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

[vain_kixie]

tenshoungi, how many days are you planning to stay in the Schengen state?

[tenshougi]

My IT is 3 days Rome - 2 Day Florence - 5 Days Paris and 3 Days Amsterdam.. about 16 days total travel. Yung 100K na-less ko na dun yung ticket. Travel is October this year and planning to back pack. By July I think I can have 130K sa bank. I have credit cards din nama. Oh dear... Kahit na refundable yung ticket it just hurts to be denied. 

Thanks for all your feedback.

[mama squeak!]

^You can check melodymedley's blog. She gave a very good account of her Euro travel preparation.   

[tenshougi]

Thanks mama squeak! Yeah, I first stumble on adventureaccounting's blog. Grabe yung 24 days travel niya and napagkasiya niya yung 200K++. Sige, I'll try to buff up my savings ASAP to have greater chances. July pa naman ako magpapa-appointment.

[lavieenrose]

@tenshougi agree with mama squeak and melvel, 200k is more realistic. You can actually get by with a 150K budget for a two-week trip, but consider the amount of 'show money' for the embassy as well.

[paulina19]

Hi mama squeak and sis lavieenerose...if ever I will be approved, what do you prefer a DIY or sign up a tour packages like Expatexplore according to my sis in law. This coming 28 feb na kasi ang appointment ko and complete na with all the requirments. may tie up kasi ang company namin na travel agency kaya di ako masyadong nag kaproblem sa supporting docs. Advise lang po... and if ever group tour, what do you suggest na group tour companies. And may advantages po ba ito aside from having a lot of frieends  thanks pa

[mama squeak!]

^sis, OT na tayo pag sinagot ko your question. Please post your Q on this thread instead.

 

[melodymedley]

@foxymom and mama squeak: Thanks for being confident for me. I have a relatively good travel history but I am still apprehensive with my single status and I am again doing this trip solo again. Add pa lahat ng memories during the first round of my application. 

Tapos yang 6 months rule pa na yan. Parang Spain nga yung kakaiba eh. I read the website of the other embassies of other Schengen countries and they allow the applicant to reapply immediately naman. Kakaiba. Kakakaba.

I scheduled my appointment sa Spanish Embassy next week. Kinakabahan ako at Mercury Retrograde (hahaha, me ganung factor!) season pa naman. I'll book my hostels this weekend. I think I will have my itinerary ready in time. I'll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck! *cross fingers*

@teshougi: You will also be doing your trip solo? Agree that Php 150,000 is doable for two weeks, and you can probably bring it down to Php 130,000 (if you watch your money closely and really eat tipid meals and sleep in hostels). You can check the proof of funds requirement here:http://www.mediavisa.net/schengen-means-of-subsistence.php but this is just a guide. When I applied the first time, I had more than my budget sa bank but I think my "single and traveling solo" profile at that time raised a red red red flag sa Italian Embassy. Beef up your savings para mas maganda.

[tenshougi]

Thanks for all your advises mama squeak,  lavieenrose, and melodymedley (I love you blog! Kakainspire mag-travel.) Ang hirap ng single! I mean mas malaki nga ang chance ng mga single gumastos dahil walang pamilya na simusuportahan ng major yet it becomes a set back when travelling abroad.  Goodluck on your visa application again melodymedley!

[sky_butterfly17]

hi,
i have a question. What if you were denied in French Embassy and re-apply in Spain Embassy. Will the Spain Embassy able to see if I were denied in French Embassy?

Thank you.

[bagaholic_chewy]

Yes, i believe Spain embassy will see na you were denied by French embassy... You may apply pa din naman. Just make sure na kung ano man yung naging issue kung bat ka na-deny before e naayos mo na...

[d_zialcita]

Thank you everyone!!
 
2 days ago, my documents were delivered to my house and so happy and excited to say that I got my visa!
so happy!
now, I just need to book our airline tickets.
I lost my reservation with Emirates. Sayang, it is more expensive now. 3k difference lang. but still. haha
I almost booked in the travel expo last week, but I got scared since it's nonrefundable.

Anyway, hope you can help me.

am choosing between these three: (but feel free to add another option)

1. Emirates: $1628
2. Qatar: $1689
3. Etihad: $1573.28

the difference in prices are not that big, so which airlines has the best seats/leg room/food and not mabahong people (sorry)...

hope you can help me decide!

thanks!

[vain_kixie]

Congrats sis!! May I know how many days stay did they give you? I'll apply for mine in August pa. But I have been researching on it already.

I have tried both Etihad and Emirates and going to Dubai and Abu dhabi  mostly consists of filipinos so no mabaho (pa).
Leg room for both are the same but food is better in Emirates (at least for me). No difference in service too.
Dubai airport however is better than the Abu dhabi airport.

I'd drop QR since its the most expensive among your options, unless the new airport is now open.
Old airport is blah!!

[lavieenrose]

^ I have no experience with  Qatar or Etihad but I have always been happy with Emirates's service. I like their entertainment system and the food is OK too (2 meals, 1 snack in cattle class MNL-DXB). Pick the A380 carrier if it's available. The 'mabahong people' is an offhand comment though.
Most (if not all) passengers coming from MNL are OFWs (seamen, etc), and vice versa DXB-MNL.

[melvel]

Where are you going?  Bakit parang medyo pricey yung tickets?  Mine is US$1,380 on Cathay, open jaw ticket.

[d_zialcita]

@vain_kixie thank you! they gave me multiple entries, 1 year valid. Italian embassy.
they got my documents on January 28. Delivered it back February 20.
@lavieenrose thanks! will probably go with emirates. thanks!
@melvel wow, you got yours at that rate? where are you going?
we're doing manila-paris-athens-manila... there's no athens-manila with cathay.

[melvel]

^It's Manila-London, Paris-Manila.

[mama squeak!]

I've tried Emirates (EK) and Qatar (QR) before but I still prefer either Cathay Pacific (CX) or KLM. Right now both CX and KLM have ongoing promos. CX has the Smart Saver Travel for 2 to Europe. Fares start at USD610++ or USD950 all-in per pax. Perfect for two travelers traveling together!

If solo naman KLM's lowest fare is USD1100.00

The above fares are for round trip tickets. For multi-way tickets, expect them to be a little bit higher.

 

[vain_kixie]

d_zialcita. wow! Is it your first time? and did you particularly ask them for a multiple or just asked for a single
entry then gave you a multiple instead?

I'll be lodging my application at the Italian embassy as well. Was thinking of tweeking out itinerary so we can stay in France longer para I can lodge my application at the French embassy kasi they are the most generous daw. But because of you, i'll just stick with Italy.

[d_zialcita]

mamasqueak thank you for replying.
manila-paris--- athens-manila...

how do i book that using cathay pacific?
tried the website of cathay pacific, and it seems they don't have flighs from athens to manila?
or am wrong?

klm though is cheaper, it's just USD 1,460.57 per person.
the waiting time is very long though. but that's a big difference with the price so I'll talk to the hubby and decide.

thank you for adding klm to the list!
by the way, the leg room of klm.. is it better than emirates?

thanks!!