*note: The information here, applies only for Slovenian Schengen visa application issued in representation by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Manila specifically private visit visa (friends, relative... etc.).
It all started last March 23, 2016, when I called the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Manila for an appointment. You can book an appointment 3 months before the intended visit. The official information for applicants of Slovenian Schengen Visa is posted on their website (click here). There are 3 numbers to choose from to make your appointment (make sure you have your passport (valid for at least 6 months), pen and paper):
- 1 909 1014545 (PLDT only through landline or SMART mobile phone)
- 1 903 1014545 (Bayantel only through landline)
- 1 900 1014545 (Globe through landline and GLOBE mobile phone)
*note: 42 pesos/min will be charged to your account so make sure you have enough load
I made an appointment for both me and my mother. The operator was a Filipina so you don't need to talk in English if you are not comfortable. I was a bit nervous because this was my first time making an appointment and luckily it was a smooth transaction. The operator asked what visa are we applying for: I said Slovenian Schengen visa. She also asked if we have any past Schengen Visa: I said no. Then she asked for my complete name and passport number. Next, she asked for my mother's complete name and passport number. She was calm in asking for the details and after a while, she instructed me to take note of the individual visa application number. She also said that on the appointment date we need to bring one original and one photocopy of our requirements (click here). I requested for April 29, 2016, at 9AM (Friday) because we are from Mindanao and I can only leave from work for just a day (DO NOT BE LATE). The conversation was a success and my muscles relaxed from being numb. (whew)
For one month I gathered all the needed requirements and aside from what the website indicated I also included miscellaneous ones (Better have more documents than fewer). Here are the documents I prepared (Please make sure that when you present this to the visa officer it is arranged in this order) :
- Cover letter (click here)
- Itinerary (click here)
- Booked accommodation (we used booking.com because their cancellation policy is flexible)
- Fully completed and duly signed the application form
- Recent passport-size photograph with white background (any standard visa photograph they just crop your picture)
- Original and photocopy of my old and new passport, plus a photocopy of previous visas and stamps
- Original and photocopy of my visa application fee paid through Bank Of Philippine Islands (BPI)
- Original and photocopy of my sister's National Statistics Office (NSO) marriage certificate
- Photocopy of my sister’s international marriage certificate issued in Ruse, Slovenia (an original copy is attached in my mother’s application) (this is to prove their marriage)
- Original and photocopy of my sister’s National Statistics Office (NSO) birth certificate including certified true copy issued by the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) (this is to prove my relationship with my sister)
- Original and photocopy of my NSO birth certificate including certified true copy issued by the Local Civil Registrar (LCR)
- Original and photocopy of my National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearance
- Photocopy of the guarantee letter from my brother-in-law (an original copy is attached in my mother’s application) (our sponsor is my brother-in-law a Slovenian citizen)
- Photocopy of my brother-in-law’s Slovenian national ID (this is to prove he is a Slovenian citizen)
- Original and photocopy of my brother-in-law’s latest 6 months bank statements (this is to prove that he has the capacity to finance us)
- Photocopy of my brother-in-law’s passport with recent visas and stamps
- Photocopy of my sister’s certification to change surname and passport issued by the Philippine Embassy in Doha, Qatar (this is to prove my sister is married to a Slovenian citizen)
- Photocopy of my sister’s passport with recent visas and stamps
- Photocopy of my naturalized Taiwanese sister’s passport (I included this because my sister in Taiwan is going with us to Europe)
- Original and photocopy of my certificate of employment and approved leave of absence (3 years in my company)
- Original and photocopy of my latest 3 years Income Tax Return (ITR), latest 3 months payslips, bank and credit card statements, and a bank certificate ( I borrowed money from my brother and put it in my bank account around 80k)
- Photocopy of my departure and return e-ticket from Manila, the Philippines to Vienna, Austria with connecting flight from Taipei, Taiwan via China Airlines (make sure you request a copy from the airline with a company header if you booked the ticket already - for us we already bought our ticket... confident enough (laugh))
- Photocopy of my naturalized Taiwanese sister’s departure and return e-ticket to Vienna, Austria from Taipei, Taiwan via China Airlines (I included this because my sister in Taiwan is coming with us to Europe)
- Original and photocopy of my travel medical insurance policy valid for the whole Schengen Area covering up to 30,000 Euros for medical and hospital care and repatriation for emergency medical reasons ( I applied on MAPFRE, validity is 15 days worth 1250 pesos )
- Original and photocopy of my Community Tax Certificate (CTC) (this is for resident status)
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS REQUESTED:
- Return to work certificate of assurance (Click here)
- Letter of assurance to be fetched (Click here)
For the record, we applied for a stay of 15 days from July 24, 2016, to August 7, 2016. On April 28, 2016, at 11pm we flew from Cagayan de Oro City to Manila via Cebu Pacific and stayed in THE SUEZ SERVICE STUDIOS Because it's just a walking distance from the embassy. Then, on the morning of April 29, 2016, we proceed to the embassy and followed the crowd of people also applying for a visa. We went to the 9th floor and submitted all our electronic gadgets to the security guard positioned outside. We find a seat inside (there are many people at that time but they were seafarers applying for other forms of visa) and waited for the visa officer to call our name. I was the first one to be called. I brought with me my documents (I use a Binder Clip to consolidate all my documents) and presented them to the visa officer then I had my biometrics. I was asked 3 preliminary questions:
- What is the purpose of your visit to Slovenia? (I answered family vacation)
- How long will you be staying in Europe? (I answered 15 days)
- How Many days will you visit Austria? (I answered 1 day)
Then after it, my mother was next. We were told to sit again because we will be interviewed later. Then here comes the main event the so-called “the interview”. I was the first one to be called again and it was not an interview anymore but an “interrogation” because I was standing there for almost 45 minutes. Here are the questions I was asked as far as I can remember:
- Is this your first passport?
