Visa Application to Jakarta: Start of My Journey to European Universities

Visa Application to Jakarta: Start of My Journey to European Universities

I have to admit...

I was extremely excited because it was my first international journey to a foreign country. Truth to tell, my first journey was a tale of mixed emotions. I was both anxious and elated at the same time for reasons that were not also clear to me. Since it was my first international trip, I tried to make this trip worthy to remember, a trip that I would cherish and happy to share with my friends. 

Jakarta, Indonesia. This is where my first international destination would bring me. A combination of curiosity and fear of the unknown grappled me as I was waiting for my plane to land in the Soeharto International Airport. Finally, after four hours in the air, the Philippine Airlines made its touchdown to the Indonesian soil.

It is interesting to note that what brought me to Indonesia was not for pleasure or vacation. My brief sojourn to Jakarta, Indonesia is basically for visa application. Yes, you read it right. I need to apply for a National D-Visa that will enable me to enter Europe legally as a student. You might be wondering why do I need to travel four hours from my home country just to be able to get a student visa for Europe? Let me tell you then this brief journey of mine.

National-D Visa Application: Start of My Erasmus Journey

To tell you briefly, I was awarded a scholarship to study in Europe. My first mobility is in Budapest, Hungary. Third country nationals need a long-stay visa for purpose of studies to enter Europe. Inasmuch as there exists no Hungarian Embassy in Manila (two years ago), I needed to go to the nearest city to Manila where I can apply for a student visa for study purposes. Jakarta, Indonesia, was by far, the nearest city where I can apply for a visa. Before I proceeded to my journey to Jakarta, I needed to prepare all the necessary documents for visa application. To ensure that I would not miss any document with me, I wrote the Hungarian Embassy beforehand for purposes of inquiring about the application documents as well as for scheduling an appointment to them. Having sent an email to them, I was able to receive a prompt reply from the embassy. The documents listed were as follows: 

1. Application Form for Long-Stay Visa for Purposes of Studies. The form is readily downloadable from the website of the Ministry of Affairs;
2. Valid passport. The passport must be valid at least three months before the expiration of the visa duration;
3. Two pieces of photos (passport size). It is advisable to bring more than two piecies as spare in case of any eventualities;
4. Admission/acceptance letter from my home university. You get the copy from your host university; reproduce several copies of it;
5. Scholarship letter;
6. Evidence of accommodation in Budapest, Hungary. You may book for a few days in some websites online and decide later when you're there in your target country;
7. Health insurance (should be valid in entire Europe);
8. Evidence of means to support one's self (the scholarship award);
9. Travel Insurance; and
10. Trip ticket. 

With all the requirements carefully complied with, I tucked all the documents in a single file envelope and planned my trip to Jakarta, Indonesia.

When Applying for a Visa: What to Do and What Not to Do

Applying for a student visa can be as easy as any simple administrative stuff. Here are some elementary but practical tips on what to do when applying for a student visa:

1.      It is important to browse over the internet for useful information before applying for a visa. The website of Ministry of Affairs of your host country usually post the most practical information that you can use for visa application.
2. Make a list of all the documents needed for visa application to ensure that you have the full and complete list of the Embassy. You would not want to miss any document and make a second trip to Embassy just to submit the missing document.
3. Contact the embassy beforehand. Call or drop an e-mail. Some embassy requires prior appointment before they entertain visa applicants. Moreover, you can inquire of the full and updated list of documents. The information posted in the website may not be updated as you expect them to be.
4. Take note in which currency the embassy charges the visa fees. In order to avoid hassles, it would be wise to bring the exact amount in the required currency.

Visa application may cause you to waste a great amount of time, effort and resources if you commit some blunders, intended or unintended. Here are some of the things that you need to avoid when applying for a visa:

1.        Coming to the embassy unprepared. There are visa applicants who headed directly to the embassy without checking and counterchecking the list of documents they needed for visa application. A single missing paper may cause your visa application denied or delayed.
2.         Failure to prepare for visa application interview. While the visa application interview may appear easy to some, the reverse is true to other applicants. Hence, for students who find it hard to ace the interview, preparation should be made the order of the day. 

In closing, I wish to share that it is better to file your application for visa well ahead of time. Take note of the date of your trip to your host country. Visa approval may take as early as fifteen (15) days or thirty (30) days. 

Goodluck and have a successful visa application ahead!

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