HOW TO OBTAIN A SCHENGEN-VISA JUNE 2007

for Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Luxemburg, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain,
Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Iceland
(Schengen Area)
IN THE PHILIPPINES

As of March 1995 Philippine nationals and nationals of certain other countries travelling to any one or more of the Member
States of the Schengen Convention on business or as tourists may receive a visa for a short stay of up to 90 days
which is valid for all the above-mentioned countries (Schengen Area). The implementation of the Schengen
Convention constitutes a major progress towards the free movement of persons. Bona fide travellers and residents will
have access to all Schengen States with a single visa or residence permit. The abolition of the internal borders of the
Schengen States, however, warrants strict control at the external borders of the Schengen-Area.

Please be advised that an application for a visa and submission of all required documents does not confer on the
applicant the right to obtain a visa. Once a visa has been issued, the purpose of the visit cannot be altered. Even
where a visa has been granted, Border Control Authorities at the port of entry still have the right to deny access
to the Schengen Area.

In applying for a Schengen visa, please observe the following general guidelines (further information can be obtained
from any of the participating Embassies listed below):

1. In the Philippines, Schengen-Visa are issued at the following Embassies in Makati:

Austria: 4/F Prince Building, 117 Rada Street, Legaspi Vill., Tel.:817-9191, Fax: 813-4238
Belgium/Luxemburg: 9/F Multinational Bank Centre, 6805 Ayala Ave., Tel.:845-1869, Fax: 845-2076
France: 16/F Pacific Star Bldg., Makati Ave. cor. Gil Puyat, Tel.: 810-1981, Fax: 857 6951
Germany: Level 25, Tower 2, RCBC Plaza, 6819 Ayala Avenue, Tel.:702-3000,
Fax: 702-3045; E-mail: deboma@pldtdsl.net (www.manila.diplo.de)
Italy: 6/F Zeta Bldg, 191 Salcedo St., Legaspi Village, Tel.: 892-4531, Fax: 817-1436
Netherlands: 26/F Equitable PCI Bank Tower, 8751 Paseo De Roxas, Tel.: 786-6666, Fax: 786-6600
Spain: 5/F ACT Tower, 135 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave., Tel.: 818-3561, Fax: 810-2885
Finland: 21/F BPI Buendia Center, Gil Puyat Ave, Tel.: 891-5011 to 15, Fax: 891-4107
Sweden: 16/F PCI Bank Tower 2, Makati Ave, Tel.: 819-1951 to 55, Fax: 815-3002
Norway: 21/F Petron Mega Plaza Bldg, 358, Gil Puyat Ave, Tel.: 886-3245 to 49, Fax: 886-3244
Please note that the Consulate General of Greece and Iceland cannot issue Schengen-Visa. Applicants for a
tourist or business trip to Greece or Iceland not exceeding 90 days are requested to contact the Embassy of
Spain. For information about all other travel to Greece, please contact the Greek Consulate General in Manila,
11/F Sage House, 110 Herrera Street, Legaspi Village, Makati, Tel. 816 2309, Fax 815 4572. Applicants who wish
to travel to Denmark please contact the Embassy of Norway 21/F Petron Mega Plaza Bldg, 358, Gil Puyat Ave,
Tel.: 886-3245 to 49, Fax: 886-3244.

2. * Submit your properly filled-in and signed application form for a Schengen Visa to the Embassy of the country
which, considering the purpose of your trip and/or the length of your intended stay, is your main destination
among the States listed above. If no such main destination can be ascertained, contact the Embassy of the
country of your first entry into the Schengen area.
* Answer properly and sign the Security Questionnaire or Sicherheitsbelehrung (can be obtained at the
reception area of the German Embassy or check our website)
* Submit a passport which is valid at least three months after the end of the planned trip
* Two (2) recent pictures are required, one is to be glued on the application form, the other to be affixed with a
paper clip or paper clamp on the cover of the passport (please do NOT staple!)
* Photos must be of clear resolution (i.e. not blurred), coloured, white background, applicants must also write their
full name and birth date on the back of the photo.

