Schengen Visa Application (Visit Family/Friends)

In 2019, I invited my favorite cousin to attend my wedding in Germany. She was sponsored by my-then fiancé and she applied for a Visitor Visa. She was a government employee at the time of visa application and submitted a different set of documents as proof of employment. I asked her to kindly share her experience. This is her story.

A couple of years ago I won an all-expense-paid-trip to Europe. Just kidding. Here’s the story. My cousin chose me to be her Maid of Honor and the wedding took place in Germany. The entire trip was sponsored by her fiancé. I was ecstatic. Who wouldn’t be? It was a special family event set to happen in the heart of Europe. So before I get too excited (and nostalgic) and ramble on my dream turned reality Euro experience, let’s start from the very beginning.

Part I: The Documentation

It was in the middle of January 2019 when my cousin told me to make the necessary preparations for the trip which was scheduled at the end of May. There are two things on top of the list. First, I needed to have my application for leave approved by the company so I can secure a Travel Authority. Confident that I have enough leave credits and that my work assignments can be managed, I submitted the application to our head office and two weeks later the documents were released. The Travel Authority is a requirement of the Bureau of Immigration for government employees who will be going out the country either for personal or official business. Yes, I was a government employee at the time and the trip was personal.

If the first one was manageable, the second thing posed a challenge. I needed to apply for a Schengen Visa. I have heard of it but I haven’t tried getting one. So what is it and why is it important? It is an official document which will allow its holder a short stay in the Schengen area, which covers 26 countries or Schengen States, without border controls between them. “Short stay” meaning not to exceed 90 days over a 6 month period starting from the entry date stated in the visa. Since I am a Filipino traveler who will be visiting Germany which is a Schengen State, I needed to have one. Simply stated, the “No visa, No entry” policy applies.

To have a better grasp of the visa application procedure, I visited the German Embassy Manila website where I gathered more details on the type of visa, the documentary requirements and where to submit. It was on the same year that the embassy transferred the receiving of short stay visa applications to VFS Global, a service provider company.

After having a thorough understanding of the type of visa which I needed to apply for, I started gathering documents and most importantly, accomplished the online Visa Application Form. It required some personal information of both my sponsor and I and of course the details of my trip such as:

• Main Purpose(s) of the Journey: Visit of family or friends
• Member State of first entry: Germany
• Number of Entries Requested: Multiple entries
• Duration of intended stay or transit (number of days): 24
• Cost of traveling and living during the applicant’s stay is covered: By a sponsor

While waiting for the VFS Global website to become available and for me to be able to book an appointment, I made sure that I have all the necessary documents based on the checklist (an updated version can be found here). Other than the ones listed, my sponsor went the extra mile by writing a letter addressed to the Embassy to further state in detail the purpose of my trip, my close relationship to his fiancé, our relationship as sponsor and applicant, and additional information proving my rootedness or deep ties to my country. Hereunder is the list of documents we have gathered/prepared:

1. VFS Visit Visa Checklist

2. Passport

3. Two current biometric passport pictures

4. Visa Application Form

5. Declaration according to § 54 AufenthG

6. Formal Obligation (provided by the sponsor)

7. Travel Health Insurance (also provided by the sponsor)

8. Proof of Employment -

• Income Tax Return
• Certificate of Employment
• Appointment Paper and Company ID
• Travel Authority

9. Approved Application for Leave Abroad

10. Employee Clearance

11. Proof of Real Estate Property – Land Title

12. Letter addressed to the Embassy (prepared by Sponsor) and copies of the following:

• Wedding Invitation
• Marriage Registration (Form 11/121)
• Birth Certificate of my cousin and I
• Marriage Certificate of our parents
• My cousin’s passport
• Flight and hotel bookings (proof that my cousin and I are traveling together to Manila for our respective visa appointments)
• Sponsor’s passport (proof of his travels to the Philippines)
• My roundtrip airline ticket (Manila to Frankfurt and vice versa) --- note that this is not a requirement, an Itinerary will suffice. It just happened that my sponsor has decided to buy the airline tickets for me and my cousin ahead of our visa applications.
• My Certificate of Registration to the University of the Philippines Open University (I was enrolled in a master’s program at the time)

The process of booking an appointment at the VFS Global website was easy. First, I created an account which required an email address. After the email validation, I was redirected to the booking page to fill in the application details, personal information and pick an appointment date. Upon successful booking, I received an email confirmation with instructions and a pdf copy of the Appointment Letter.

Part II: The Visa Application Experience

The day came for me to personally submit my application for visa at VFS Global Manila. It was an estimated 15 minute taxi ride from the hotel we were staying but considering the traffic in the area, I traveled early. When I got there, I noticed that the ground floor was a bit crowded. It wasn’t a surprise though since they cater to visa applications for several countries.

