Updated August 2018
Applying Schengen Visa from French Embassy Online
The process in applying for Schengen Visa through the French Embassy has changed since I applied in 2007 and 2011. It is now more efficient with the submission of documents done online.
Every information you need is now available on the new France-Visas website. After filling the visa application form, you will be redirected to the on-line appointment and tracking systems of VFS Global.
Philippine passport holders are required Schengen visa to visit one or more of the states in the Schengen Region in Europe. This visa is valid in all Schengen states for a stay of up to 90 days within a six-month period for a visit, tourism or business. It is not valid for employment.
Schengen Region
The Schengen area consists of the ff countries
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, the Czech Republic.
As of 2014, valid Schengen visa (type: double or multiple entry), who have already entered the Schengen area, may travel to the following without additional visa and may stay for period equal to the remainder of the time for which the Schengen visa is valid.
– Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Romania
Philippine passport holders are required Schengen visa to visit one or more of these Member States. This visa is valid in all Schengen states for a stay of up to 90 days within a six-month period for a visit, tourism or business. It is not valid for employment.
When to apply for Schengen Visa?
Applications can be made earliest three (3) months before the planned entry.
How much is Schengen Visa?Â
The visa-processing fee is EUR 60. The fee is non-refundable even if application is unsuccessful.
What are the requirements in applying Schengen Visas?
1. Signed and filled up Schengen Visa Application Form (click this) with photo attached, plus 1 additional photo.
Photo Specification
- Color photo taken against white background;
- Clear and of good quality;
- Printed on normal photographic paper;
- 45 mm high x 35 mm wide in size
- Taken with nothing covering the face, without sunglasses or tinted spectacles, or a head covering
- The subject should have their mouth closed (no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows) and the applicant should be facing forwarding, looking straight ahead.
2. Valid passport with 3 months validity from the end of visa duration. Photo copy of valid and former visas, if any.
3. Cover letter explaining the purpose of your trip and detailed itinerary. If you don’t have this, you have to write one on the spot before they will accept your requirements. Here is the cover letter addressed to the Honorable Consul I made in 2007.
4. Details of your trip
- Round trip ticket reservation. Reservations only.
- Itinerary of the whole duration including departure and arrival dates.
- Accommodations – hotel vouchers, seriously. If you’re staying with a good friend who is a French resident/national, then you need them to provide you with something called Attestation d’accueil (Certificate of Board and Lodging) and your host’s national identity card or residence permit.
Why I said good friend?  Because it’s a lot of trouble for them to get this. If you have a French national host, just cut and paste below list for the document you needed from them.  These are basically records of their existence in France such as title of property or contract of lease, utility billing statement as address proof, bank statements, medical records, pay slip, and finally they have to go to the city hall to have all these certified. Like I said, lots of trouble. :)
The attestation d’accueil is a form needed to be presented to the City Hall with the following documents:
- la carte nationale d’identité ou le passeport, ou la carte de résidence
- livret de famille de l’hébergeant
- justificatifs de domicile (EDF-GDF, facture Télécom, facture Eau)
- titre de propriété (taxe foncière) ou de location (taxe d’habitation)
- contrat de bail ou descriptif du logement
- 2 derniers bulletins de salaires ou justificatifs divers de ressources mensuelles (retraite, CAF)
- dernier avis d’imposition ou de non imposition
- noms, prénoms de l’étranger, date et lieu de naissance, adresse exacte, n° du passeport et sa copie, copie du document justifiant le lien de parenté s’il y a lieu
- attestation d’assurance médicale de l’hôte
- un timbre spécifique dit « timbre OMI » d’un montant de 15 euros, il sera demandé à l’issue d’une réponse favorable. Disponible dans les perceptions et chez les buralistes.(Attention : il faut autant de timbres que de personnes accueillies sauf s’il s’agit de l’accueil d’une même famille avec des enfants mineurs).
5. Proof of employment
- Certificate of employment stating monthly salary and approved leave of absence.
- If self employed, official business registration for current and previous year.
6. Proof of Income
- Income Tax Return
- Recent Bank Certification
- Photocopy of the last 3 months statement of Account of the same bank account.
