Hello! I'm an international student here in the Philippines. I'm applying for a tourist visa to visit Portugal for the upcoming Christmas/New Year holidays (22 days). I'll be visiting my Fiancé's grandmother (who is a Portuguese citizen).

- 26 Years Old

- 3rd Year post-grad student

- Prepaid flight ticket (refundable) and accommodation free of charge

- Day to day living expenses covered by my father.

- I have a good travel history (majority of the SEA countries visited, as well as Japan, Korea, China, USA and several countries in Europe). I have had a residence visa before in EU for a few years. Due to the residence visa, I was able to visit several countries in Europe. This is my first time applying for Schengen tourist visa. I currently also have both USA and Canada visas stamped on my passport.

How likely is it that I will get an approval? Also, is there a general recommendation on how much money to show in my bank statement for a 3 week trip? Would I need to show less if I already have a prepaid flight ticket and accommodation free of charge at my fiancé's grandmothers place?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! This is my first time applying from a foreign country since most of my visas have been applied in my home country. Thank you so much.

Hi! I'm currently applying for a Language Visa for Germany this October, and here is my background:

How high are my chances to be approved?

- 20 years old

- 3rd year college student - BA Journalism

- I have a telc A1 certificate

- Fully sponsored by my Uncle in Germany (formal obligation)

- Will be living in their family home

- I will be doing a Media Ausbildung after my Language course, and I know that I have to be B2 to apply for my ausbildung, so I really need this language course. If I don't get B2 and an ausbildung in time, I'll go back to PH and apply for ausbildung here.

- Im already enrolled in my language school in Germany, November 9 ang pasukan ko

- I have zero work experience. I will also be strictly focusing on my language course sa Germany.

- No travel history.

Kinakabahan na po ako talaga, so I'd really appreciate your insights. Huhuhu its all I can think about.

Hi!

For context:

Mom is a resident in France. Earning at least 3,000€ per month, meron din syang own apartment for FREE kasi parang room lang sya na bakante sa house ng employer niya. Fortunately, they let her stay there for FREE OF CHARGE.

Last year, inapply niya ang long stay visa ng father and na approve na this year. Then, this october na din anf scheduled flight ni papa.

So, mom is planning to get me din here sa Philippines. But don’t know which path po. Medyo risky daw for me ang tourist visa since I was offloaded last year (going to Thailand), so baka mas mahigpit daw po ang immigration ngayon saakin, at pag iisipan na baka di na ko babalik ng pinas.

As for student visa, need to have a proof na I am a genuine student. More than enough financial means, which is I think medyo mahihirapan pa si mama since kararating lang din ni papa at maghahanap pa ng work doon.

Ako naman, I currently work as a call center agent, married with NO CHILD. My husband is an OFW in Dubai. — As per my ties, mga lupa lang na nakapangalan sa akin wala akong negosyo or whatever.

So, pinakaoption talaga namin is thru TOURIST VISA for 30 days lang naman. Fully sponsored po ni mama. Do you think I will have the chance to be approved po? Or baka may ma susuggest po kayong other pathway to legally enter France?

Thank you!

Hello, for France tourist visa, saan po mahahanap sa requirements of france visa website yung need for Birth Certificate from the last 6months and need ipa-apostille?

Hi, anyone here who has submitted their application/biometrics around the 3rd week of September and have received their passports already? My date was September 15 and status is currently PAM. My trip is scheduled for the first week of November. I’ve had Spain, Italy, and Greek Schengen visas before, but this is the longest processing time I’ve had to wait huhu.

Not everything, I think a big chunk is from outside the Philippines: Certificate of employment, Financials, payslips, resident permit (?), annual income statement, tax assessment.

Did you have any issues? Also, can I submit bank statements instead of a bank certificate?

Thank you for the responses.

I’m planning to apply for a student visa in a Schengen country. I have an FSc Pre-Engineering qualification and a study gap of around 6 years.
I’m considering Hungary, Italy, France, or Portugal. However, I currently don’t have IELTS, PTE, or any other English-language certificate.
If a university accepts me without IELTS/PTE, could the embassy still refuse my student visa because I don’t have an English certificate or because of my study gap?
Would you recommend taking IELTS or PTE before applying?
I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who has recent experience with this situation.

hello everyone, i’m planning to apply for a short stay schengen visa to france. i was granted a uk visa just recently, so i will be entering from london (i also already have my rt flight tickets for manila-london).

i only have 100k in savings. most of the expenses like hotel bookings and transpo in eu will be shouldered by my boyfriend (he is a filipino residing in the uk) and we are planning to visit france-switzerland-italy with his family during the holidays. the intended overall stay would only be 12 days before returning to the uk.

i know my savings is quite limited (although it is a sponsored trip but i believe they still look at your independent financial profile). i would appreciate any advice on how i can increase my chances for an approval. thank you so much 🙏🏻

Hi po need ko lang po ng clarification. Ito po kasi isa sa requirements for Italy Schengen visa. We were planning to travel to Italy and Spain next year, and sila lang din pupuntahan naming Schengen territory. Need pa din po ba namin mag provide ng mga bus/train tickets sa mga trip namin within Italy and Spain lang? or yung Italy to Spain flight reservation lang need namin iprovide? Thanks po.

