Inner Pisces

First and foremost, if you’re planning to travel to Europe, you need to be ready to take some risks. It requires thorough preparation, including having a significant amount of money set aside to cover the necessary expenses. This will be expensive, and knowing Europe is much expensive. My blog tackles about tourist visa, if you are looking for other visa type then this blog is not for you.

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Speaking from my experience, I didn’t have a lot of extra funds at first due to personal challenges along the way in my 2024. In fact, this Europe trip wasn’t even part of the plan initially. However, my boyfriend and I worked hard and did our best to secure a tourist visa for Europe.

 

The Preparations

The preparations can be extensive, but if you already have sufficient resources, it shouldn’t be much of an issue. But here's few points on our own preprations.

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• Visa Consultation - this step is where you send to an agency about your means to travel, histories and such. By this consultation, the agency will let you know if you have potential to process your schengen or not. After the consultation, they will send you an email that you can travel or process your schengen visa. 

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• Money Preparation - We made the decision to pursue this trip in October 2024, and since then, we’ve been carefully managing our finances. By December 2024, the month of our visa processing, we were able to allocate approximately above Php 300,000 as show money. If you already have this amount saved up—wow, lucky you! (Kidding!) But seriously, if you do, just set it aside and wait for your processing date.

 

Take note: Avoid processing your Certificate of Employment (COE), bank certificate, or other supporting documents too early. The embassy typically requires the most recent versions of these documents, ideally issued no more than 15 days before your scheduled interview. Might as well, just be ready on your finances first.

 

• Research - Conduct your own research will help you of staying well-informed about the entire process. Don’t rely on just one perspective—explore multiple sources to gather a variety of ideas and options. Use social media platforms and join Facebook groups where members share their experiences and tips for processing visas. This can provide valuable insights and help you feel more prepared.

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Visa Processing

This phase can vary depending on how you choose to approach it—whether through an agency or DIY. For us, we decided to seek help from an agency, but at the end, I completely regret that decision. I’ll explain more below.

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• Choose the Schengen Country to Apply To - In Schengen Visa, this can be use in various country in Europe, so you have do chose which country are you going or your point of entry. Also, the country where you will spend the most time. We applied through, Swiss Embassy or Switzerland Embassy.

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• Schedule an Appointment - Book an appointment online through the embassy/consulate website or their authorized visa processing center (e.g., VFS Global). Slots may fill up quickly, so plan in advance. For us, we booked our appointment for November 29, 2024, since our preferred travel date is February 1, 2025. Make sure your visa is valid for at least 3 months from your intended travel date.

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• [IMPORTANT] Gather all your requirements - Now, is the time you will slowly processed or collect your requirements intended for tourist visa. 

  • ​Primary Requirements (Checklist)

    1. Philippine Passport with at least 6 months validity (make sure Page 3 is signed)​

    2. Photocopy of passports stamps to non-visa country and previous and valid visas to the ff: USA, CANADA, UK, SCHENGEN, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, KOREA

    3. 2 pcs of Passport Sized Colored Photo (3.5cm x 4.5cm) 
       Must be taken from a photo studio and should have white background

    4. Original PSA Birth Certificate and Photocopy

    5. Original PSA Marriage Certificate and Photocopy (if applicable) 

    6. Schengen Travel Insurance (check here all the accredited insurance company)

  • Financial Requirements (Checklist)

    1. ​Original Copy of Bank Certificate (Ideal amount for the current balance is ₱ 300,000 and Ideal amount for the Average Daily Balance is ₱ 200,000)

       Note: Must be addressed to Embassy you are applying and must be issued at least 5-15 days prior to our scheduled appointment.

    2. Copy of Latest 6 months Bank Statement (from online banking is okay) 

    • (Important note: This is why the first step I mention here is to allocate and save money as early as possible. However, if you already have ample funds, this won’t be an issue.)​

  • Additional Requirements if Employed

    1. ​Original Copy of Wet Signed Certificate of Employment (indicate applicant's position, date hired, compensation, office address, HR landline number & HR email address)

    2. Approved Leave of Absence

    3. Photocopy of Company ID (If no company ID, then you can submit Certificate of Employement) ​​

    4. Photocopy of Latest ITR (Income Tax Return)

       Note: If No ITR – kindly provide a notarized affidavit explaining why there’s no IT