Applying for Schengen Visa at the Czech Embassy in Manila

With only three cities visited in Europe in the spring of 2012, I couln't help but book again for another budget flight, this time from KLM.  We knew it was not ideal to travel around during winter but to avoid the feeling of dissatisfaction from not seeing enough, we planned to visit 7 more cities and then return to Paris, only to view la Tour Eiffel lighted at night (see the discontent?)

While we planned to stay in Prague and Athens for the same number of days, Prague was first in the itinerary so we lodged our application at the Czech embassy in Makati. Three months before our trip, hubby  registered online to have an appointment scheduled (registration/appointment is per individual, not per group/family) . Since nobody in their right mind would go around sightseeing while bringing their heavy luggages stuffed with heavy winter clothes, we were able to get an appointment a month after the online registration. That was a short wait compared to our experience in 2012 at the French embassy, where, despite contacting the embassy three months before our trip, we were scheduled for interview just 3 weeks before our departure date. Well, it was peak season then. We spent the whole month preparing the requirements on our own since going through a travel agent will not guarantee that we will be given visas and will cost extra money.

At the embassy, I was the first to be called in for interview. Inside a closed room, a Filipina collected the fee and the required documents, and she asked why we were visiting so many countries and far apart from each other during a very cold season. My husband later was only asked to confirm if we are celebrating the New Year's eve in Prague. After both our interviews and while at the waiting room, we were instructed to claim our passports a week later or we can send an authorized representative to do so.  That would mean preparing a NOTARIZED authorization letter. So I decided to go back myself and claim our passports, only to find out that an authorization letter from my husband with a notary stamp was also required of me.  It was the same Filipina interviewer who entertained me and she was nice enough to give me my husband's passport even without an authorization letter.  Despite her wishing me good travels, I wasn't quite happy because the validity period for our visas was short. It covered the period between our departures to and from Europe but given that we were travelling on winter with the risk of flights being cancelled, I was hoping that the embassy would be more generous and give us flexibility. But anyway, at least we were given visas and my dream to go back to Europe came true!