How to obtain a Schengen Visa via the Netherlands Embassy

 

*Know which visa type you need…

*Determine when you want to go, the earlier, the better (you’ll be able to plan well and book tickets when they are cheap and available), you can apply as early as 3 months before your planned trip.

*THE COUNTRIES YOU’LL BE VISITING, THE TOTAL DAYS YOU’LL BE SPENDING ON EACH COUNTRIES, AND THE FIRST COUNTRY WHERE YOU WILL ENTER THE SCHENGEN AREA.

If visiting only one country, you need to apply on its embassy/representation/visa application center.

If visiting multiple countries and will be spending equal days on each lodge your application on the first country where you will be entering the Schengen area.

If visiting multiple countries and will not be spending equal days on each, lodge your application on the country which you’ll be spending most of your days at.

MAKE SURE TO GET THIS CORRECTLY AS THEY CAN DENY YOU A VISA IF DONE OTHERWISE.

My only experience is applying a visa at THE NETHERLANDS EMBASSY through a VAC which is VFS so I will only be sharing based on my experience and hope it helps other genuine TOURISTS.

1. Visit VFS website as they are the one handling visa applications for The Netherlands here in the Philippines

2. Follow all the steps from the VFS website including booking for an appointment… feel free to call them if you have questions.

3. Download the checklist and make sure to gather ALL the documents needed, The Netherlands Embassy here does not conduct interviews, which means they will base solely           on   the documents you will pass.

4. Lodge you application personally at Ecoplaza Building, Mezzanine Floor, Don Chino Roces Ave, Extension, Makati, 1231 Kalakhang Maynila

Other helpful information:

How much did we pay for our visa?

Visa Fee- 60 Euros

VFS Processing Fee- 901

Receive updates through SMS (optional)- 110 Pesos  *if you decide not to avail this, you may be able to check your visa updates online

Courier Service (optional)- 380 Pesos

How long does the processing of visa take?

The Embassy of The Netherlands in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia are the ones processing visa applications in the Philippines, so you really need to give an ample amount of time for the visa decision…

We received our passports via courier on the 15th day.

TIPS:

Make sure to submit all necessary documents on the checklist.

Submit all the supporting documents that establishes your ties in the Philippines.

Include a copy of your previous passports  and all the visas and stamps in them.

Add a cover letter, there are a lot of helpful formats in the internet.

*In your cover letter you can summarize all the supporting documents that you will submit, you can include your job and your job description, streams of income, the countries you have traveled to, the people you will be travelling with, and etc.

Make sure to include train bookings or flight bookings within Schengen area. (You can get help with this on travel agencies)

Don’t forget to add your detailed day-to-day itinerary.

You can include your investments when applying for visas.

 

 

 

All of the information stated above are based solely on my experience.