Shengen Visa For Filipinos

[OnMyWay]

Stab in the dark.  Due to all the Covid BS, it is unlikely that anyone has any recent experiences with a Filipino getting a Shengen visa, but I will ask anyway.  Any recent experiences getting a Shengen?

I'm still toying with the idea of taking the family to Europe this summer.  My wife and step-daughter would need Shengen visas.  They both have U.S. tourist visas and I don't anticipate any issues with them getting the Shengen.  There is good advice in this 2017 thread.

https://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/26858-travel-to-eu-for-filipina/#comment-203259

And a related question for anybody who has been to Europe recently.  Are there Covid travel restrictions and/or border controls when you drive across borders within Shengen?  There used to be none when I lived in Germany and I was wondering if they exist now.

[fototek1]

I will be watching this post closely. I want to bring my wife to Sicily, Italy in June and my in-laws are planning a trip to Italy/France in November. I have co-workers that have been traveling to Europe (from the US)and back since January. 

[hk blues]

On 2/20/2022 at 12:37 PM, OnMyWay said:

Stab in the dark.  Due to all the Covid BS, it is unlikely that anyone has any recent experiences with a Filipino getting a Shengen visa, but I will ask anyway.  Any recent experiences getting a Shengen?

I'm still toying with the idea of taking the family to Europe this summer.  My wife and step-daughter would need Shengen visas.  They both have U.S. tourist visas and I don't anticipate any issues with them getting the Shengen.  There is good advice in this 2017 thread.

https://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/26858-travel-to-eu-for-filipina/#comment-203259

And a related question for anybody who has been to Europe recently.  Are there Covid travel restrictions and/or border controls when you drive across borders within Shengen?  There used to be none when I lived in Germany and I was wondering if they exist now.

As far as I understand, different EU countries have their own rules on Covid i.e. Germany has specific restrictions for people coming from Spain.  

[OnMyWay]

1 hour ago, hk blues said:

As far as I understand, different EU countries have their own rules on Covid i.e. Germany has specific restrictions for people coming from Spain.  

Yes, that seems to be what I hear too.  I was wondering if there are Covid border checks when driving.

Edited February 21, 2022 by OnMyWay

[hk blues]

1 hour ago, OnMyWay said:

Yes, that seems to be what I hear too.  I was wondering if there are Covid border checks when driving.

I see what you mean - where would the checks be carried out?  Then again, pre-Covid times, where did passport checks take place for drivers?  For sure, there are border points but not across the whole border.   

[OnMyWay]

4 hours ago, hk blues said:

I see what you mean - where would the checks be carried out?  Then again, pre-Covid times, where did passport checks take place for drivers?  For sure, there are border points but not across the whole border.   

Post-Eurozone (around 2000?) and Pre-Covid, there were no border controls for drivers within the Eurozone I traveled, but they must have contingency plans.  I think I remember some of the borders having some of the old structures and perhaps they could be put back to use in emergencies.

I asked because it seems like if they had controls, it could add some misery and time to a driving trip.  I drove all over Western Europe from 2006-2010.  The only time my passport was checked was at a small mountain border road in Switzerland.  Not sure why they checked there because Switzerland doesn't check on the big roads normally.

I will reach out to friends in Germany and Belgium.  They should know what the current practices are.

Edited February 21, 2022 by OnMyWay

[Youngster]

On 2/20/2022 at 12:37 PM, OnMyWay said:

Stab in the dark.  Due to all the Covid BS, it is unlikely that anyone has any recent experiences with a Filipino getting a Shengen visa, but I will ask anyway.  Any recent experiences getting a Shengen?

I'm still toying with the idea of taking the family to Europe this summer.  My wife and step-daughter would need Shengen visas.  They both have U.S. tourist visas and I don't anticipate any issues with them getting the Shengen.  There is good advice in this 2017 thread.

https://www.philippines-expats.com/topic/26858-travel-to-eu-for-filipina/#comment-203259

And a related question for anybody who has been to Europe recently.  Are there Covid travel restrictions and/or border controls when you drive across borders within Shengen?  There used to be none when I lived in Germany and I was wondering if they exist now.

I don't have anything to add regarding Schengen visas, but...

I need to use up some of my airline points before it expire, so I've been looking at flying to Europe in March.  While researching, I've noticed EU countries do welcome US citizens with travel originating from the US, but it does not indicate if they will allow entry for those travel originating from another country, specifically the Philippines.  Also Philippines is not included as a safe country in the EU countries lists.  

I've not looked further into this, instead decided to fly to London first, if I do decide to go, where entry requirements appear easiest, and go from there.  In your case, things likely will change by the time in summer you are ready to fly to Europe.

[OnMyWay]

4 hours ago, Youngster said:

I don't have anything to add regarding Schengen visas, but...

I need to use up some of my airline points before it expire, so I've been looking at flying to Europe in March.  While researching, I've noticed EU countries do welcome US citizens with travel originating from the US, but it does not indicate if they will allow entry for those travel originating from another country, specifically the Philippines.  Also Philippines is not included as a safe country in the EU countries lists.  

I've not looked further into this, instead decided to fly to London first, if I do decide to go, where entry requirements appear easiest, and go from there.  In your case, things likely will change by the time in summer you are ready to fly to Europe.

Very good point that I had not thought of!