The Visa Application Centre (VAC) is on the mezzanine floor and applicants will only be allowed at the entrance 5 minutes before their scheduled appointment time. There was no designated waiting area but there were cafés and food stalls at the ground floor. Some went in for coffee, others sat on the stairs while most just stood by the rails. I opted to find a corner spot and waited until it was my turn to come up.

At the entrance, we waited in line for instructions from the security personnel. I made sure to have my Appointment Letter and Passport ready. After the security check, we were directed to the Reception Area where documentary requirements were pre-screened. I was also notified that per security requirement only a clear envelope containing application related documents will be allowed inside. I had with me a shoulder bag so I rented a locker.

The VAC was divided into small offices with signs as to which country. After the baggage deposit, I went directly to the Germany Visa Application Centre. I was given a priority number and was advised to get inside, take a seat and wait for my number to be called. It was also at this point that the Courier and SMS Request Form was given for us to fill in while waiting.

When it was my turn, I handed over the documents to the screening officer at the counter. She began checking it and notified me that my application needed to be re-typed and reprinted since I missed to indicate details on Item No. 2 Surname at Birth (former family name). I told her that I left it blank considering that my civil status is single however she said I need to indicate therein my middle name. I had the option to do it myself but that would certainly cause much delay.

After signing the updated application form, there was a brief interview. The questions as far as I can remember were as follows:

• Saan pupunta?
• Purpose of travel?
• Sino ikakasal? (repeated a couple of times during the conversation)
• Lalabas ng Germany?
• First travel overseas?
• Ano na ang mga napuntahan? (while browsing my passport)

When the interview was completed, she started removing some documents from the set I’ve submitted but I politely informed her that those were supporting documents as mentioned in the letter addressed to the German Embassy, hence they must be included. Fees were paid then I was instructed to proceed to another counter for the collection of biometric information (finger print and digital photo). This was the final step in the document submission process at the Germany Visa Application Centre. The processing would normally take about two to three weeks.

To give you an idea of the processing cost, below is a rundown of fees at the time:

• Visa                             Php 4,650
• VFS Service Fee                   960
• Re-typing Fee*                      480
• Courier Service                     400
• SMS Tracking Service*         150
• Baggage Fee                          75

      *optional

Four days after I submitted my documents, the German Embassy Manila contacted me through my mobile number. After confirming that it was I on the line, she mentioned my application and threw in some questions.

• What’s the purpose of your visit?
• May role sa wedding?
• You are working at…do you have an approved application for leave?
• Is it “with pay”?
• How many leave credits in a year? Paano ba ma-earn?
• How old?
• Civil status?
• May anak?
• Sino kasama papunta?
• She applied for what type of visa and when?
• Who will shoulder the expenses?
• Lalabas ng Germany?
• May other relatives in Germany or in Europe?
• Ikaw lang ba invited?

She ended the interview by saying that my passport will be delivered via courier to my address. Nine days later, I received the pouch containing my passport with the approved 30-day, multiple entry Schengen Visa in one of its pages.

For a first time visa applicant I must admit that there was some sort of anxiety while I anticipate the process and how it would turn out. Fortunately, everything went well. It took preparation and a lot of valuable inputs from my cousin and her fiancé. You have to know your documents by heart, answer truthfully and it might be a cliché but remember to always be your (awesome) self.

Do I Need the CFO - GCP Certificate When I Travel With A Schengen Visa? - Offloading Series Part 3 of 3

DISCLAIMER: The current Corona pandemic situation has resulted in many changes, including but not limited to additional requirements for travelling abroad, which I may NOT have discussed here. This article is just based on my own experience and should NOT be considered as legal or official advice.

It is commonly known that Filipino spouses and partners of foreign nationals going to Germany with a Marriage Visa or a Family Reunion Visa are required to register with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, attend the Guidance and Counseling Program (CFO - GCP) and secure the CFO Emigrant sticker before departure. This is part of the departure requirements for emigrant Philippine citizens.

''For the past three decades, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) has implemented the Guidance and Counseling Program (GCP) for fiancé(e)s, spouses and other partners of foreign nationals or of former Filipino citizens. Republic Act 10906 (“Anti-Mail Order Spouse Act of 2016) and Republic Act 10364 (“An Act Expanding the Anti-Trafficking in Person Act of 2012”) require the conduct of mandatory pre-departure counseling services for Filipinos in intermarriages.

The GCP is also a requirement under the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 8239 or the Philippine Passport Act for Filipino fiancé(e)s, partners and spouses of foreign nationals or former Filipino citizens who are applying for a passport for the first time or adopting the surname of the foreign spouse.

