Key Takeaways
- In our last reader story, I highlighted the story of Vikram and Ishwinder, an Indian couple who navigated a complex visa system in order to travel the
- It took a Filipino friend in Bangkok four years to obtain an EU Schengen visa, despite having a good job, a fiancé, and lots of roots.
- So today, I talk to DJ. He’s a Filipino who has been living and traveling around Europe for years. He shares his experience getting approved for visas
Updated: 12/03/19 | December 3rd, 2019
In our last reader story, we highlighted the experience of Vikram and Ishwinder, an Indian couple who navigated a complex visa system to travel the world. Citizens of many developing countries face significant restrictions on international mobility — for most destinations, extensive documentation, financial proof, and rigorous interviews are required.
It took a Filipino friend in Bangkok four years to obtain an EU Schengen visa, despite holding a stable job, being engaged, and having strong familial and professional ties.
Today, we speak with DJ — a Filipino traveler who has lived and explored Europe for years. He shares how he secured multiple visas, built a life abroad, and offers actionable guidance for others from underrepresented passport countries seeking to realize their global travel aspirations.
Route for Less: Tell everyone about yourself. DJ: Hello beautiful dreamers! I’m DJ Yabis. I’m 29 years old and grew up in the Philippines. Born and raised in Cagayan, I moved to Manila at 17 to study industrial engineering at the University of the Philippines Diliman.
In 2009, I moved to Europe for my master’s in international business as a full scholar of the European Commission through its prestigious Erasmus Mundus scholarship program.
I have been traveling the world since 2007 and have lived in Sweden, Poland, Germany, and the Philippines.
I have worked as an industrial engineer, a pseudo-diplomat at the Philippine embassy in Stockholm, a mystery shopper, and taken on various seasonal roles at music festivals across Europe.
While backpacking Southeast Asia, I realized I preferred long-term immersion abroad over short-term hopping between countries. That insight motivated me to apply for Erasmus Mundus — a goal I’d held for years. My longest continuous travel period is typically each summer, when I explore Europe from June to September.
What inspired your original trip? I draw much of my inspiration from films, literature, and music. I love European cinema — especially Spanish and French films. My Erasmus Mundus journey was directly inspired by the French-Spanish film L’Auberge Espagnole (The Spanish Apartment).
I also admire David Sedaris’s reflections on life in France and novels by Swedish authors like Jonas Jonasson and Stieg Larsson. One of my favorite travel-themed books is Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier — it profoundly shaped my perspective on movement, identity, and belonging (highly recommended!).
As a Filipino passport holder, spontaneous international travel isn’t feasible. Do you find visa applications difficult? What challenges do you commonly face? Yes — it’s consistently challenging, particularly for North America, the UK, and much of Europe. Even when all formal requirements are met, consular officers often question applicants’ intent to return home. This skepticism disproportionately affects single female applicants, though many of my peers — regardless of gender — have faced outright denials.
The documentation demands are rigorous.
For example, applying for a Schengen visa requires a detailed itinerary, prebooked accommodations for the entire stay, comprehensive travel insurance, confirmed flight reservations, bank statements, credit card records, income tax returns, formal leave approval from an employer, and either a certificate of employment or business registration documents.
There are many procedural hurdles — and even perfect compliance doesn’t guarantee approval, given persistent assumptions about immigration intent.
So how do you increase your chances of visa approval? Success starts with complete, accurate, and meticulously organized documentation. Missing even one required item almost certainly results in rejection.
Standard requirements include a valid passport, bank statements, proof of employment or business ownership, round-trip flight details, a clear itinerary, travel insurance, and a well-articulated purpose of visit.
During your embassy interview, dress professionally and answer questions confidently and honestly. Many applicants feel intimidated by horror stories circulating online — but fear itself can undermine credibility. If your intentions are genuine and your documentation solid, there’s no reason to be anxious. Nervousness may unintentionally reinforce suspicion.
A common reason for denial is insufficient evidence of ties to your home country. My strongest recommendation is to provide robust proof of stable employment, property ownership, family obligations, or ongoing business commitments. The more verifiable roots you demonstrate, the stronger your application appears.
If your application is denied, you usually have the right to submit a written appeal. Most embassies are legally obligated to cite specific grounds for refusal and offer constructive feedback on how to improve your next submission — though reapproval is never guaranteed.
