Visit Visa Processing (to Belgium)

I have been wanting to write a blog about the visa processing for both visit and fiancée visa to Belgium (from Manila) to help Filipinos like me (in my own little way) on documents that they will need before and during the application and interview process and give them a timeline of events (based on my own experience of course) so they will have a bigger picture of how long it will take for them to receive response and final decision from the embassy ~~ but time is always a challenge.. and now that I have the whole day to write, it's better to do it now than procrastinate. Again, I reiterate, the timeline on this blog is based on my own personal experience ~~ series of events or documents the embassy will ask (other than what is published in their website), and the timeline for every step may vary on a case to case basis. 


My Situation:  Patrick and I were introduced June of 2009 and became officially in a relationship September of the same year.  October of 2009, I have to leave for US to take my exam and so our plans of Patrick coming to Manila to meet my family only materialized April 2010 (although this is already Patrick's 3rd time to visit the country). Before I left again for US, Patrick and I went to the Belgium embassy in Makati (April 16, 2010) to lodge then my visit visa.


Visit Visa: ~ We called the embassy for an appointment <~ 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)> <Please ALWAYS check http://www.diplomatie.be/manila/ for updates>.  The earliest date available that time was May and so Patrick emailed the embassy to request if they can give us an earlier appointment as he will be leaving Manila last week of April and I will also be leaving by May. The embassy replied and gave us an earlier slot (April 16) for the lodging of the visa application.


Requirements for Visit Visa:  Months before Patrick came for his Manila trip, we're already talking about me applying for a visit visa to meet his family.  And so, he came prepared with his papers. 

1. Original Affidavit of Support called “Bijlage 3bis/Verbintenis Tot Tenlasteneming / Prise en charge/Annexe 3Bis”

2. Family Composition called “Composition de Ménage/Samenstelling Van Het Gezin” 

<1and 2 were both obtained from Patrick's town hall>.

3. Photocopy of his Belgian ID card (front & back)

4. And recent proof of his monthly income (for the last 3 months).

I also came prepared for the appointment ~ Passport, application form (can be downloaded from the website) with two 2x2 pics with white background, application fee (Peso equivalent of 60 Euro), a letter of invitation from Patrick (which he only wrote the day before the appointment) and my certificate of employment. I also brought with me bank statement and credit card bill statement in case they will ask. 


For information on requirements from the website please click this link:
http://www.diplomatie.be/Manila/default.asp?id=28&ACT=5&content=12&mnu=28


Interview:  The lady in the counter first asked me for the basic requirements (Patrick's papers in bold letters) and my passport and application form with pics. Then the following questions (as I remembered them):
1.  What is your purpose on applying for the Schengen visa? ~~ My purpose is to visit Patrick's family and tour the country. 
2.  How long do you plan to stay? ~~ I will be staying for 14 days.
3.  How are you related to the sponsor? (referring to Patrick)  ~~ Patrick is my boyfriend.
4.  Will you be staying in his place or in a hotel? ~~ We'll be mostly touring around Belgium and the neighboring countries, but while we're in Belgium, I will be staying in his place.
5.  Do you already have an itinerary? ~~ Not for now. Not until we have the decision on my application.
And that's it.  She did not ask me for any bank statements or credit cards and not even my certificate of employment.  She then asked me to pay the fee and I was given a slip of white paper with my name and date and visa number as reference.  Then I was told that we will know the decision through a call or an e-mail.  She did not give us any time frame. As I am leaving Manila the month after, I have to ask from her back my passport (apparently, the embassy is keeping the passport with them during processing) and requested her to send me the result via e-mail.


A few interview tips:  Be polite and look at the visa officer in the eye when you answer. ONLY answer what is asked! Do not offer information or documents that is not asked from you.  The ladies in the counter are all Filipinos and so do not be ashamed to talk to them in Tagalog (or Taglish for that matter) if you cannot explain yourself well in straight English. Be very honest about your situation as they can see right through you and they will know when you are not being consistent with your answers.  Do not be intimated if they raise their voice sometimes (as I overhear them do). They sometimes have to do it for emphasis or if you misunderstood their question and they have to re-ask it with a louder voice.  Do not be overwhelmed with people being interviewed and were asked a lot of questions before you (You can hear other people being asked there because there is no private cubicle for questioning). Remember, your circumstance is different than theirs.


Result:  May 25, 2010 ~ I received an e-mail from the embassy and was informed that my visa application has been approved (Yehey!). Furthermore, for them to issue the visa, I was requested to submit through e-mail on or before June 30 a  round trip ticket with confirmed dates, travel insurance with a coverage of 30,000 Euro to all Schengen countries and valid for the duration of the stay, and my passport.  We send them (through e-mail) the ticket and the travel insurance (I got an AXA insurance. If I remember right, Patrick paid 20 Euro for the travel insurance.  You can click this link for a free quotation though ~ http://www.axa-schengen.com/) before June 30, with an explanation that I am still not in Manila (so I can't give them my passport yet), but will be back last week of July and will go straight to embassy for visa stamping.  I came back to Manila July 27 and went to the embassy July 28 (no need to call for appointment, I just emailed and inform them the day I will go for my visa stamping). My visa was released 3 days after that.


Visa Conditions: I am to report to the town hall within the first 8 days where I will be staying in Belgium and request an official paper stating my registration of stay.  The paper from the town hall will then be given to the Belgian embassy in Makati as proof that you traveled and you are back (I think more on they want to make sure that you return back and didn't overstay :D).


Time Frame: From the lodging of visa application to email notification for the result ~ 5 weeks.