The main objective of the program is to assist the integration of Filipinos in their host countries by counseling them on the realities of international migration, and preparing them to meet the practical, cultural and psychological challenges in cross-cultural marriage and migration.''

However, we also read of travellers with a Visitor Visa or Tourist Visa who have been offloaded because of failure to present a CFO-GCP Certificate upon exit from the Philippines. Of course we are not privy to the entire circumstances of why these people were offloaded, still it pays to be in the know of why a missing CFO-GCP Certificate may be a reason for being offloaded.

What is CFO-GCP Certificate?

A CFO-GCP Certificate is a document that proves you have attended the guidance and counseling program and have satisfactorily provided all the supporting documents as required by a CFO counselor. You can attend the counseling program even when you do not have an emigrant visa. I did attend the CFO counseling while I was still waiting for my Marriage Visa.

Offloading due to failure of presenting a CFO-GCP Certificate (with a Tourist Visa), does it have a legal basis?

As I discussed in Part I here, if and when a passenger who travels with a Tourist Visa is subjected to a Secondary Inspection, the Immigration Officer may ask for more documents aside from the standard travel requirements; one of which may be a CFO-GCP Certificate.

Does it have a legal basis? Yes. The legal mandate of CFO also includes implementaion of Memorandum Circular No. 036 - Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking Revised Guidelines on Departure Formalities of International- Bound Passengers.

Part of the guidelines state that, TOURIST PASSENGERS --- that includes holders of Schengen Visa (Visitor or Tourist Visa, Unmarried Couple Visitor Visa), may be required to present a CFO-GCP Certificate whenever it is shown that the passenger:

1. Is the spouse of a foreign national intending to depart for the first time to join the foreign spouse or

2. Is a partner of a foreign national intending to depart to meet and/or marry his/her fiancé/fiancee.

image source: https://cfo.gov.ph

To be honest, I also did not know these guidelines when I was still travelling to Germany with a Visitor Visa.

I only became aware of these guidelines at the time I attended the CFO-GCP at CFO - Davao Satellite in relation to my Marriage Visa. Majority of the attendees were ladies who intended to travel abroad with a Schengen Visa. Even when I did read about it, the words "Join", ''Partner'' and the ''to meet and/or marry" clause caused some confusion at first reading.

So, should you register yourself and attend the CFO-GCP even when you have a Schengen Visa?

I believe that the most critical factor is when the passenger is intending to depart (the country) for the first time to meet his/her foreigner sponsor ---- with this, I would highly recommend that you secure a CFO-GCP Certificate.

Failure to present a CFO-GCP Certificate when travelling abroad to visit a foreign national boyfriend, partner or spouse does not necessarily mean you will be offloaded; having one is also not a guarantee for being allowed to board. The decision of the Immigration Officer (IO) at the point of exit will depend on your overall traveller profile, your travel documents and your answer to the interview questions. It is important that you can convince the IO that you know and trust your sponsor and that you will not be put in harm's way when you travel abroad, no matter you have a CFO-GCP Certificate or not. After all, the main objective of the Bureau of Immigration is to prevent that you become a victim of human-trafficking, illegal recruiters and other crimes.


While it takes time and money, I believe that it is an advantage to all Filipinos with foreign national partners to attend the CFO-GCP. In these uncertain times when you may get stuck abroad due to the unpredictable border restrictions brought about by the pandemic, it is also to your advantage to know what to do and who to ask help from if you find yourself under unfortunate circumstances. These and other issues will be addressed thru the CFO-GCP.


The CFO-GCP Certificate is valid for a lifetime, so long as you intend to marry and stay married to the same Foreign National entered in the registration form. If you don't have an immigrant visa such as Marriage Visa or Family Reunion Visa, you will just be given the CFO-GCP Certificate. Once you get your immigrant visa, you can go back to any CFO Branch to have the Emigrant sticker attached to your valid passport.

TIP: When interviewed by a CFO Counselor or an Immigration Officer, be careful when using the word ''hubby''. The word is supposed to be a short form of husband. Don't call your male sponsor as your ''hubby'' when you are not married. For that matter, don't call him your fiancé when you are not engaged. The word ''hubby'' may very well be an innocent term of endearment but it can also subject you to more stringent guidelines in certain situations.

Please go to the CFO official website for more info.

Affidavit of Support for Sponsored Visitor Visa (Schengen Visa) to Germany - Offloading Series Part 2 of 3

DISCLAIMER: The current Corona pandemic situation has resulted in many changes, including but not limited to additional requirements for travelling abroad, which I may NOT have discussed here. This article is just based on my own experience and should NOT be considered as legal or official advice.

I travelled to Germany for the first time with a Visit Visa in 2016. I was sponsored by my now-husband. My previous experience, with the Immigration Authorities left me a little paranoid and because of this, I tried to dig deeper into what else should I prepare aside from the standard travel requirements.

