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

[foxymom]

@vain_kixie: depends on the schengen state where you applied, some give only on the exact dates of your travel, some give 1-2 months.

@mama_squeak: after how many schengen visas were you able to get the 2yrs valid? do you always apply at the french embassy? wondering how long and how often we need to travel to be given a long valid visa

[mama squeak!]

^this is my third schengen visa. The first was with the Austrian embassy, they gave me exact dates with only a few days to spare. The second was with the French embassy na and they gave me three years. This last one nagtipid na yata ang French embassy so two years lang this time. Okay na rin! 

I think it has also something to do with my travel history. I used to work in the airline industry so I get to travel a lot. Plus the first time I applied with the French embassy I was with my hubby who was applying for a business visa. He was being sponsored by Airbus Industrie to pick up an airplane in Toulouse to bring back to Manila.   

@vain_kixie, my two year visa is the validity. For visitors you can not stay for more than 90 days at a time which is the duration of stay. I think what you are trying to ask is the effectivity or entry dates of the visa. Now depends on what embassy where you will be applying some will give you an allowance of a few days before entry but most will follow your estimated arrival date there i.e. effective 15March2013 until 15April2013 etc. In short you can only use the visa on the said dates.

You can only apply for the visa not more than three months prior to your departure dates. If you're leaving on the 15th of March then you can lodge your application starting 15Dec.

[Starlust]

^ & ^^ I got one with a 2 year validity after having 2 Schengen Visas issued previously. This 3rd one is still valid but I have a 4th one (long stay, spouse). All 3 were processed at the French Embassy

[foxymom]

@mama_squeak: ang swerte mo! 3yrs on the 2nd application?! woot woot! but i know you are well travelled

this is our 2nd schengen visa. the 1st one was from the french embassy and they gave us 2mos. this 2nd from the spanish embassy is valid 1 month. for our trip next year i will tell hubby to apply via french embassy again, and hope we will be given a longer valid visa. cross fingers that everything will go as planned

@Starlust: thank you! hopefully on our next try we'll be given a longer valid one

[vain_kixie]

thanks you mama squeak and foxymom.

seems like the embassy of France is the most generous when it comes to granting visas and visa validity.

How's the Embassy of Italy now when it comes to processing? I'm thinking of lodging my application there or the embassy of France.

[mama squeak!]

^sis, your IT will determine which embassy you should lodge your application. The rules are:

A. You have to apply at the embassy of the country where you will be staying the longest.

For ex: 15 days stay in Europe with the following IT - 5 days Italy, 8 days France, 2 days Germany
Application should be at the French embassy.

B. In case of equal number of days per country, you will have to apply at the embassy of the country of your first port of entry.

For ex: 5 days Italy, 5 days France, 5 days Germany. Application should be with the Italian embassy

[foxymom]

mama squeak: travel guru!

[melvel]

Are they really strict with the "no earlier than 3-months before your trip" rule in filing applications?  Our problem is we have to file applications for two visas (UK and Schengen), and both applications have this rule. 

Our trip is in third week of June, so we can only apply in March.  Pero if we apply for UK visa first, baka one month na naubos before we even lodge our application for Schengen?  I'm just worried na baka medyo tight, which is why I wanted to lodge the UK visa application a little earlier (February perhaps?).

[foxymom]

@melvel: this is what we did we are going to london first this december, then to the schengen states after new year. we are done with both visas already

although your travel date is peak season. my suggestion is as early as feb or late jan ask for a schedule already. we applied at the british embassy first, then spanish embassy getting the schedule is the most important part

[vain_kixie]

thank you again mama squeak. I was actually thinking of tweaking our IT depending on who's a more generous visa giver.

melvel, same thoughts there. Were planning to leave on March 15 for London. We'll be in China from 1Jan to 14 Jan so it seems a little tight for me to apply for everything after the 14th of January I was thinking of applying for a UK visa before we leave for China since the visa the issue is valid for 6 months (correct me if I'm wrong please)and apply for a Schengen 3rd week of January.

[chuzzle]

Hello
My appointment with the Spanish consulate is on the 23rd of November. Now, I have already tried securing a confirmed flight booking with some travel agencies, but as of today, they expire a few days before my application. Now, I am planning to just secure the flight booking by myself. That is possible, right? I don't need a travel agency to secure it for me naman as long as it is a confirmed booking? I am planning to take Emirates. Anybody here who knows the allowance (days) they provide before the booking expires? 

[chuzzle]

i have a question about the application
in #28 Entry permit for the final country of destination, where applicable
issued by...valid from....until....

What should I put here?

[foxymom]

^i indicated -- NA

[chuzzle]

Thank you! I feel like I am forgetting something. Sana wala naman

[foxymom]

^just make sure all your docs are complete. don't forget the cover letter

[little_princess]

it seems like the franch embassy is the one that gives the longest validity of schengen visas or is there any other embassy that does that? i had a 2 year visa from them before and had 3 others from greece, czech republic and spain and it would range from 2weeks to a month. will be traveling to the UK thrice this year and we're thinking of visiting other EU countries.

sana i can get at least a 1 year visa so i don't have to re-apply again. sayang the processing fee.

[riksy07]

@chuzzle

Sis, were you able to secure bookings from Emirates?

[chuzzle]

^yes, sis! I just called them and they sent the confirmed booking. Better look for the flights you would like to take, so during the telephone call, you'll just give your preferred flights. Mabilis. =)

[pastek898]

mga sis bago lang ako dito sa forum. Nag reresearch kasi ako ng mga steps na gagawin para makapag apply ng german tourist visa. Ngayon, nagttry ako mag book sa mga airlines, magulo pala. in the end kailangan mo magbayad kagad para makakuha ng confirmation. e wala naman akong credit card. meron mga kakilala ko, sa tingin nyo po ba pwede yun? paano po ginawa ninyo para makakuha ng flight booking na hindi pa muna magbabayad? thanks! Godbless!

[lavieenrose]

^ via the airline office or travel agency but may deadline din sya.
you can also use another person's credit card to book online as long as you know his/her card details.
non-budget airline tickets are refundable with a cancellation charge.