Getting a Schengen Visa and being denied
Getting a Schengen visa was probably the worst struggle of all struggles. It is a nightmare and as much as I hate relating the ordeal that I had to endure to anyone, I just had to share it to you guys. Now, what I just mean by doing this is that, getting a Schengen visa is not for the faint of heart. One needs to have the endurance and the unwavering desire to go to Europe to be able to withstand the hurdle at the onset. At the get go, always remember that it costs money to apply for a visa, both in processing of the paperwork as well as moolah in the bank to present to the embassy of the country you intend to go, to convince them that you have enough resources to stay for a month or more and will definitely be leaving once the visa expires.
PAPER WORK
EXPENSES
The biggest expense was the return ticket which would cost me $1400 . It was a big chunk from my budget, so I made sure I will be able to get a refund should my efforts to get a Schengen visa fail. I personally chose to get a ticket from Booking.com because the website said that even if the ticket is non-refundable, Booking.com will still refund it. So buy a ticket I did, hoping that the embassy will give me a visa seeing that I have bought a return ticket already. I purchased it from Etihad Airways, the UAE flagship carrier. It was really quite cheap according to some of those who have bought tickets going to the Scandinavia.
APPLICATION
Going to VSF, that global third-party office that assesses visa applications so that embassies no longer have the problem of entertaining long queues of applicants, was also another challenge. It was shocking to see long queues of Filipinos lining up to submit their applications with very big bulky files. I wonder what could possibly be the reason of these people for leaving the country? The long queues for different countries was like a maze and a jungle. There were long lines for New Zealand, Australia, and Poland. Lines for the Scandinavian countries were relatively shorter. What are relief.
THE LONG WAIT
Sitting while waiting for your number to be called by the assessor was like waiting before you jump during bungee jumping. I was nervous as hell. My papers needed an upgrade the first morning I came, so I had to fix some info in a few documents and the following morning, i had to do the whole exercise again. Wake up as early as 3 a.m. to leave the house at 4 a.m. to arrive at VSF Makati before 6 a.m. to be first on the queue. My papers were accepted the second time. Now, the only thing to do was to wait for the visa to be mailed because it needed to be brought to Thailand and will take 2 weeks approximately to be returned at VSF Makati. I waited and waited nervously. Everything depends on the assessor and the immigration officer of that country.
THE NEWS
Two weeks later, the dreaded mail arrived. I was really nervous but excited to see my passport and immediately looked for the visa. Scanning through the pages of my passport, I was crestfallen. I could not find a visa at all. The letter from the embassy stated that my application was denied and I may make an appeal but it will take 3 weeks which is a big problem because my flight is within 2 weeks already and there is no certainty that the appeal will be accepted because of the nature of the rejection (which is another long story). So the next thing I should do is cancel the ticket and ask for a refund.
BOOKING.COM
Asking for a cancellation and a refund is also even more challenging and a wild goose chase. I can't count how many times I called the CSR of Booking.com here in the Philippines only to be given a number that is California-based. Are these people kidding me? Do they know how expensive it is to call California from the Philippines? And there were calls which were dropped too. I don't know why. It must be too early in the place where the CSRs were and were to sleepy to be bothered. And there was a call where the background was very silent, but later, I heard a baby cry. That too was dropped. I do understand. That poor father was probably feeding his baby. So finally, I decided to call California. However, to lessen the expenses, I needed the help of my good friend Skype. I bought a 5-Euro credit so that I can call California. Did I think it was going to be that easy? No, my first three calls were dropped as well. The moment they hear the word cancel and refund, the call is instantly dropped. Only one CSR was very helpful and went through the process that took about 20 minutes. I also sat and waited for him to complete the entire documentation. Finally, the call came to an end. And it was only when I received the confirmation email that my application for a cancellation and a refund was being processed that my belief towards Booking.com was restored. I was already cursing Booking.com earlier. But that Indian-sounding CSR was very kind so I took back my malediction.
Did I think it ended there? No, the matter is not yet closed because it will take three months at least for Etihad Airways to refund Booking.com and for Booking.com to refund me. The good thing though is that Booking.com sends me emails and updates me of the status of my refund. The second email I got told me that they will be deducting $300 from the original purchase amount. So that will be $300 less the $1400 original price of the ticket. OGK what other deductions these people will think of next. So there guys, my love-hate relationship with Booking.com continues until I have been refunded my plane ticket.
Remember this: Purchasing a ticket is easy to do. Airlines and booking companies are happy to serve you when you buy and pay for your flight reservations, but would hardly serve you during cancellation and refund. So think twice before travelling and buying any ticket, especially the very costly tickets.
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