Schengen Visa for the Filipina wife

[tommyw]

Hi all,

We are flying to Spain for a holiday on Feb 14th. The process for the visa was actually
not as bad as we anticipated.

The key is : Don't leave it until the last minute, and you'll have no stress!!
One guy was in the Spanish consulate in Edinburgh pleading for a visa for his Filipina wife, and they were "Leaving in 2 days time!" NO chance! They take 2 weeks at least.

First, we phoned the consulate for them to email the application form and guidance notes.
Filled in the form and amde sure we had the requirements for a 'spouse of an EU resident'.
These are: 1) Valid pinoy passport. (And copies of the photo page and the visa page.)

2) Application form itself.

3) Recent passport photo with white background.

4) Details of the trip.


We then travelled down to Edinburgh, (No appt needed), no queues, and we gave them a
prepaid special delivery envelope (For up to 500 grammes), the visa is then posted out to you.

Hope this may help someone in the future.

Tommy and Lyn...... and wee Dandan.

[mhynne]

Just wanted to update you guys that i already have my schengen visa and it was delivered this midweek.
i want to share my experience also for the benefit of other people here who will be filing their visa application in the future.
I arrived in the french embassy as early as 11am. there was already a line outside. but when they checked my paperwork before i enter the embassy premises. they asked me to go back at 2pm. so i suggest anyone who has an appointment to make sure you are there 30 mins before as to skip the long line i encountered when i went back. the nice lady checked my paperworks upon entry and asked me to fall in line for the cashier. note you will have to present your marriage cert etc here and there is no fee. then they asked me to fall in line in the interview room. this took me a very long time waiting. i was interviewed around 430pm already and there was still a long queue after me. the consul basically just asked for the photocopies of my paperwork. they didnt ask for my travel insurance documents and my marriage cert stamped by the embassy. they were only interested with my original marriage cert from NSO and my other paperworks. I suggest everyone should submit a self-addressed pre-paid special delivery envelope so you dont have to go back to claim the passport.
It was quite straightforward so i suggest to anyone not to be nervous. the application is just all about proving you are the spouse of an EU national.

here are the documents that i submitted:
Marriage contract from NSO
Marriage contract certified by the Phil Embassy
Travel insurance
ID Picture
Application form - read it carefully as you dont have to answer the one with the asterisk on them if you're an EU spouse.
Letter from my company
Passport
My husband's passport - which they gave me back but I suggest to bring it still
a self-addressed pre-paid special delivery envelope for the return of your passport

Photocopy of everything

[georyz]

Thanks for the info. so it is alright not to have a marriage certificate certified by the Phil Embassy? just want to know as my wife got an appointment on march 25 at the French Embassy for the visa. thank you.

[mhynne]

i dont think they need it.. i had it ready in my hand.. and since it looked like a photocopied document.. they werent really interested in it.. they guy gave it back to me and asked for the NSO document...they only looked at the nso one..

[georyz]

thank you very much for the info mhynne.

[menchkin]

The Procedure for obtaining a Schengen Visa for your Filipino Spouse.


I thought I would cover this, as I know Rob and Elsa are going for a Schengen visa, and also, Gina and I are currently getting one.

Why is it required and what is the procedure ?

Firstly, the Schengen States, signed an agreement on cross border cooperation so that EEC And certain Non EEC nationals may travel unhindered throughout all the member states without requiring any form of immigration control.

Sadly, the United Kingdom is not a signatory to the Schengen agreement (Schengen is a town in Luxembourg where the agreement was signed).

That means that Whilst EEC Passport holders may go to any Schengen state without let or hindrance, it does not allow anyone holding a Filipino passport to do this, without a schengen visa.

Once having obtained one, the Filipina spouse can enter via the main schengen destination and then travel across any other country.

This does not apply to FIANCEE's of EEC Passport holders, so Filipina's holding fiancee visa's must wait until they have married and have a marriage certificate, then they may apply.

As we are at the French Consulate de General in London, I will give out the procedure for this Schengen member state.