3. A visa may be granted if the applicant presents upon personal appearance as much evidence as possible that
he/she intends to go on a genuine tourist or business trip, including:
* a history of previous travel as tourist or business person to other countries, through submission of older/ other
passports
* Travel Health Insurance with a minimum coverage of 2,500,000.- Pesos (50.000 US $). The insurance
company must have a local office in a Schengen-State, or in Switzerland or Liechtenstein. The insurance
must cover all Schengen States & the validity period of the Schengen-Visa applied for. Spouses and
children of EU nationals do not need to submit a travel health insurance.
* confirmed hotel reservation(s) in Germany
* round-trip confirmed flight booking certificate, complete itinerary
NOTE: Please do not present a paid airline ticket upon the submission of a Schengen Visa application!
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR THE VISA APPLICATION:

For visiting friends/pleasure trip/pilgrimage:
o If sponsored by a friend, authenticated affidavit of support from host in country of destination
(Verpflichtungserklrung gem. 66-68 AufenthG, issued by Aliens Office Germany)
o If employed: a certificate of employment (stating position, salary and number of years of service)and approved
leave of absence, Income Tax Return (ITR)
o If self-employed: business registration / permit, Income Tax Return; if business is renewed, the original business
permit should be presented
o Proof of funds, such as bank certificates (if available), statement(s) of account for the last 6 months

For visiting relatives (immediate family/relative):
o Authenticated Affidavit of Support from host in country of destination (Verpflichtungserklrung gem.66-68
AufenthG, issued by Aliens Office in Germany)
o Proof of relationship with sponsor:
* Birth certificate on security paper (SECPA) from the National Statistics Office (NSO) of applicant and relative in
Germany
* Marriage Contract on security paper (SECPA) from the National Statistics Office (NSO) of applicant and relative
in Germany
* German marriage contract of sponsor (Heiratsurkunde) - faxed or photocopy/Xerox copy is sufficient

For business trips:
o If employed: employment certificate from the company in the Philippines (stating position, salary and number of
years / tenure of service and approved leave of absence)
o If self-employed: business registration/permit; if business is renewed, the original business permit should be
presented
o Letter of guarantee from the company in the Philippines
o Business invitations, to be sent via fax directly from Germany to the respective Embassy (in German language),
stating complete name, date of birth and /or passport number of applicant
o Business registration/ permit (i.e. SEC, DTI, etc.)
o Proof of funds of the company (bank statement for the last 6 months)
o Income Tax Return (ITR) with financial statements of the company

For minors:
o Birth certificate on security paper (SECPA) from the National Statistics Office (NSO)
o Certified affidavit of parental or guardians consent, if applicant is below 18 years of age
o If travelling without parents: Travel Permit, issued by the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD); please contact the DSWD for further information
PLEASE NOTE: Both parents of a minor residing in the Philippines must appear personally at the Embassy with
valid IDs (passport or drivers license)

For seamen:
o Valid passport and Seamans Book (see also separate information leaflet)
o Contract of Employment and O.E.C. from P.O.E.A.
o Letter of guarantee from the Philippine agent
o Letter of guarantee from the agent abroad, addressed by fax to the Visa Section of the respective Embassy (for
France: in French language)

For medical treatment:
o A medical certificate issued by their doctor in the Philippines
o A written confirmation of an appointment in a hospital or with a doctor in Germany (original or faxed directly from
the doctor/clinic/hospital in Germany to the Embassy)
o Proof that the cost of the medical treatment can be covered/ stating who will cover medical treatment

For religious mission/trip:
o Guarantee letter from the local parish church or congregation
o Certificate issued by the Apostolic Nunciature confirming that the applicant is under the catholic conglomerate
o Invitation from the sponsor or Official Affidavit of Support / Verpflichtungserklrung gem.66-68 AufenthG, issued
by the Local Immigration Office in Germany

