But what is a Schengen visa and why should you get one? With 26 member countries, the Schengen zone covers the majority of European states and can easily be traveled via plane, car, or train. With countries being close to each other, it’s the perfect place to start your European adventures.

Schengen is the biggest free travel area in the world. It's an EU passport-free zone that covers most of Europe.A Schengen visa is the most common European short-stay type visa that allows a person to travel to its member countries and stay for up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes.

The Schengen area is made up of 26 countries:

All Philippine passport holders are required to apply for a visa when traveling to a state in the Schengen area. Note that a Schengen visa cannot be used in other European countries outside of the zone like the United Kingdom and Russia.

To be eligible to apply for a Schengen visa in the Philippines, you must be:

Requirements vary among embassies and are dependent on the state you’re applying to and the type of visa you're applying for. To get you started, here are some of the basic documents that are required for Philippine passport holders:

There are also other required documents based on the applicant’s employment status in the Philippines:For Employees:

For Self-Employed

For Students

For retirees:

If unemployed and married to an EU citizen:

Important reminder: Always look for the checklist and confirm the required documents of the embassy you are applying to.

If your application is approved, you’ll find your visa sticker on one of the pages of your passport. Read the visa sticker and take note of the entry period when you're allowed in the state.On the other hand, if you have been rejected, some embassies will give you a reason for the decision. If the reason is justified, re-apply and make sure to correct previous mistakes. If you believe there has been a mistake, you can also write an appeal letter.

Once you have prepared your documents, it’s time to set an appointment at the specific embassy of the state you are traveling to.Take note that some states in the Schengen zone outsource their visa submissions to a visa application center, which means you will have to set up an appointment and submit your documents there. Here’s where you should file your Schengen visa applications per country.1. VFS GlobalFor visa applications to Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and The Netherlands.Addresses:Manila: Ground Floor, Ecoplaza Bldg., Don Chino Roces Ave., Makati CityCebu: Unit 503, 5th Floor, Keppel Center, Samar Loop, cor. Cardinal Rosales Avenue, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City2. BLS InternationalFor visa applications to Spain.Address: 10th Floor Unit 1004 Liberty Center Building, 104 H.V. de la Costa corner Leviste Salcedo Village, Makati City

3. The Embassy of GreeceFor visa applications to Greece and Portugal.Address: Embassy of the Hellenic Republic, Unit 701, SEDCCO 1 Building, 120 Rada Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City4. The Embassy of ItalyFor visa applications to Italy.Address: 6/F Zeta II Bldg, 191 Salcedo Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City You may also file your application via the PIASI VIA Center. Addresses:Manila: 3rd Floor, Allegro Center, 2284 Chino Roces Extension, Barangay Magallanes, Makati City Cebu: Unit 1004-B 1oth Floor, Keppel Center Samar Loop corner Cardinal Rosales Ave, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City Start your European adventures this 2020! Prepare your Schengen visa application by completing your flight booking and hotel itineraries today. Check out Traveloka to get amazing deals!Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is up-to-date as of January 2020 and may be updated occasionally. Given the changing nature of laws, rules, and regulations of visas, there may be outdated information in this article. The information contained on this webpage is intended to provide general guidance on matters of interest for the personal use of the reader only.]]>