Applicants must log on to the Consulate de General de Republique du France (details on Google), then telephone the appointment booking line, the joke about this, is that calls cost £1.00 per minute, and you are on the phone for at least 8 to 10 minutes booking an appointment as it is all automated.

It took us 3 weeks to secure a spot on a group appointment, the Consulate de General is at:

6a Cromwell Place,
London SW7

Nearest Tube is South Kensington on the Circle Line, the consulate de General is opposite the Natural History Museum on the Cromwell road.

Requirements.

1 The Appointment Letter the applicant was sent, giving last 4 digits of passport.
2 2 Passport size photographs.
3 Filipino passport, showing UK immigration status, and must be valid for more than 6 months.
4 NSO Marriage Certificate or UK Marriage Certificate.
5 EEC Passport of British Spouse.
6 Bank Statement showing adequate funds to support pasport holder in France.
7 Adqequate travel insurance with Medical and Medical repatriation provisions.


Nationals from Philippines should expect to wait up to 6 weeks for the visa to be approved, and attendance at the French Consulate de General is mandatory in London, regardless of where the applicant lives in UK.

This involves a day out in London at least, and the queue starts at 1.30pm for the 2pm group admittance, those without documents or as requested will be turned away, anyone showing up without an appointment letter will also be turned away, as I just witnessed about 30 mins ago.

The Schengen Visa is free to spouses of EEC Nationals, but not for spouses of Non EEC Nationals, i.e. Filipinos on Work visas living in UK, they will have to pay a fee of £26.00.


Hope this helps anyone, I asked the French Immigration officials about applicants living in other parts of the UK, they said, that applicants can apply by post, but should allow 12-16 weeks for processing and not to book any travel until the Schengen visa was approved and the passport returned.


Hope this helps.

Pete

Hello,

Me and my husband reside here in Scotland. We are planning to go to Paris early next year. My question is this (and I'm not sure if this has already been answered) - is there a French Consulate near our location besides the one in London. Somebody told me that there is one in Edinburgh. Is it still there and can we go there to submit our visa application instead of going to London? Appreciate your help on this.....

Mench

[menchkin]

Hi all,

We are flying to Spain for a holiday on Feb 14th. The process for the visa was actually
not as bad as we anticipated.

The key is : Don't leave it until the last minute, and you'll have no stress!!
One guy was in the Spanish consulate in Edinburgh pleading for a visa for his Filipina wife, and they were "Leaving in 2 days time!" NO chance! They take 2 weeks at least.

First, we phoned the consulate for them to email the application form and guidance notes.
Filled in the form and amde sure we had the requirements for a 'spouse of an EU resident'.
These are: 1) Valid pinoy passport. (And copies of the photo page and the visa page.)

2) Application form itself.

3) Recent passport photo with white background.

4) Details of the trip.


We then travelled down to Edinburgh, (No appt needed), no queues, and we gave them a
prepaid special delivery envelope (For up to 500 grammes), the visa is then posted out to you.

Hope this may help someone in the future.

Tommy and Lyn...... and wee Dandan.

Are you just going to Spain and no other place in Europe (like Paris) for your holiday? Where is the Spain Consulate in Edinburgh location? Thanks...

[georyz]

hi mench, you can go to there site http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/spip.ph...&id_rubrique=2 and click edinburgh. its just easy to get schengen visa, just comply the requirements and its free for spouse.

[menchkin]

hi mench, you can go to there site http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/spip.ph...&id_rubrique=2 and click edinburgh. its just easy to get schengen visa, just comply the requirements and its free for spouse.

Thanks for the reply. I will check the site you sent.

[georyz]

youre welcome mench. my wife applied in london the last week and she gets it today. hopefully we will be able to go to paris soon and then visit her sister in germany. good luck.

[joeceline]

hi! anybody could help me? i have fiance from France and we are planning to get marry in France.. what are the requirements needed for me to be able to get a visa? what are the requirements in marrying a french national? french embassy in manila don't issue such fiance visa. what do we have to do? apply on my own tourist visa or i will let him sponsor me for the purpose of marrying me?

thanks in advance!