Exploring Europe starts with having a Schengen Visa in your passport. With a weak passport, you may ask, ” Is it hard to get Schengen Visa for Filipinos?”.
I can’t really answer that since I only went to Europe once as of this writing, but I don’t think it is impossible as long as you follow and complete the requirements for Schengen Visa together with strong ties to the Philippines, travel history, and most of all, financial capacity.
If you are looking for tips for Schengen Visa, my tips will definitely be avoiding the mistakes I did that could have jeopardize our application.
Related Article: Europe Itinerary: 15 Countries in 25 Days
Here they are:
1. We applied too late for a Schengen Visa
We applied 28 days before our trip and for me, it was such a short time to apply. Especially when applying at VFS Cebu, you need to allot more time. We received our visa 10 days before our trip and for me it was such a short time to make final plans.
You may ask, ” When to apply for Schengen Visa before travel?”. I personally think you should apply within 2 months but not late than 1 month before your trip. This will give you more time to finalize everything and in case you get rejected, you have ample time to grieve.
Take note that you need to consider appointments since depending on the volume of applicants, it may take long for you to have a slot.
2. I almost forgot our APPOINTMENT LETTER
Everything now is computerized and your appointment letter is basically your identification and verification to enter the premises. You will download this appointment letter upon booking your interview appointment. The letter also contains a barcode that security personally will scan ( they also have copies of these bar codes for authorized applicants for the day).
3. I purchased a non-accredited Travel Insurance
I’m not sure of other Schengen states but Austria (where we applied) has a list of accredited travel insurance. I just googled whatever travel insurance was available and I saw my mistake a day before our appointment.
Good thing, it can be purchased right away and I was refunded. So be careful with details like links added in list of requirements.
Visa application can be tedious and tricky but let this not discourage you to travel and see the world. To know more about this, I shared a more detailed experience in my Tiktok.
@valerieblog 3 Things to avoid when applying for Schengen Visa #danghag #schengenvisacebu #schengenvisaaustria #schengenvisa #europe2023 ♬ girls like me don’t cry (sped up) – thuy
Schengen Visa is very doable for us Filipinos and one of the tips for Schengen Visa that I can share to you is to be very organize and truthful.
Got questions? Let me know in the comments!