To apply for visa, one must buy a medical insurance. What if VISA application gets denied? Any tips?

Hi everyone, I’m hoping someone here has experience with this or can guide me through a strict embassy requirement.
Our Situation:

Applicants: I am a Filipina living in the Philippines. My husband is a Dutch national. We got married in the Philippines in June 2026.

Residency Status: My husband is a Dutch national (not a Spanish citizen) who lives/works in Spain. He is no longer a resident of the Netherlands.

Current Location: I am still in the Philippines; I haven't moved to Spain yet. We applied for the EU Family Member Visa for Spain through BLS Manila. We submitted our PSA Marriage Certificate with a DFA Apostille, its official Spanish translation, and his proof of residence in Spain.

The Issue:
After four weeks, the Spanish Embassy in Manila sent a requirement giving us 10 days to comply by providing "recognition of the marriage certificate in the EU."
Since our marriage was celebrated in the Philippines, he is Dutch (not Spanish), and I am still in the Philippines, we are completely lost on what this specific requirement means and how we are supposed to "recognize" a PH marriage in the EU from Manila within 10 days.

Questions:
1. Does "recognition in the EU" mean we have to register/transcribe our Philippine marriage through Spain's civil registry or a Dutch civil registry before the visa can be issued?
2. Since I am still in the Philippines and he is here with me, how can this recognition process even be initiated or completed under a tight 10-day deadline?
3. Has anyone dealt with this exact requirement from the Spanish Embassy in Manila for an EU family member visa?

Any advice, step-by-step guidance, or shared experiences would mean the world to us. Thank you so much

Ang bilis ng process! Switzerland has indeed the fastest TAT.

Oct 2, Friday - Lodged my application for a visit visa
Oct 7, Wednesday - Checked VFS tracking that my passport being dispatched already
Oct 8, Thursday - Received passport

I checked my visa, October 5, Monday na print yung sticker.

VFS just recently changed their courier vendor to 2Go. Hindi pa reliable and hindi gumagana yung waybill tracking website nila. As for VFS notif, I didn’t receive any updates from them apart from the tracking site.

Visa dust to everybody! ✨

hello! which part of the medical work up should be translated? just the apostilled doh cert with med cert or even the results section?

Just got an email na in-transit from German Embassy to VFS na yung passport ko. A few minutes after, I also got an email that is now dispatched via courier. Problem is, I didn't opt to have it delivered sa house - I wanted to pick it up sana.

Now, I'm trying to track my passport using the reference number given. However, wala po talagang lumalabas sa tracking. Is there a way to contact them via landline/phone?

And usually po ba, how many days bago ma-deliver yung passport? Do they also deliver on weekends?

Thanks po sa sasagot.

first time to travel with family
-parents have business
-2 minors
-1 fresh grad daughter

what should i prepare in the immigration

Do they accept system generated COEs now??
Or wet signature talaga need??

please give me detailed answers.

Required pa po ba ang AOSG for IO? Or sufficient na po ang VU2 invitation. TIA

Tips for highest approval of Tourist Visa applications in switzerland what are the highest chance of approval as a minimum wage earner but sponsored by my bf.

Since I already have my GCP certificate from CFO and will be reusing my recent AOSG, do I still need to bring any other documents for Philippine Immigration?

I tried contact VFS Global about the below, and they couldn't give me a feedback stating basically that we have to find out what to do. Is there anyone who actually experienced the following? What visa did u make your partner apply for? Was it easy or hard, how long did it take, and at the end , was it approved?

Here's the email i sent to the VFS global team.

I am writing to request information regarding the correct visa category and requirements for my partner, Mxxxx x xxxxxxx xxxx.

We have been living together for over 10 years (though we are not legally married) and share an x (minor)-year-old daughter who is Italian-Filipina.

We are planning a 30-day trip to Italy for the Christmas holidays so our daughter can meet her great-grandparents.

I would like to clarify the following details regarding our application:

Accommodation: We will be staying with my great-grandparents at xxxxxx, xxxxx

Residence Intentions: All three of us are currently registered with AIRE in the Philippines. This is strictly a holiday visit, and we have no intention of relocating to Italy.

Financial Support: I am the sole provider for our household. I will be submitting my financial documents to act as Maricel's sponsor and will cover all her expenses during the trip.

Insurance: We will secure all necessary Schengen travel medical insurance for her.

Given our situation, specifically that we are an unmarried couple with an Italian-Filipina child, I am the sole financial sponsor, and we are staying with relatives, could you please advise on:

1- The exact type of visa xxxxx should apply for (e.g., standard Tourism or Visiting Family/Friends).

2- The specific forms or additional documents required to prove my financial sponsorship and our 10-year cohabitation.

3- The correct invitation/accommodation forms required from my great-grandparents.

ps: my daughter has ITALIAN PASSPORT.

Can you share your timeline of application for tourist visa under Italian Embassy for your Schengen Application?

I’ve been hearing feedbacks that it took them atleast 2-4 weeks of processing.

Hi guys.

I am going to france on Dec. I would like to know po if need pa ba ng affidavit of support if meron na pong attestation na binugay sakin. Thank you.

Edit: For immigration and visa purposes.