Schengen Visa Application (2) Check 1st page for the Requirements

[mama squeak!]

Got my visa today and they gave me multiple two years! But hubby was given six months only since his passport is expiring in 7 months time. They don't issue visas pala beyond your passport's validity unlike sa 10 year US visa.

[aquacharly]

Anyway, isa pang tanong. I was wondering if i need to secure hotel vouchers for every place i put on my itinerary....?

   Say 4 days Paris, 3 days Rome, 3 days amsterdam.....so wld that mean i shld have all of the hotel vouchers from those places to present during my interview?

  (sana may sumagot.....)
   Thank you

No.   I did 1 trip where we had reservations only for Paris - the first stop.  .  From there we went to Italy & Spain.  We said we will play it by ear - if we don't like the place much, we move on earlier. Or, we may stay longer.   But I had a definite exit- from-Europe date, a tentative itinerary, & I readily answered questions  like:
                   How will we travel around?   Trains
                   How will we book hotels on short notice?  Internet (laptop & cellphone)
                   What will you be doing in this or that place ?   

Have a plan, written down if necessary. 
You don't need to present tickets at the embassy - just flight reservations -- your travel agency easily provides that. 
                   

[summer_princess]

^ great! Pwede pala yan, ako naman I did a mock online booking of hotels, I just make sure na free cancellation yung iBook ko. Usually 2 days before the supposed checked in date ang deadline so sakto Lang if my purpose is to use it just for our schengen application.

Yung land/ train travels ok naman siguro I'll just tell the consul that we haven't bought nor booked any train tickets as we're not sure if our visa will be granted. Non refundable naman ang train tickets so they should know that.

[sammm]

yay! we got our visa na last Monday! been busy looking for a new flight sched, our old flight booking was cancelled and the rates for the flight sched I wanted have soared up. thanks to all who answered my questions. now its time to move on to other forums.   

[summer_princess]

OCD Kicks in LOL. pwede ba itype ang pag fill up sa application form?
I want it neatly filled up. Ive downloaded this iPad where you can fill up PDF files, super neat I swear! Baka Lang they will wonder how I came up into filling it up ng computerized haha.

Btw i've received my renewed passport. Thanks to sisses here, our passports are expiring April 2013 but the 6mos validity period will be covered by our December trip. Pay to plan very early, I started planning August (which is 5mos prior travel!) turns out Sakto Lang. Had I not renew our passports, made delay na application namin.

More tips please keep it coming! super grateful being part of this community:)

[Cheesecak3]

We will be sending our application at Italian Embassy. We already have our appointment and all the requirements are ready. I can't wait for the result. Sana maapprove para matuloy kami ni hubby.

[kikay iska]

My visa app was denied. Goodbye Euro trip... *one big sigh*

Reason was i might overstay daw. No strong ties sa home country bec i'm single, no children, and unemployed at the time of app. hayyy wala naman akong balak mag-overstay....

Sayang... We thought it was the best time to visit my sister's family bec i was unemployed kasi ang hirap naman mag-leave sa work ng 3 months. Pero minus points naman pala ang pagiging unemployed. If only they asked/knew about my active job applications here in Manila na babalikan ko after 3 months.... sigh again... Will try again next year.

[summer_princess]

^ uh oh sorry to hear that sis may I ask which Schengen country you applied for?

[lavieenrose]

^^  So sorry to hear about that. I think having no job is a big red flag for them, if you applied with a sponsor and no accredited tour group. My friend also was rejected despite presenting her certificate of employment with bond. I think swerte swerte din sometimes.

The Schengen states have tightened their screening because there are so many Filipinos who go there on tourist visa and stay illegally to find jobs, such was the case also during last year's World Youth Day in Madrid. Many participants didn't return. Sadly nadadamay the people who just really want to go on holiday.

[riksy07]

Mga sis, I just have a question as to claiming refunds for plane tickets. I plan on booking tickets online for my visa application. Madali lang ba magclaim ng refund in case di maapprove ang visa application ko? I read from the KLM site na they will refund the ticket in case of visa application denial. May nakaexperience na ba ng pagclaim ng refund from them? How about sa easyJet?

[mama squeak!]

^With KLM, yes you can refund your tickets in case your visa application gets denied. With Easyjet, their fares are non-refundable since most of the fares they offer are promo fares. Check mo na lang muna yung conditions ng fare nila before you buy.

[chuzzle]

I've decided not to ask for a letter of sponsorship from my Spanish friend. It is okay naman to book a hotel room then cancel it when I get the visa, right?

[mama squeak!]

^Yes.

[summer_princess]

Sisses, on the Application form (French emb) where do we place our middle name? There's only last name, former last name (for married) but the middle name was no where. So middle name is irrelevant Already?

