Schengen Visa for Philippines Passport Holders

Filipinos love to travel, and there is no better place than Europe that’s perfect to quench the thirst for adventure that Filipinos have. If you’re interested in visiting some of the prominent locations in Europe like Paris, Budapest, and Amsterdam, then you need to apply for a Schengen visa immediately. Whether you are a Philippines passport holder or a Philippines resident or a Filipino or have Philippines visa, you need to know certain requirements to apply for a Schengen visa from the Philippines. In this article learn more about how to apply for a Schengen Visa from the Philippines, Schengen Visa Application Requirements, Fees and Guidelines, List of Schengen Embassies in the Philippines.

Each year, around 170,695 people apply for the Schengen visa in the Philippines. Out of these, the embassies accept around 157,825. This brings the rejection rate for the Schengen visa application in the Philippines to 7%.  Although it isn’t very high compared to some of the other countries, following these tips below will help every Filipino reach his/her dream of visiting Europe.  

The Schengen Visa: What is it and why do you need it?

Europe is made up of 45 different countries. Some of these countries fall under the EU, while others fall under the Schengen area. If you wish to travel to the Schengen area, read on to know how to apply for the Schengen visa.

Types of Schengen visas for Filipinos

Before you look at the visa application process, let’s take a look at the type of visas the Schengen countries provide visitors:

Travelers can apply for two types of visas based on the nature of visit:

1. Tourist visa – This visa is granted only to travelers who are visiting the Schengen area on holiday.
2. Business visa – This visa is granted to travelers who come with the express intent of doing business in the Schengen country. Travelers must remember that the business visa cannot be used to gain temporary/contractual employment in the Schengen country.

Under these two visa types, there are 3 types of visas based on the countries to be visited:

1. Uniform Schengen Visa – Holders can visit any Schengen country
2. Limited Territorial validity Visa – Holders can visit only certain Schengen countries
3. National Visa – Holders can visit a single country, specifically for which they have applied

Apply for the Schengen Visa from the Philippines in 6 easy steps

Filipino nationals need to follow the stringent visa application process laid down by the Schengen embassies to be eligible for the visa. Here is a detailed account of the Schengen visa application procedure for Philippines citizens:

1. Determine the type of visa to apply for

As we’ve seen above, there are a variety of Schengen visas that travelers can apply for. The countries-to-be-visited, duration of travel and itinerary will dictate the type of visa you apply for. Each visa is priced differently, and understanding which visa to apply for can help you save yourself problems in the future while making financial savings.

2. Contact the embassy and schedule an appointment

Each country has its own set of Schengen embassies. Similarly, there are a few Schengen embassies and consulates in the Philippines. Interested applicants can either visit the embassy to book an appointment or schedule an appointment on the embassy website. A date will be provided, informing you about the further steps you will need to perform for the visa application process.

The cost of the Schengen visa application is:

The fees are non-refundable in the event of application rejection.

The Schengen visa appointment can be taken at one of two embassies:

1. The embassy of the country which is the point of entry for the tour
2. The embassy of the country where you will be staying the longest

If you’re visiting multiple countries, you can apply at either of the embassies. For example, if you start the tour in Austria, but stay the longest in Switzerland, you can apply for your visa at either of the embassies.

Schengen visas take approximately 2-3 weeks to get approved and mailed to you. A further delay of 10-15 days may be expected during tourist season. It is recommended that you apply for your Schengen visa at least 1-2 months before your actual date of travel. You can find the list of embassies in the Philippines here.

3. Download and fill the application form and submit your documents

Once your appointment has been scheduled, it’s time to fill in and submit the visa application form.

A visa application form is a detailed form which contains numerous questions about the traveler’s personal and professional details. Information like name, age, employment, education, marital status, income, and travel plans will all be asked for. It is expected that you remain transparent and open about the information you furnish as your application form plays a primary role in securing you the visa.

Along with the application form, applicants must also attach two full-frontal passport size photographs 45 mm high x 35 mm wide. The photos must be taken on a white background and must not contain any red eyes, shadows or reflections.

