Applying for Schengen Visa at the Consulate of Netherlands in Cebu

As fate would have it, I found myself gathering documents for Schengen Visa again but this time it’s for the purpose of tourism where the expenses are fully paid by me and me alone.

My planned destination this time is Netherlands and Germany but since Netherlands is my main destination and first point of entry, I went to the Consulate of Netherlands located in Metaphil Building, Tipolo to submit my application. At least I save money because I’m so tired of going all the way to Manila just for visa processing.

NOTA BENE: Please wear proper attire with closed shoes when going to the consulate of Netherlands

So, based from the Embassy of Netherlands website, the list of documents for tourism were:

1. A passport, valid until at least three months after completion of the intended journey. CHECKED

2. One fully, correctly and clearly completed application form, duly dated and signed. CHECKED

3. Two recent* passport-size (3.5 by 4.5 cm) photograph, against light (e.g. white) background. CHECKED

4. All previous passports. CHECKED

5. For employees: An original letter from your employer or company, approving your leave of absence. Proof of employment: a recent employer’s’ statement that should mention salary, date of entry and duration of absence. CHECKED

6. A flight-reservation upon submission of your application. Do not purchase your ticket before your visa application has been approved! CHECKED

7. Confirmed hotel reservation for the whole travel period, including all other countries that you are going to visit, to be faxed by the hotel directly to the embassy (fax no +63 2 7866644). CHECKED

8. Travelinsurance for the whole duration of stay. CHECKED

9. Income of applicant: As available means an applicant should have €34,– per day to spent when he or she will provide own expenses for the trip. CHECKED with my bank certificate and bank statement of account as proof!

Although cover letter, photocopy of credit card and its statement of account, 3 months worth of payslip and NSO birth certificate were not listed in the website but I submitted them anyway and the woman at the consulate checked all of them. She even calculated the number of days of my trip multiplied by 34 Euro because that’s supposed to be the money I have since I’ll be financing this trip myself.

How did the interview went? These were the questions thrown at me:

1. What’s your job, how long have you been working and how much is your salary? I’m an Engineer since January 3, 2005 at so and so with a salary of so and so.

2. How many siblings you have, what are your parents’ job and are you living with your parents? I have 2 siblings and I’m the eldest. My parents worked for St Peter Memorial Plans and I live with my parents.

3. Have you travelled before and where? I’ve been to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, HongKong, Macau and Belgium.

4. Do you have any friends or acquaintances in Europe and how did you get to Belgium? I only have a sister in Belgium and she was my host last year.

5. Why didn’t you do the same thing again today and have your sister as your host? My sister and her family will be travelling this August and will not be able to accommodate me. Also, I’ve already seen Belgium and for this trip, I want to see Netherlands and Germany.

6. The woman then checked my hotel accommodations and asked: You are staying in Amsterdam, travel to Berlin and stay again in Amsterdam for 1 night before coming back to Philippines? YES.

And that’s it. She asked money for visa fee and gave me a slip of paper which is to be my claim stub for my passport and told me to wait for the embassy in Manila or consulate in Cebu to contact me. 

{UPDATE: May 17, 2012}

I submitted  my visa application and had my interview on May 4, 2012.  I was expecting some 20 working days before I hear any news but on May 17, 2012, I received an sms that my passport WITH VISA is now ready for pick up at consulate Cebu anytime.  Yipppee!

NOTA BENE: It is important to have a photocopy of all the documents you submitted to the Consulate because the immigration officers at Philippine airport can be a pain in the ass sometimes.

P.S.
I have EasyTravel & Tours to thank for number 6 – 8 requirement.

EASYTRAVEL & TOURS, INC.
2nd Flr GMC Alpha Arcade
ML Quezon National Highway, Pajo
Lapu-Lapu City, 6015 Cebu
PHILIPPINES
***
Phone : ++63 (32) 340.1424
Tel/Fax: ++63 (32) 495.4722
E: info@easytravelcebu.com, easytravelreservation@yahoo.com
W: http://www.easytravelcebu.com/

Windmill and Calzone in Amsterdam

On my last day in Amsterdam, Lanay went out with me for an hour before seeing me off at the Centraal Station. Her co-worker couldn’t believe that I reached Rijksmuseum on foot the previous day so I was given an OV Chipkaart which was valid for the Metro only, I think.  Bedankt mijn instant vriend.

