Pinoy Feels: 15 Emotional Stages When Waiting for Visa Approval

Thinking of going to a visa-required country for Filipinos on your next trip? (As holders of Philippine passports, we can only go to a maximum of 66 countries visa-free.) Then you already know that your visa application is the most crucial thing to prepare for. Visa approval can be really simple, or really tricky. But regardless of the outcome, we go through some emotional stages just waiting for the result. Can you relate?

Disclaimer: This post is entirely for fun and does not intend to offend anyone. Good vibes lang!

Also read: How to Get a Multiple-Entry Korean Visa Without Submitting Income Documents

1. It’s official.  You’re travelling to a visa-required country.  Game face on.

Fresh na fresh ka pa kasi hindi ka pa stressed. 

2. You ask your “visa-experienced friends” how the process usually goes down because you’re already worried

Hala. Ayan na. 

3. After doing your research, you schedule your interview with the embassy. Piece of cake, right?!

Or is it???

4. You start gathering all the required payments and documents. This should be easy too…

But for some reason ngayon pa nagloloko printer at photocopier niyo. 

5. After putting your papers in a brown envelope, the first phase of the waiting game begins.

It’s still a couple more weeks until the interview, so you can still chill.

6. While waiting, you start reading tips about acing your visa interview

Maging productive nalang tayo habang hinihintay yung araw ng interview.

7. Then you start to doubt if you really have all the documents you need in your envelope

OMG. Nalagay ko na ba bank statement ko doon sa envelope?

8. It’s the big day of your interview and you’re REALLY nervous

30 minutes early in the embassy and you try to stay composed

9. You double check everything, even your clothes

Buti nalang nag corporate attire ka pa (maski sapat na ang smart casual).

10. Before you know it, the interview’s over!

You’re relieved. But a part of you wishes you had done better.

11. Now the second phase of the waiting game begins. Huhu!

Wala na tayong magagawa kundi magdasal kay Lord na sana approved!

12. You ask your “visa-experienced friends” how long they waited for their visa approval

Bakit kasi parang ang tagal ng sa iyo?!

13. You keep refreshing the website and see if you got any text messages from your agency or embassy

Baka may nakuha ka ng update at hindi mo lang nakita!

14. But in reality, it’s only been a few days. You haven’t even begun to REALLY wait

#StayStrong

15. At last! The day has come to see your visa application result. And…

Also read: Easiest to Hardest Visa Application According to Filipino Travellers

Well, however your application turns out, at least you don’t have to agonise about it anymore. If your visa was approved, great! It’s about time you enjoy yourself in destinations you’ve only seen online and in pictures. But if your visa wasn’t approved, don’t feel too bad because this happens to so many people, take it from this Filipino travel writer whose visa denial pushed him to travel even more to establish himself as a “legitimate” traveller despite one failed attempt. There’s always a next time, and that might even be a better time to travel. Keep the wanderlust in you alive!