Travelers must also furnish copies of multiple important documents such as:  

1. National identification documents like the passport, driver’s license, and SSS ID plus domiciliary documents including the birth certificate and marriage certificate
2. Passport (with 2 blank pages) which has 3-month validity from the date of visa application
3. Old visas issued for previous trips
4. Signed cover letter/sponsorship letter
5. Travel insurance worth a minimum value of €30,000 or $50,000
6. Comprehensive itinerary with copies of tickets booked for travel, accommodation, and visits
7. Proof of financial sufficiency – Notarized bank balance statements
8. If employed by a company – The employment contract, salary statement for past 3 months, leave travel request form signed and stamped by the employer, IT returns for the past year
9. If self-employed – A copy of license and registration for the business, P&L balance for the last 6 months, bank statement for the past 3 months, IT returns filed for the past year
10. If unemployed and a student – School/university ID, no objection certificate

These documents must be attached to the application form and submitted to the embassy. For minors and unemployed majors, it is important to attach the documents of the parents/guardians.

4. Visit the Schengen embassy for the face-to-face interview

A formal interview will be set up on a pre-determined date, and you will be asked a series of questions to verify if the information you’ve provided in the application form and documents is correct or not.

The interview is one of the main parts of a visa application process which determine whether or not you will be allotted the visa. Be honest and open about everything you say and answer all questions calmly and clearly. Assure the officials that you have the finances to fund the trip and that you intend to come back after the trip.

5. Give your biometrics

Right after the visa interview, you will be asked to accompany the officers to a biometric scanning room. Here, your fingerprints and facial recognition scans will be taken, and the results will be tagged to your visa application.

The biometrics serve as personal identification and will be used to identify who you are, which country you belong to and which embassy/consulate if the need arises.

6. Receive the letter regarding acceptance or rejection of your visa application

If everything has gone as planned and you’ve completed all the steps as is expected out of you, you will receive a letter from the embassy a week after the application, informing you whether you have cleared the process or not. But sometimes, despite all the care you take, you may find your application rejected by the embassy. In such a scenario, the embassy will inform you via letter what the problem was and how to correct it. You can now go ahead and re-apply at the embassy.

Why your Schengen visa application may be rejected and how you can rectify it

There are innumerable reasons why your visa application may be rejected at the embassy. Here are some ways you can avoid these problems:

Problem: Submission of wrong/insufficient information or withholding of relevant information

Solution: Be transparent and honest about yourself. Tell the embassy the truth and give reasons why you are in this current position. With visa applications, honesty really is the best policy.

Problem: Non-submission of cover letter/sponsorship letter

Solution: Always write a cover letter/sponsorship letter stating your reason for the visit. If your travel is sponsored by someone staying in a Schengen country, ask them to send a signed and dated sponsorship letter with the list of documents listed above in the article.

Problem: Insufficient travel insurance coverage

Solution: Schengen travel rules specify that all travelers must mandatorily get insured for an amount of €30,000 to be eligible for the visa. Contact an insurance agent and get Schengen travel and medical insurance coverage.  Submit the document as proof.

Problem: Non-submission of travel itinerary

Solution: Create an exhaustive travel itinerary with complete details about dates of travel, dates of hotel check-in and check-out, locations of Airbnb homes and timings of the visit for tourist spots. Attach copies of the tickets booked and submit it to the embassy.

Problem: Forgery of stamped documentation

Solution: Any forgery in signature or stamping of documents is illegal in all countries, and you can be blacklisted and barred from visiting the Schengen area. Never do this and get genuine stamps and signatures.

Problem: Expired validity of the passport

Solution: All passports must be valid for up to 3 months after the visa application process. Anything less will result in the rejection of visa application. As a rule, apply for a re-issue of your passport when you have a year validity pending.

Problem: Damage to the passport

Solution: Any tear or tampering with the passport is a punishable offense and can lead to you being blacklisted. If you notice any problem with the passport, please re-apply for a new one at the passport office at the earliest.

About Us

At Visa Reservation, we strive to simplify the visa process by providing free visa consultations, cover letter templates and no objection letter templates for our clients from US, UK, Canada, Philippines, India, China, UAE, Europe, Nigeria and globally. We also offer flight itinerary for visa, travel medical insurance, hotel reservations for visa and much more. To learn more about how we can help you with our visa services, please feel free to contact us today.