For non-Filipino nationals:
o ACR and re-entry permit or proof of permanent residence here in the Philippines
o Other necessary documents depending on the intended trip to Germany (s. list above or contact the Embassy for
further information)






IMPORTANT REMINDERS


4. All Philippine birth, marriage and death certificates have to be submitted on NSO SECPA
5. The Embassy may require the submission of additional documents or proofs in individual cases,
depending on the outcome of the interview.
6. Applicants must have an appointment before coming to the Embassy (please see separate information leaflet).
7. Applicants must submit original documents together with photocopies/xerox copies.
8. All applications that remain incomplete for more than 8 weeks from the date of application will be automatically
rejected.
9. The visa fee is 60,- C, payabIe in Philippine Pesos at the current exchange rate in cash. The Embassy does
not accept cheques and bank/credit cards.
10. The processing of your Visa application will take at least 14 calendar days (2 weeks). In some cases, it can take
longer due to the involvement of German and Schengen authorities in the processing. As soon as a final decision
has been made, the Embassy will send your passport and original documents to your residence or office via
courier. (Applicable charge per usage of courier service: 160,- PhP one way, 320.- PhP round trip)
11. No extra fee, except for the Schengen-Visa fee is to be paid to the Embassy.
12. The Embassy cannot accept damaged passports. The submission of damaged passports will significantly delay
your visa application.




CONTACT DETAILS OF THE VISA SECTION

The Visa Section of the German Embassy can be contacted via the following telephone numbers:
Tel.: 702 3001 to 3006
Visa-Fax: (0063 2) 702 3045

The office hours of the Embassy are: Mondays to Thursdays 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Fridays 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Visiting hours for the visa section are: Mondays to Thursdays 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Fridays 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.


For further inquiries regarding visa requirements please contact the Embassy through
deboma@pldtdsl.net
or visit our website:
www.manila.diplo.de


PHOTOGRAPH SPECIFICATIONS

Pictures submitted to the Embassy must meet the following requirements:

FORMAT
Full front view of face, centered, features from chin to hairline and both sides of face must be
clearly visible. From top to bottom face must fill 70-80% (between 32 and 36 mm) of the
photograph. Front of head (including hair) must be completely visible, with dimensions of
face as specified.

CONTRAST AND SHARPNESS
Whole face must be clear, with proper contrast and sharpness.

LIGHTING
Face must be well lighted, with no flash reflections, shadows or red eyes.

BACKGROUND
Background must be uniform, light-coloured (ideally a neutral grey) and provide a good
contrast with face and hair. Best background for light-coloured hair is medium-grey, for dark
hair light-grey.
Photograph must show subject only (no other person or items permitted, important especially
for photographs of young children). Shadows on background are unacceptable.

PHOTOGRAPHIC QUALITY
Photograph should be printed on high-quality paper, resolution at least 600 DPI (dots per
inch), have no creases or marks and represent natural skin tones.

HEAD POSITION, FACIAL EXPRESSION AND DIRECTION
A position with the head leaning or turned (e.g. half profile) is unacceptable. Facial expression
must be neutral and the mouth closed. Subject must look straight into the camera. Eyes
must be open and well visible, not covered by hair or frame of glasses.

GLASSES
Eyes must be clearly visible (reflections on glasses, tinted or sun glasses are unacceptable).
The edge of the glasses or frame must not cover the eyes.

HEADCOVERINGS
Head coverings of any kind are unacceptable.

For further clarification please consult the collection of specimen photographs available at
www.bundesdruckerei.de, Brgerservice.
More information is available at the websites of the Bundesdruckerei (Federal Printing Office),
the Federal Ministry of the Interior (www.bmi.bund.de, www.bundesinnenministerium.de)
and the Federal Office for Information Security (www.bsi.de).