First, let's talk about the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI). What is the BI's function in relation to Filipino citizens travelling abroad and what is its mandate?

One of the many functions of the Bureau of Immigration is the:

Monitoring of the entry and exit of Filipino citizens in compliance with Philippine laws and other legal procedures;

BI is mandated to be:

principally responsible for the administration and enforcement of immigration, citizenship, and alien admission and registration laws in accordance with the provisions of the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. It also plays a role in the enforcement of RA 9208, also known as the Anti-Trafficking In Persons Act of 2003.

Before we can board a plane and leave the country, we need to pass and get the approval of the Bureau of Immigration Official (IO) at our point of exit, i.e. Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The standard screening is as simple as presenting your travel documents and answering a few questions such as:

1. Where are you travelling and duration of stay?

2. Where are you going to stay in your country of destination?

3. Have you met in person the sponsor of your trip? Did he visit you in the 

Philippines before?

4. How long have you known this person?

TIP: Be confident and composed when you answer the IO. Prepare to prove your answers with documents such as: Invitation Letter, pictures of you and your sponsor together, copy of your sponsor's passport data page and pages stamped by IO upon entry to/exit from Philippines, and others.

For purposes of Immigration Officials, a Schengen Visa (Visitor/Tourism) falls under Tourism and outbound travellers will be required the following standard documents.

1. Unexpired DFA-issued passport (at least six-months valid;

2. Unexpired visa (if visa-required at final destination); and

3. Return ticket.

and...WHAT ELSE?

My previous travels abroad were all self-financed and I also based my preparations on that. For my first sponsored visit to Germany, my sponsor was equally involved in making sure that my travel will be as smooth as possible and also made his own research. He was the one who found out that in case of a secondary inspection, an Affidavit of Support for a Sponsored Visit Visa may be asked for.

image source: https://immigration.gov.ph

What is an Affidavit of Support

An Affidavit of Support is a document executed and signed by the sponsor to accept financial responsibility for the person invited. This is not to be confused with Verpflichtungserklärung (Formal Obligation) as required for the Visit Visa application. Legally speaking, the Formal Obligation is a different document that is only honored by the German government. 

My sponsor formulated his own affidavit but you can also use, with modifications according to your circumstances, these templates provided by the Philippine Embassy in Berlin.

Affidavit General Form

Affidavit of Support

IMPORTANT: The Affidavit of Support needs to be bilingual (with a built-in English translation) or translated by a certified translator.

How to Secure an Authenticated Affidavit of Support 

Step 1. Write an Affidavit of Support with the following required details:

• relationship of sponsor to the traveler
• financial status of sponsor (indicate work, salary)
• complete residential address and contact details of the sponsor.

Step 2. Go to a Notar to have the affidavit notarized.

Step 3. Go to the Landgericht to have the notarized affidavit certified

Step 4. Submit the affidavit to the Philippine Embassy in Berlin for authentication. This was in 2016 and my sponsor sent the Affidavit of Support for authentication thru post. 

My sponsor then sent via courier the original copy of the authenticated (red-ribboned) Affidavit of Support to me. He spent more or less 100 Euro in total (2016).

Do I Really Need an Affidavit of Support?

Confusion arises because, while it is legally required based on the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) Revised Guidelines on Departure Formalities for International-Bound Passengers, not all travellers with a sponsored visit visa will be required to present this. It will only be asked for "when deemed necessary" by the IO. I travelled several times to Germany on a sponsored visitor visa between 2016 - 2018 and I personally was never asked to present an Affidavit of Support, although I was always ready to present it whenever I exit the Philippines.

In addition, a cousin of mine who also travelled to Germany for the first time on a sponsored visit visa did not procure nor was asked to present an affidavit of support upon exit from the country.

Confusion is also brought about by this press statement from BI itself, qouting part of it (emphasis mine): 

''Tourists must prove their financial capability for the trip, present proof of work or support in the Philippines, or submit an affidavit of support if they are visiting relatives overseas, to prevent being offloaded from flights.'' 

Some people understood it to mean that you only need the Affidavit of Support if you are visiting relatives who sponsored your trip.

Do I secure one or not?  That judgment will be your own as a traveller. I would strongly recommend it though if you are travelling to Germany on a sponsored visitor visa under any or all of the following circumstances:

1. You are travelling abroad for the first time.

2. You are unemployed or you have no proof of income; you can't present proof of financial capacity.

3. Your sponsor is your boyfriend or fiance.

4. You and your sponsor has never met in person.

Is there MORE? Yes, I will write about the Commission of Filipinos Overseas (CFO) Guidance and Counseling Program next.