- Are the visa stamps on your passport for tourism only?
- Are you single?
- Do you have a child?
- Where is your father?
- How many siblings do you have? Where are they and what are their JOBS? (we are 9 in the family so this was the portion where it took most of the time)
- Where is your sister
- What is the work of your brother-in-law?
- Why are you the only one traveling with your mother?
- How much is your salary?
- How many years have you been working?
- What is your position?
- How many days is your leave?
I just answered all the questions thrown at me with honesty. I was also sweating even though the ventilation of the room was very cold haha. By God’s grace, I answered all the questions truthfully (I can't recall the other questions because it was a lot) and catch my breath (whew). For my mother, she was just asked 3 simple questions relating to her living condition here in the Philippines. The visa offer issues a receipt of the document so that we can use it when we want to follow up on the status of our visa application. The visa officer also said to always vacant our line so that she can contact us for any additional documents. We returned to the accommodation with all the positivity in our hearts that the visa approval was on our side. (remember the quote of Paulo Coelho: “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”)
After a week, exactly May 10, 2016, a visa officer called me and asked a certain question like this:
- Are you traveling with your mother from Manila to Slovenia back and forth?
- Are you employed?
Then she requested a return to work certificate of assurance (Click here) because they want that after my vacation I will really return to the Philippines. I was also instructed to email it ASAP, then I did. I waited again for any latest update then finally on May 27, 2016, an email came from the Belgian Embassy Stating:
- round-trip ticket with confirmed dates in/out of Slovenia/Schengen (not a booking/not a flight itinerary) must have an e-ticket number (If you already booked the same with ours, you must submit the E-TICKET copy from the airline with a company header so that they won't ask again. In our case we were asked again because we submitted an Amadeus e-ticket (facepalm))
We need 3 working days to issue your visa.
Further advice will be given once we have received the document/s. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Visa Dep’t.
Embassy of Belgium, Manila
I immediately complied with the request of the embassy and let my sister-in-law submit the documents. On May 30, 2016, my sister-in-law went to the embassy and submitted the documents. In the afternoon she contacted me with a text saying “PLEASE CALL ME URGENT”. I was confused because I was thinking about what went wrong again. she said that because our point of entry is in Vienna, Austria and we don't have a booking for our trip going to Maribor, Slovenia we need a letter of assurance to be fetched () from our sponsor. The letter must state that we will be fetched from Vienna airport going to our accommodation in Slovenia. This is another nuisance for us (whew) but I choose to face it. I called the embassy quickly to ask if we can submit the letter of assurance via email and thank God they let us. I contacted my sister right away to tell her to create a letter of assurance that must be scanned and signed by both of them. The next day I sent the email to the embassy (I sent it to Manila@diplobel.fed.be REMEMBER to always use ATTENTION: VISA SECTION in your email. besides the letter of assurance, I ALSO included the following:
- Scanned copy of my sister and her husband’s passport
- Scanned copy of my sister’s Schengen visa
- Scanned copy of my brother-in-law’s International driver permit
- Van reservation of the car that we will use)
This is how the visa looks like:
My PARTING Words :
“There are no sad endings. Endings are always happy. If it’s not happy, it’s not the end yet.”