Lanay asked me what I wanted to see and I said the red-light district and a windmill.  Since red-light is closer, we went there first.  I was able to see 3 fat black woman only and one of them was busy picking her nose. Lanay said that the pretty ones come out on display at night only.  It’s like a tourist attraction here in Amsterdam. 

After consulting a tourist guide at the information center located across Centraal Station, we learned that Metro 9 and a 5 – minute walk will take us to a windmill.  I would have loved to get inside the windmill but we learned that it’s a private property and that someone lives there.  A windmill for a house?  How cool is that?

Lanay wanted to treat me to a lunch and although I insisted to be the one paying for it because I saved money on accommodation after all and most meals during my entire stay in their apartment but she wouldn’t accept my offer.  She said, “you pay it forward“.  She is off to Madrid next weekend where she will be adopted also by her other Filipino friends and be treated to free accommodation and free meals. Who needs couchsurfing indeed if you got lots of Filipino friends.

So, what’s for lunch? Calzone (filled pizza with cheese, ham, salami, mushrooms, paprika, served with minced meat sauce on top) and Della Casa Spaghetti (vegetables, minced meat and cheese in cream tomato sauce).  I love calzone so much that I wonder if I could find it in Cebu, Philippines.  A combination of tomato and cheese results to umami taste and it’s one of my favorite combo so it’s no wonder I’m into Italian foods very much.

Eating Italian pasta/pizza in Italy would be my next dream.  I wonder if I have any friends residing in Italy.  hmmm…

See you back in Philippines next month Lanay especially when Cathy gets home from Korea.  Again, thank you very much for the hospitality.

Amsterdam Walkathon

Lanay and her co-workers were off shopping for gifts to bring back to Philippines for loved ones and since I didn’t spend money to get to Amsterdam to see nothing but shops, I headed alone to walk around the capital of Netherlands instead. I posted in couchsurfing forum of course in case someone wanted to walk around with me but everyone seems hang up on partying hard until late at night so no hope from that venue.

My plan was to walk and walk only because it’s cheap and in case I do get lost, I figure that I wouldn’t get THAT far. In my opinion, the best time to see Amsterdam is early in the morning because it’s less clautrophobic. By late afternoon, city started to get packed with tourists then and I could smell weird smoke coming from shops. I don’t know if it was from weeds but it certainly doesn’t smell like cigarette smoke to me.  I don’t like them.  Air is polluted enough as it is.

I hate queues because it’s a waste of time so I made a pass on all museums. Also, I don’t have much money to spend on museums, canal tours and other touristy activities.

After 4 hours of walking and just when it started to get too crowded for me, I went back to Lanay’s place and took an afternoon nap. And nope, I didn’t get lost although I forgot to bring a map. Signs showing directions for interesting places are aplenty.

P.S.  I enjoyed the free musical rehearsal happening along one of the 1000 canals in Netherland.  Something about grachten festival.

Surfing Lanay’s Bed

There was a big change in my plans and rather than cancelling the whole thing, I thought of salvaging a part of it by going to Amsterdam still. Thankfully, my college friend Lanay was in Amsterdam for 3 months on business trip so I nagged her to adopt me for 2 nights.

Why Netherlands of all countries? There’s Lanay and it’s near to Belgium. Also, Netherlands and I have a score to settle. Let’s just say that I’ve applied for tourist visa in Netherland’s Embassy in Cebu back in 2007 but got denied due to insufficient funds.  GRRR!!  I get annoyed a bit when there’s something I wanted to do but told that I can’t do it.

After 4 hours of train ride, I finally arrived in Amsterdam. I tried drawing maps the day before but it was ugly of course so I’m happy that sister gave me a guidebook. I don’t have a built-in compass in my brain so it took me almost 2 hours to find Nieuwe Hoogstraat where Lanay lives along with her officemate, Yen. Of course, I didn’t find it on my own. I asked so many people but it turned out that most of them were tourists or not from the area. That’s when I approached a police who informed me that my map was upside down. OOPs!

Train Ticket to Amsterdam

I just spent about 60 Euro on train ticket from Roeselare to Amsterdam for the weekend. Where am I staying? My college friend, Melannie was generous enough to adopt me for 2 nights and I’ll be sharing bed with her.  Since we used to be roommates back in college days, we are used to each other I suppose.  Although we are both single, I assure you that we are 100% heterosexual.  PROMISE!  

P.S. No more sister dear to feed me in Amsterdam so hoping to survive on 1 meal per day?