Schengen Visa Application Thread 3 **Check page 1 for reference links**

[mama squeak!]

^^Yup, we always give bank statements instead of bank certificates. Bank statements shows your account movement from previous months (3 months in this case) up until the day you requested for it. While bank certificates just shows the money you have in the bank on the day of the request, no history (unless you request the bank to indicate that you have Phpxxxxxxx amount from start date to end date).

IMO bank statements are more reliable in determining the true amount you have in the bank since there is history since it is so easy to just deposit money three to four months prior and request a bank certificate (show money). That is why some embassies in particular the US embassy don't honor bank certificates for the latter reason.

The history print-out of your account's movement will serve as your bank statement. The bank always gives us at least two years worth of history. Manipis lang naman yun since it's all numbers. Then the bank just stamps the print-out.

Always, have two sets of documents, one original and one photocopy. They just need to verify the photocopy against the original. You keep the original and submit the photocopy. The bank statements/print-out we don't photocopy na, we leave it with the embassy.

[little_princess]

Woohoo! Got my schengen visa via the french embassy already

[melvel]

^Congrats!  Ang tagal ng UK Visa application feedback ko, grabe.

[little_princess]

Thank you! Did you get your schengen na ba ir not yet? Give the UK ine mga 2 weeks total, baka loaded lang sila. Super tipid ni french embassy ngayon, ang daming 1 month validity lang

[candy_tone]

congrats little_princess.. hayz! wala pa rin kami balita when we called up sa Italian embassy to follow up processing pa din... they dont seem to reply via e-mail i sent them 2 messages already. I hope ma-release na kaagad visa namin....

[sky_butterfly17]

had my interview with the French Embassy yesterday and it didn't go as expected. The guy was looking for my employment certificate and i didn't have one because i work for the family business and i am a partner. but he insisted and isip ko since i manage the business, ako mag sign ng sarili kong employment certificate? i've had visas from other EU countries, even US and UK and i was never asked for one since family business nga.

so i faxed it in the afternoon as i had some very important errands after. i called to confirm and he told me na malayo daw the fax machine. so being i sent my driver to drop the originals and he told my driver na can't accept it daw kasi his instruction was to send it not earlier than 1145am and not later than 1230pm which he never did.

Naku sis, sobrang sungit ng guy na yan..

[mama squeak!]

^That's strange. Twice we applied at the French embassy and never naman kami sinungitan/tinarayan ng staff na yan. Mabait pa nga sa amin. Hmmm....  Namimili ng susungitan?   

[sky_butterfly17]

^yes sis, according dun sa mga officemates ko. dun kasi ako ng girl sa window 1..

[mama squeak!]

^Hmmm... Namimili nga ng susungitan. I guess kaya siguro no reason na sungitan kami is because we make sure kumpleto lahat ng documents namin. Kung ano hinihingi nila sa website nila yung ang binibigay namin. Plus probably nasa dating na rin ng applikante 

[little_princess]

that guy has a reputation according to my friends and acquaintances of being a power tripper. different situations, same guy. it's not because of incomplete documents or what. siguro he has a thing against non-filipinos 

[mama squeak!]

Well, I don't know. I have friends and family both Filipinos and non-Filipinos who have applied at the embassy and surely have encountered the same guy. Hindi naman sila sinungitan nor tinarayan. 

[mrs. sweet]

Girls, what are our chances of getting an Italian visa? Both hubs and I have been around Asia, Guam and Maldives. I own small drugstore chains, I have a decent money in the bank (not super much), I have a 10y M US visa while hubs' US visa has expired last year,  and will be touring Italy for a week only. Planning to get a package in Insight Vacations.

Parang nanghihinayang kasi ako sa babayarang cancellation waiver of $129 each. This is just in case we were denied of visa, we get  to refund the whole package amount we paid to the travel agent.

[traveltechie]

anyone here na may experience to apply at the Belgian Embassy? Their website says it takes 1 month to process. I have to be there by end of May on business but the earliest appointment date I can get is May 9

Kaloka naman kasi mga boss ko bigla bigla magrequest ng travel. I hope they have rush processing

[kinderlola]

Matagal po ba talaga sumagot yung visa appointment system? Nagaantay ako sa call more than 20mins na wala pa rin, normal po ba yun? Sayang naman ibabayad ko at mahal per minute

[little_princess]

^^^ as ling as you can present all the documents needed, show you can support your trip and have ties in the philippines, it's going to be fine. It's not as hard as US visas. As for the tour package, when are you leaving? Baka naman they can waive the cancellation fre though sa ibang agency i know up to $500 yung deposit na non-refundable. Maybe you can ask other travel agencies too.

^^ havent applied through the belgian embassy but their average times are pretty accurate. Maybe you can call and inquire?

^ did they say they will call you back? This isnt for schengen but for UK before, they said that they will call me back and they did naman. Intay ka muna

[mrs. sweet]

^I was able to get a US visa, so easy na lang pala ito? hehe

The cancellation waiver is from Insight Vacations, not from our travel agent. Tour will be for September pa and we have to be fully paid by Apr. 30 to be able avail of the early discount of $120/pax.

[little_princess]

^ in my experience mas madali big factor din if you have a current valid US visa

Try other tours from different agencies kasi parang exag naman yung terms nila at 5 months before full payment.

[mrs. sweet]

So far kasi sis, yung tour nila ang pinaka-gusto kong itinerary.

[melvel]

Just got back from my interview at the French Embassy.  Ang bilis lang.  The guy just looked at my documents and basically just asked me how long I've been a lawyer, and how long I've been working for my current firm.  Then he asked if my friends who will go on this trip with me are also lawyers.  That's it. 

I will know the result on May 3.  Crossing my fingers!

[traveltechie]

^^^ as ling as you can present all the documents needed, show you can support your trip and have ties in the philippines, it's going to be fine. It's not as hard as US visas. As for the tour package, when are you leaving? Baka naman they can waive the cancellation fre though sa ibang agency i know up to $500 yung deposit na non-refundable. Maybe you can ask other travel agencies too.

^^ havent applied through the belgian embassy but their average times are pretty accurate. Maybe you can call and inquire?

^ did they say they will call you back? This isnt for schengen but for UK before, they said that they will call me back and they did naman. Intay ka muna

I called pero hindi masyado helpful yung agents nila. Good thing someone canceled their appointment and I was able to get an earlier schedule. Went there last April 25 to submit my application, sobrang sakto kasi my planned departure is on May 25. They said they can't commit to how long it would take and that I should just keep my communication lines open and wait for them to contact me.  Hay. Kainip mag-antay.