Items 31 & 32 are redundant.  We don't have a sponsor and only staying in a hotel, do we repeat same answers on both items?

[mama squeak!]

^You just give your last name/surname (nom) and your first name (prenom), no more na middle name.
When you get your visa, only your last and first names appear.

For items 31 and 32, you can just write down N/A for both.

[melodymedley]

@kikay iska: So sorry to hear that sis.  Single Filipina with no work is a red flag indeed. Ang may trabaho nga, pinagdududahan pa rin. Try your luck when you have a pretty stable job na.

@lavieenrose: Oo nga no. The WYD event was just last year. Yikes. And I plan to apply in the Spanish Embassy pa naman next time. I hope they'll be in a visa-giving mood by the time I apply.

[little_princess]

number 32 is vague for me, fiance is supporting me partially so i just tick that option and write his name down?

and i also tick myself and provide documents?

[mrs research]

Thanks to this thread our visa got approved. We applied at Czech Embassy bec we declared our main destination is Prague although our first point of entry is Italy. Mas gusto ko sa Czech bec you just have to make an appointment online for free and you can choose your preferred date. Also, at the time of our application, they have a cheaper visa fee. Sa Italian Embassy mas madaming gastos on top of Visa Fee meron premium number to call for appointment and then additional Php1,200 for their service/courier fee eh isang tumbling lang yung embassy to where we live. Mas gusto ko rin kasi yung may interview. Mas confident ako na ma-aprove when they see how prepared we are for this trip. Ayoko lang madeny because of an administrative error sa pagcheck ng docs kaya i wasnt so keen towards  'no appearance' embassies.

On day of our interview, it was only hubby and me on the guard's list of applicants.  We were seated and then waited for 2 mins before the Immigration Officer called our names. He then directed us at the interview room pero one applicant at a time lang. You can still hear how the interview is going kahit closed door.  Here's how my interview went and ako yung nauna

Me: Handed over my docs
IO:( Checks my docs) Madame, czzaewdsdsd heszzx jerrtadsky... (super thick ng accent)
Me: (mubling) I dont.... I'm sorry... I cant....
IO: (Checks if the mic is on) Madame, why do you want to go Czech Republic?
Me: Oh, my husband and I are going to Prague.
IO: What is the purpose of your visit?
Me: We'll be celebrating our first year anniversary
IO: Checks my docs again
IO: How long will you be staying?
Me: 4days in Rome, overnight in Vienna and  6 days in Prague
IO: What is your reason for applying for multiple visa?
Me: We'll be arriving in Italy and then train transit to Vienna and then Prague.
IO: Madame, they are all part of Schengen states so you dont have to apply for multiple visa. Please check single. (handed the application form back)
Me: I see. Thank you for educating me. (all smiles)
IO: You will be staying in Vienna for 1 night, yes? Do you have hotel reservations?
Me: We'll be taking the overnight train Vienna-Prague that's why we dont have hotel reservations.
IO: What is your current job?
Me: I'm a Resource Analyst.
IO: OK please come back on this date (pointing at the paper) and present this when claiming your passport and tell your husband to come in here when he's ready.
Me: Thank you!

Same interview questions with hubby except for Vienna. Hubby just elaborated why he wanted to go Prague instead of Paris and I overheard them laughing.

After 7 days( parang dove commercial lang), IO remembered us and called us both together na this time. We got our passports with schengen visa sticker. And, there was another applicant na nauna dumating samin and she got her approved visa as well. Happy day for everyone!!

[mama squeak!]

^Good for you, congrats! When will you be in Prague? 

During our initial planning stage I thought of applying at the Czech embassy since you can set your appointment online (FREE!) but our IT changed and we will be spending more time in France kaya sa French embassy na kami napunta. Good thing na rin for us since we already have a record with them  kaya they gave us multiple entry visas.

Matipid din pala magbigay ng visa ang Czech Republic like the German embassy.

[mrs research]

^ Thanks mama squeak. We'll be in Prague Nov 6-12. One month visa yung binigay although we only applied for 15 days so generous narin sila ng konti sa mga 1st time applicants  . Sana next time multiple entries na but I guess only selected seasoned European travelers like you are given 2yrs multiple visa.

Sabi dito sa blog na to http://www.dreameurotrip.com/how-to-apply-for-a-schengen-visa-7-days/, with data from 2010, France gave out the most number of visas compared to other countries such as Belguim, Finland and Poland. Mas malaki nga ang chance ma-approve sa French Embassy kasi they really thrive on tourism at lagi sila nasa mga Top 10 list Eur destinations. I'm thinking you cant make it on that list if you're not allowing visitors to see your country so it makes sense to me that they are generous with the visa