Hey, long time no Tuesday tips! Yes, it’s back! I shared in my 2022 wrap-up that my friends & I flew to Europe for 3.5 weeks & explored Paris in France, Rome, Florence & Milan in Italy & Barcelona in Spain. We stayed longer in Italy so we applied for our visas from the Italian Embassy here in the Philippines. Today’s Tuesday Tips post will discuss how to apply for a Schengen Tourist Visa by yourself with VIA Center Italy. [2024 UPDATE – The Italian Embassy in the Philippines has changed their visa processing provider to VFS Philippines. More details below.]
In case you missed it, I’ve been to Europe in 2019 for an 18-day DIY trip & spent less than ₱120,00 all in. Crazy, right? I got my 1st ever Schengen Tourist Visa from the Dutch Embassy through VFS & I did the whole application & submission process by myself. Check out this Tuesday Tips post to know more about the previous tourist visa application.
As someone who wants to avoid ridiculous travel agency handling fees, I always try to apply for tourist visas by myself. Applying for a tourist visa can be both exciting & daunting. I take these visa application procedures as a challenge to my backpacker self & I find it rewarding when I get a favorable application result. This Schengen visa application wasn’t any different. I prepared the required documents, itinerary, accommodation bookings, etc. for weeks; I’m glad I got my visa granted.
A quick reminder – you must apply for a Schengen tourist visa to the embassy of the country you’re first entering to if the number of days of stay in all countries to visit are the same (example – 4 days in Netherlands, 4 days in Belgium, 4 days in France & 4 days in Italy) or to the embassy of the country where you’re staying the longest (example – this trip where we stayed in Italy for 13 days, 5 days in France & 5 days in Spain) during the trip. Now you might be wondering how I did it; here’s how.
[2024 UPDATE – The Italian Embassy in Manila has changed their visa processing provider to VFS as of late last year. In fact, in December 2023, the embassy opened their visa processing center at Ground Floor, One Campus Place, Building A, McKinley Town Center, McKinly Hill, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Metro Manila. The embassy also opened visa application centers in Cebu (Unit 1001C & 1004B, 10th Floor, Kepwealth Center, Samar Loop, cor Cardinal Rosales Ave, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu), Batangas (Unit F01, Block J, Ground Floor, The Outlets at Lipa, LIMA Technology Center, Barangay Bugtong na Pulo, JP Laurel Highway, Lipa City, Batangas 4217), and Davao (FES 07, Second Floor, Alfresco Area, Felcris Centrale, Brgy., 40-D Quimpo Blvd, Davao City, 8000).]
Step 1 – Set an Appointment
[2024 UPDATE – Appointments are now made online via the VFS portal. First, you need to create an account at the VFS Portal. After that, please choose your preferred appointment schedule and time. If I remember it right and am not sure if it has changed, VFS opens visa appointment slots at least a month before.]
The Embassy of Italy in the Philippines has authorized VIA Center to act as the middleman in all visa-related services for the country. All Schengen visa applications & document requirements are submitted to & released by VIA Center for the embassy. Unlike VFS, the VIA Center in Makati City & Cebu City only accept visa appointment schedules via phone call. Here are the contact numbers of the said offices:
VIA Center Makati –Landline: +632 8572 0235 / +632 8572 0238 | Globe: +63 917 576 3103 | Smart: +63 999 889 6021
VIA Center Cebu – Landline: +6332 412 7447 | Globe: +63 945 394 1606
The hotlines are open on regular working days from 8:00am to 4:30pm. These hotlines are busy throughout the day. Please do not give up on your first try. Also, please get ready with the following details which will be asked by the agent when setting the appointment: Full Name of the Applicant, Passport Number, Contact Number & E-mail Address.
After setting the appointment, the customer service agent you spoke to will send a confirmation e-mail including the appointment details, appointment reference number, application form, list of necessary documents to submit & all other details needed for the application.
TIP: Schengen tourist visa applications are accepted as early as 6 months before the intended trip dates. To be safe, I suggest that you schedule your visa application with VIA Center at least 2-3 months before your planned departure date.
Step 2 – Book Necessary Accommodations & Travel Insurance
Schengen visa applications need confirmed accommodation bookings. They ask for the details of your accommodation (name of hotel or hostel, address & contact details) during your stay in Europe. Make sure to book accommodation right before you start with the application form.
TIP: Book your accommodation with Agoda & Booking.com & choose those with free cancellation options. You can always cancel these bookings after & choose your accommodation of choice once you get your visa. I booked all my accommodation with these 2 websites & I didn’t have any trouble during the application process.
Tourist visa applications also require travel insurance coverage for all people travelling to Europe. Applicants must secure travel insurance that will cover the trip (+15 days of allowance beyond travel period specific to Italy Visa applications only), that can cover up to €30,000 in expenses valid within the Schengen zone & that allows cashless settlement of claims. The center includes the list of accredited insurance companies in the visa appointment e-mail confirmation.