- If someone other than yourself is paying for the the trip, then submit financial document of the sponsor instead.
7. Identity / Marital Status:
- Photocopy of First page of Passport and all relevant obtained visas
- Authenticated birth certificate from NSO. If married, bring photocopy of your marriage contract.
8. Travel insurance that covers the entire duration of your intended stay with minimun coverage EUR 30,000. The medical policies must state the following points :
- Medical attention and treatment will be given in case of illness or accident
- The injured or ill traveller can be transported home for treatment + body repatriation in case of death
- The insurance coverage is a least 30 000 euros (50 000 US dollars)
- The insurance must be valid for all 25 Schengen member states which should be listed on the policy
- The insurance company must be re-insured, the name of the re-insurer and his TOLL FREE phone number must be listed on the policy
- The policy must allow CASHLESS SETTLEMENTS of claims. The name of the company in charge of such settlements and their toll free number must be clearly stated on the policy.
Where to Buy Travel Insurance in the Philippines
I used to buy insurance with an agent, but I now buy Travel Insurance through Pacific Cross, World’s Nomad
How long does it take for Schengen Visa to be released?
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hi guys! i applied for schengen visa in french consulate sept 17th iwill be touring 5 schengen states (organized tour) the consul took my passport and told me it should be fine…. :o and then told me to pick my passport up on sept 24th between 1230-1pm.. im just wanna know what are my chances of getting a visa? i actually paid for everything which is my fault not knowing that i should reserve it first :(
my schengen visa ako from the french embassy. pede ba ang port of entry ko other schengen states and leave from another schengen state?
Hi Ritzy, if you have schengen tourist visa then you can visit other Scandinavian countries but you arent allowed to work.
Sept 6 ako nainterview, this is the 5th working day…bakit wala pa passport ko huhuhu! :)
Hi stewie, im still completing my requirements in applying for schengen visa…may i know the exact location of swiss embassy?hehehe oz its m first time to apply..
24th Floor Equitable Bank Tower, 8751 Paseo de Roxas, 1226 Makati City
i suggest you print the embassy checklist, have at least everything thats in there, and everything will be fine.
my visa was approved in swiss embassy. passport delivered 5 days after application. since its just my first time to apply they gave me single entry, but im thankful anyway.
Congrats! im still waiting for my passport, its my 2nd time… :)
Hinahanapan ba ng show money ang traveller sa immigration both Phils and Shengen first country upon entry pag family visit and tourist ??
Hanz ano courier ng swiss embassy?
Hi, i just had a painless interview in swiss embassy, i just want to share my experience in swiss embassy, i applied for schengen visa, my requirements are complete. I was called 3rd in window #1, for a minute i thought it was the cashier coz he asked for the payment first then the documents. He only asked me 3 questions. and i answered it a lil cocky coz i thought he was a cashier hehehe! then he told me to wait and ill be called again, so i assume the consul is next. then i was called, he told me everything looks fine, then issued me a receipt for the visa fee, then told me he’ll be taking my passport and it will be delivered within 5 working days. i had no clue if the interview is done, if im approved or denied…so i left the building while at starbucks i thought maybe it wasn’t over yet…so i went back at the embassy and asked if there’s still an interview then the receptionist asked for my receipt and said its okay, so i asked what does she mean okay, then she pointed out that its already stated in the receipt that the visa application is filed, there are two boxes in the receipt first is “visa application filed” and “visa application denied” im still waiting for my passport.
i arrived at the embassy 8:45, filled out the questionaire and was called around 9:40 then called back around 10:15, left the building 10:20. hehehe!
@wanderlass: does the French Embassy deny/reject applications right away? I know that they will process the application 5-10 days. coz I’ve been reading in other forums, that once they give you claim stub its like good as approved daw………. I wonder if somebody has experienced rejection right then and there sa interview pa lang….
they check ur submitted req’t. if they receive it, most usually it means it’s complete and most likely will be approved, but it’s not guarantee. w/in the 5-10 days that they process they may find reason why u’re not eligible to get visa. i know of someone who found out she was denied when she went back for it.
