Visa

The visa-processing fee is EUR 60 (depending on the day’s exchange rate, it can range from Php 2,970 to about 3,700). Bring PESOS (PHPs). Bring EXACT CHANGE, and bring paper money as I’ve heard that they do not accept coins. Children ages between 6-11 years old pay EUR 35. Children under the age of 6 are free of charge. The fee is non-refundable even if application is unsuccessful. Payments are made at the Embassy/Consulate when submitting your application.

Application Requirements

  1. Signed and filled up Schengen Visa Application Form with photo attached, plus 1 additional photo.
    • Photo specifications
      • Colored photo taken against a white background
      • Size: 35mm x 45mm, maximum head length: 25mm
      • Head must not be tilted
      • Absolutely no eyewear and headgear in any form
      • Image must not have been altered
      • Image must be clear
  2. Valid passport with 3 months validity from the end of visa duration. Photo copy of valid and former visas, if any. Also bring your old passport(s) to show your travel history.
  3. Cover letter explaining the purpose of your trip and detailed itinerary.
  4. Details of your trip. These include:
    • Roundtrip flight reservations. This can be done by calling the airline and requesting for a flight reservation. They will send you an email confirming the reservation and a deadline on when you have to pay for it.
    • Day-to-day itinerary of the whole duration including departure and arrival date.
    • Hotel booking confirmation. You can get this from websites such as booking.com wherein you can book rooms at hotels without having to pre-pay.
  5. Financial documents showing that you have sufficient funds available. These must clearly show that you have access to the funds.
    • Bank statements/certificates
    • Proof of earnings such as a letter from employer confirming employment details, payslips (start date of employment, salary, role, company contact details)
    • Photocopies of your Income Tax Returns
    • If self employed: business registration documents confirming the business owner’s name and the date the business started trading.
    • Proof of sponsorship if the travel expenses are being shouldered by someone else
      • If sponsored by parents, you will need to bring bank certificates of your parents accounts, their most recent ITR’s, business registrations if your parents own their own business, an affidavit of support
      • If sponsored by an organisation/institution, obtain a letter from the organisation/institution stating what costs they will be covering, the details of the invitation (why they’re sponsoring you)
  6. Identity/Marital Status
    • Authenticated birth certificate from NSO.
    • If married, bring photocopy of your marriage contract.
  7. Travel insurance that covers the entire duration of your intended stay with minimun coverage EUR 30,000. The medical policies must state the following points:
    • Medical attention and treatment will be given in case of illness or accident
    • The injured or ill traveller can be transported home for treatment + body repatriation in case of death
    • The insurance coverage is a least 30,000 Euros (50,000 US dollars)
    • The insurance must be valid for all 25 Schengen member states which should be listed on the policy
    • The insurance company must be re-insured, the name of the re-insurer and his TOLL FREE phone number must be listed on the policy
    • The policy must allow CASHLESS SETTLEMENTS of claims. The name of the company in charge of such settlements and their toll free number must be clearly stated on the policy

Application Time

Once you have your documents ready and your appointment is set, all you need to do now is show up at the appointment (making sure you have all the documents with you!) and waiting for you visa results. Good luck with your application!

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