I got my travel insurance for this trip from Mapfre Insurance Philippines. I got their Schengen Completo Plan that covers claims up to €35,000. I paid ₱1,969.43 for the whole trip coverage & including the additional 15-day allowance required by the Italian Embassy.
ANOTHER TIP: You can easily purchase this travel insurance from Mapfre Insurance’ official website. Let me know if you want to avail this through an agent. I can share with you the name of the agent I dealt with; I initially got errors when I tried to purchase it online.
Step 3 – Prepare the Required Documents
After booking your trip accommodation & buying your travel insurance, the next step is to complete the list of requirements needed for the application. Here is the list of the documents I submitted. Please take note that these documents need to be in A4 or long size paper & need to be photocopied.
Accomplished Application Form – I will discuss this in the next step.
Photo – The colored photo can either be 2×2 inch or passport-sized. Also, the photo must be taken within the last 6 months & must have a white background.
Current Passport – Your passport must be valid for more than 6 months at the time of travel. It must also have at least 2 blank pages.
Old & Expired Passports – They ask for the old & expired passports of the applicant.
Photocopy of Passport Bio Page – One copy is enough.
Photocopy of All Passport Stamps & Visas – I submitted a copy of all my passport stamps & visas from both my current & previous passports. Please also include the bio & last pages of previous passports.
Bank Certificate & Statement – I submitted both my bank certificate & bank statement for the last six months. These bank documents must be original.
Credit Card Statements – I submitted only a month statement of all my credit cards. This is just a supplementary document.
Proof of Social Security Contributions – I copied & printed the recorded contributions from my online SSS account.
Certificate of Employment & Certificate of No Objection – I submitted my certificate of employment detailing my position, length of employment & my salary. Our company HR officer also gave me a certificate of no objection where it stated that my employer knows this trip & they are not objecting against the trip. It also stated when I am on leave from work & when they expect me to report back to work.
Income Tax Return – I submitted a copy of my 2021 BIR-stamped income tax return.
Proof of Airline Reservation – The Embassy requires proof of airline reservation for the application. Unlike my 2019 Schengen Visa application, I only provided a proof of reservation & booked my ticket with Emirates after I got my tourist visa. I got my proof of airline reservation from GVCA Travel & Tours. Feel free to message them to ask for their services.
Proof of Accommodation – I submitted all the accommodation bookings I had for the trip. Make sure that all details (including the dates) are consistent with that from the application form.
Cover Letter – A cover letter is not required but is highly encouraged. I still submitted a cover letter detailing the purpose of my trip as well as how long I will in the Schengen territory.
Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary – I submitted a dummy day-to-day itinerary for my trip. It should include where you’ll stay on the specific date & the contact details of these accommodations. Make sure that the details are the same & consistent with that from the application form.
NSO Birth Certificate – The Embassy requires each applicant to submit a PSA-certified birth certificate.
Travel Insurance – I submitted a copy of the travel insurance I got from Mapfre Insurance Philippines.
NOTE: Certain types of applicants such as minors, those invited by relatives, business owners, self-employed individuals & foreigners may have additional requirements. Feel free to reach out to VIA Center to know more about these additional requirements.
TIP: Arrange these documents according to the order mentioned in the confirmation e-mail. The person who will check your documents may or may not get the photocopies. In my case, they got the old & current passports, the original copies of the following: application form, current passport bio page, bank certificates & the certificate of employment, plus the photocopies of the other documents. On the other hand, my friend told me that the visa center agent got all the original copies of the documents & gave back all the photocopies.
ANOTHER TIP: You can submit as many financial documents as you can so show your strong ties here in the Philippines. In my case, I submitted statements of all my 4 credit cards, copies of my 2 life insurance policies & 2 certificates of my current stock investment accounts. The agents won’t prohibit you from submitting all these documents.
ANOTHER TIP v2: Make sure your transfers between countries are either booked or indicated in the daily itineraries. I submitted my flight tickets from Paris to Rome & Milan to Barcelona. I also indicated in the itinerary that I will take the bus between cities
Step 4 – Accomplish the Application Form
Fill out the application electronically & print it on an A4-sized paper. You can also print the application form & fill it out manually. The second option is prone to errors, so best to go with the first one. Make sure that all details in your requirements & itinerary are consistent with the one in the application form.
TIP: Fill out each question or option slowly & surely to avoid errors.
Step 5 – Go to VIA Center on Your Scheduled Appointment
[2024 UPDATE – The Italian Embassy in Manila has opened four visa application centers in the country. Here are the updated locations:
VFS Visa Application Center – Taguig
Ground Floor, One Campus Place, Building A
McKinley Town Center, McKinley Hill
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City
Metro Manila 1634
VFS VFS Visa Application Center – Cebu
Unit 1001C & 1004B, 10th Floor, Kepwealth Center
Samar Loop, corner Cardinal Rosales Ave
Cebu City, Cebu 6000
VFS Visa Application Center – Batangas
Unit F01, Block J, Ground Floor, The Outlets at Lipa
LIMA Technology Center, Barangay Bugtong na Pulo
JP Laurel Highway, Lipa City, Batangas 4217
VFS Visa Application Center – Davao
FES 07, Second Floor, Alfresco Area
Felcris Centrale, Barangay 40-D, Quimpo Blvd
Davao City 8000
Please make sure to choose the visa center near you.]