@wanderlass: yikes. thanks. in 2 days we will find out if we made it or not.
and about the itinerary, I read somewhere that as per a Schengen law, there shouldnt be any changes in the itinerary. what was submitted daw to the embassy should be the actual itinerary. pero kc what if we move our departure date a day ahead ( one day lang naman). the earlier day is less expensive (fare) kc. ok lang ba yan? ( assuming our visa gets approved) or should we submit another itinerary to the embassy?
and another question: will the visa just state valid for 3 months or specific talaga like valid from, say, Oct 15, to Nov 15.???
@wanderlass; omg, I just saw a sample visa from another site. specific nga. but are they or they not tipid in giving the validity dates? kc like yung arrival sched sa schengen territory na sa itinerary namin submitted to the embassy is Oct 20, BUT my companion PURCHASED na a ticket but with a day earlier yung arrival) Oct 19 kc nga mas low fare. naku baka ang ibigay na visa nakalagay talaga Oct 20 yung start ng validity??? or will they give a few days allowance from your scheduled arrival in schengen territory.
Hello, ask ko lng if anyone of you here can answer my questions . I am currently working in Thailand with a work permit and is planning to move in the Netherlands by 2013. Nag aaral pa lng ako in preparation for the MVV exam. Marami kasi ako nabasa online that one has to go to his/her country of origin for the MVV exam and that’s what my friends told me . Kaya lng my husband emailed the embassy here in Bangkok , ang sabi ok lng daw dito ako mag take and mag apply for the visa . Minsan kc d consistent ang sagot nila kaya naguguluhan ako kung uuwi pa ba ako sa pinas for my visa application . Thanks a lot kabayan!
i have a Belgian biological father,.. but unfortunately my father’s name in my birth certificate was noted “unknown” so legally his not my father,. i didn’t saw him for about 20yrs in my life,.. i just know him by picture and his name,.. but one day he found me in a social networking site..,.. and from that time we got communication and his planning to come here in the Philippines,.. but also in the future i want to visit his place,.. is it hard for me to get visa going to Belgium? i had a previous visa in us and japan.. do u think it will help? thank you, God bless..:)
Hi po, ito po case ko. i’m at my 4th yr in college, don’t have ITR but I have my own online business. I am currently saving up and my target is Php 250,000. I am currently halfway na po but the big problem is I don’t have ITR. Baka po magtaka ung consul where I got the money? Pahelp naman po ate baka may advise kayong mabibigay sakin :( I will be traveling with my dad who has ITR but it shows little income kasi he is a free lancer. More convincing po ba ung bank account kesa ITR? Thank you po in advance!
Hi Xen,
You dont need ITR if you are a student and will present bank certificate. If you will be using your online business for your financial document, then you definitely be needing, ITR, mayors permit and DTI because this these are the legal documents need before you can start a business in PH. However, if you have a bank account with sufficient fundings, then you can surely use that. I dont think they will ask you how you for the savings but you can always say that it was given by your parents. If the requirement is the same, you need to have at least Php250,000 for a tourist visa within 60 days (i just forgot if 60 days or 90 days) pero there is am amount that you should have at least per day. That was i read before when i was applying for shengen going here in Denmark.
Good luck! ;)
Thank you for your replies. I was interviewed yesterday for my visa. I have my brother’s letter of invitation minus his bank statements. They accepted my papers, and asked me some questions. There is one thing that the interviewer ask me . As proof of my financial status I have my lat 3 months payslips,last year Itr and 6 months bank statements. On my bank statement i have 200k deposited 2 months ago, as my mother gave it to me. I put it on the bank to be safe. I have a total of 305k on my bank. Interviewer asked me where it came from and honestly told her about my mom gave it to me. i hope they would consider my employment as a professor because it is difficult to file for a leave when there is regular classes. I am using 2 weeks of semestral break to visit my brother as well as tourism purposes. Now i will wait for 5 days to know if my passport will have a stamped approved visa. Passport will be delivered via courier (175 pesos)will be paid upon delivery.
Did you got your visa?