Visa Appointment

After getting your NSO certificates, your passport and other documents as required from the German Embassy, you are now ready to make an appointment. The procedure is actually listed in the website but allow me to impart my own experience.

The website wrote that they starts at 8am. I tried dialing at 7:30am and a voice mail answered me saying that no operator is available and gave their working time. I called back 3 minutes before 8am and was thrilled that the phone rang normal and no more voice mail. I was most relief that the lady behind the call can speaks Filipino. She ask me basic information similar to the application form that the Embassy will be requiring us to answer. Over all, the total bills that I needed to foot for this transaction cost me around 850php. 

My tips to save up time (and money) are:

1. Have all the documents being requested from you nearby.

-- These are your completely filled up application form, passport and the likes.

2. Have a calendar or your planner near by. 

-- This is so you can quickly check which day would your appointment land on. In case you have preferred dates for your appointment, they can check on this too but is subjected to availability.

3. Have an International phonetic alphabet list near by.

-- Just in case you have a mental block that A for Alpha, Q for Quebec or Y for Yankee ... this will save you time. Sometimes, to make sure that your name or address (or other information) are correctly spelled, you will be ask to spell it in this manner.

4. Call the Call center few minutes before starting time of work but never too early.
-- Remember what happen to me and a voice mail answered my first call? Yes, you guess it: I got charged for that. 

5. If your line got cut, do not panic!
-- Yes, this happen to me too. Mid way of our conversation, my line got cut!!! I was using a post paid cellphone sim when calling them up and can only guess that something went wrong with the signal. I simply dial again. This time I was on waiting line. I waited on until someone answered. I quickly explain that my line was cut, she just ask what's my name and went to search on their computer. Then, we continue where we left off. So, its not back to zero. 

6. Have a pen and a paper near by.

-- For your reference, they will give your unique code of your profile. You will be ask to list this down.

7. List down your questions.

-- If you have questions that is not answered by the Embassy's website, you can ask the call center representative. They will answer as much as they can and will tell you if its beyond their knowledge.

Hope it helps! A belated Happy New Year!!!