Head to the VIA Center on your scheduled appointment date. The VIA Center Makati City & Cebu City addresses are as follows:
VIA Center Makati
3rd Floor Allegro Center, 2284 Chino Roces Ave
Brgy Magallanes, Makati City, Metro Manila
Philippines 2284
VIA Center Cebu
1004, Keppel Bldg, Cardinal Rosales Ave
Cor Samar Loop, Cebu City
Cebu, Philippines 6000
I arrived at VIA Center Makati a few minutes past 9:00am & the guard had already allowed me to go inside. All applicants fall in line outside the visa center. The guards only allow 2 people at a time. Upon entering the VIA Center premises, someone checked my appointment schedule & documents. After checking, I was given a queue number & was asked to go inside the document submission room.
TIP: You may arrive at the visa center even before your scheduled appointment. The guard may allow you to queue early if there are not a lot of applicants.
Step 6 – Submit Your Documents & Biometrics
Head to the designated counter or desk once your number is called. The agent will check your application form, documents & all other details. Once done, he/she will ask you to seat down & wait for your turn in the biometrics section.
TIP: The agent might ask questions relating to your application or your trip. He/she will also confirm your departure date & confirm the mode of claiming the passport – whether by pick-up or courier delivery. Please answer them truthfully.
ANOTHER TIP: Bring a pen with you because he/she might ask you to sign or write something.
ANOTHER TIP v2: Make sure your documents are organized in the order that the confirmation e-mail indicates. This helps the agent check your documents faster. In my case, the agent assigned to me was happy & impressed with my documents. She gladly accepted all the papers & made sure everything went smoothly.
Proceed to the biometrics section once your name is called. The agent will ask for all of your fingerprints. He/she will give you a slip which you will then use when paying for the visa fee.
Step 7 – Pay the Visa Fee
[2024 UPDATE – The Embassy has changed providers to VFS Philippines. Here are the updated fees as of 23 January 2024: visa fee costs ₱4,821 (€80) & VFS handling fee costs ₱1,688.]
After your turn in the biometrics section, you may now proceed to counter 17 to pay for the visa fees. At the time of the application, the visa fees cost ₱5,844. The visa application fee costs ₱4,494 (€80) while the visa handling fee costs ₱1,350 per applicant. The fees already include the courier service fee for those who opted to get their passport results via courier. Once done, you may now leave VIA Center.
TIP: VIA Center only accepts payments in cash. Pay in exact amount for faster transaction.
ANOTHER TIP: Visa application fees change every quarter. Please refer to your appointment confirmation e-mail for the updated visa fees.
Step 8 – Claim Your Passport / Wait for Passport Delivery
[2024 UPDATE – Notifications are now sent by VFS via email. You may also receive a text message if your passport is now ready to be claimed. Applications can now check the status of their application here by putting their reference number and last name.]
The waiting game begins. The Embassy of Italy here in the Philippines’ standard visa processing time is 15-30 days. Those who opted to claim their passports will get a text message from VIA Center once your passports are ready for pick-up. Those who availed the courier service will get a notification from the courier once the passports are out for delivery.
The visa assessment timeframe per applicant varies. I got a text message from VIA Center 16 days after I submitted my application. My friends took nearly a month before they got their passports back. I asked my sister to pick-up my passport (complete with the necessary authorization letter & IDs) & voila, I was told that I was granted a multiple entry visa valid for 25 days.
Do you have any questions about the visa requirements or the process with VIA Center? Feel free to contact them in the details below:
VIA Center Makati –Landline: +632 8572 0235 / +632 8572 0238 | Globe: +63 917 576 3103 | Smart: +63 999 889 6021
VIA Center Cebu – Landline: +6332 412 7447 | Globe: +63 945 394 1606
E-mail Address for both offices: ita_inquiry@via.ph
[2024 UPDATE – The Embassy of Italy has changed their visa processing provider to VFS as of last December 2023. Here are the updated contact numbers of the new visa processing center.
Contact Number: +632 8528 2520
Email Address: info.italyph@vfsglobal.com
These hotlines are open Mondays to Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.]
I got super happy & excited when I found out that I was given another Schengen visa. I got a favorable result & everything paid off in the end. I don’t mind doing it again in the future.
Have you applied for a Schengen visa on your own? Which embassy / application center did you go to? How was the application process? Are you applying for a visa soon? Do you have any questions about the application process or requirements? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. I will try to answer them as soon as I can. If you’re shy, feel free to send your questions & clarifications via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.
Thanks for reading today’s Tuesday Tips post. Watch out for my Europe 2022 blog posts coming soon! Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!
PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.