Travel Buzz

No matter how many times you have applied and secured a Schengen visa in the past, you cannot always be overconfident that you already know or have everything. That’s exactly what happened when I went to the Greece Consulate in Makati City last Friday. On the way there, I told myself “I got this.” Coz what could possibly go wrong when this would already be my 7th Schengen visa application and went thru similar process at the embassies of Belgium, Germany, Italy, Norway, Italy (again), and Spain, not to mention visa applications in other non-Schengen and non-European embassies and consulates? Even if I felt like pretty much jaded as a visa applicant that sometimes you can’t help but scorn being born in a 3rd world country, you just have to do it for the love of travel.

So early April, I was able to book a return flight to Greece, thus have to get my Schengen visa from their embassy given that it will be my port of entry in the Schengen area (as well as the Schengen member state where I will stay the longest). As soon as I got my ticket, I checked their website to know how to apply and lodge a visa application. Unlike other embassies where visa appointments are booked online, Greece Consulate requires that you email them at visa.man@mfa.gr with the following details:

PREFERRED DATE: {DD MONTH YEAR} 
Name of Applicant: {LAST NAME, FIRST NAME} 
Passport No: 
Contact Tel.: 
Type of Visa: {SCHENGEN/SHORT TERM or NATIONAL/LONG TERM}
Main Country of Destination: 
Expected Date of Departure: {DD MONTH YEAR}

After sending the e-mail with the above details, I got an e-reply stating that they are acknowledging receipt of the appointment request and not to send the same e-mail twice as they are declogging their inbox. More than a month later, I got no update from the consulate so I decided to e-mail them again, apologizing for sending the same e-mail twice but also highlighting that no updates were received after a month’s wait. There were just a few more weeks left before my scheduled departure date so I let out a sigh of relief when I finally got an actual reply (not the electronic one) the next day with the date and time of the appointment.

I started collecting and gathering the visa requirements. I prepared a cover letter that will serve as a checklist, reiterating the same documentary proofs that are in the list of requirements found in the website. These documentary evidences are:

Proof of financial means – I requested for a bank certificate from my bank not only containing the current balance but also the average daily balance (ADB) for the last 6 months. This detail is important coz when I was in the consulate, a senior couple were asked by the local staff for bank statements (take note that this is not the same as bank certificate) since the ADB is not stated in their bank certificate. I also enclosed my credit card statement.

Proof of travel – since I already have my paid tickets, I brought a copy of the same as well as my travel itinerary. The latter is important as it will serve two purpose. One, it will show your inclusive dates of travel as basis of the visa validity period as well as number of entries (single, double, or multiply entry visa). Second, it will manifest that you are a legit traveler, that you know exactly what you intend to do while you are in their country or in any Schengen member state.

Proof of will to return – since I have used (and outstanding) visas, I submitted photocopies of the same. Though not in the list of requirements, I thought what could be a better way to prove that you’re returning to your home country by showing the number of times you’ve been in and out of countries you have visited. I don’t need to bring titles of properties and marriage certificate (uhm, I’m single?) just to prove that I’m deeply rooted in this country.

Proof of occupation – I got a certificate of employment from my employer stating my position/rank, salary, and years with the company.

Proof of accommodation – this is where my Le Club Accor membership comes handy (I’ll have a separate article for this so watch out for it).

Proof of insurance – since I already have a dollar medical insurance policy (Pacific Cross which is among the accredited insurance companies) that covers travels that are less than 90 days in duration, I didn’t have to pay for the usual travel insurance. So I just enclosed a copy of my insurance policy. This proof that you are insured while travelling is important as the consulate will outright reject your application if you don’t have this documentary evidence.

So you thought I got everything covered, right? Absolutely not. After the local consulate staff has perused my documents, the staff requested me to photocopy the identification page of my old passports where the used visas are attached. Good thing I have my old passports with me (which they would require anyway, even if it’s not on the list of requirements), so after the staff gave me the BDO deposit slip to fill up and use to pay for the visa fee of 3,480 pesos (the equivalent of 60 euro fee), I went down to get to the BDO branch just across the street as well as the print shop (for the photocopy) that’s just a few steps away. It was a few minutes past noon that when I tried to enter the print shop, the attendants are signaling that they will open at 1PM! So that’s roughly an hour wait, or alternatively a few minutes walk to Greenbelt under the scorching summer heat to look for photocopying services (National Bookstore?). Resigned to the fact that I may have to brave the heat, I decided first to go to BDO to pay the visa fee. It was almost an empty branch where I got to the teller without queuing. Then there it was, at the corner of my eye, a photocopier. Hallelujah (angels singing)! I asked the teller if she can photocopy my passport and she was kind enough to oblige. In this case, BDO truly “find ways.”

Then I went up to the consulate again to submit the validated deposit slip and the photocopies. I waited for my name to be called again for biometrics. Then another wait for my name to be called where they will issue a receipt indicating when I can claim my passport with visa (if my application proves successful). The whole process only took me a little over an hour. Not bad.

So applying at the Greece consulate wasn’t as daunting as I thought it would be given the reviews I’ve read while preparing for the appointment. With common sense and a little bit of luck (bringing your charm on will also do wonders), applying for a visa is nothing more than just another task completed.

P.S. I got my visa 10 calendar days after my appointment date. It’s my 3rd time to get a 90-day stay multiple entry visa valid for one year. Not sure whether there’s a trick that I’m missing, but I’m pretty sure this is uncommon as more than half the time my Schengen visas were only valid for the travel period that I have indicated in my application. I must be doing something good.