It  was a long lost dream. I’ve been wanting to visit Europe many many years back but the thought of getting a visa is draining me. Everything needs to be planned accordingly.  From applications, to bank statement, life insurance, letter from the company and more… so here are some tips that you need when you apply for a  tourist Visa.

1. First, identify your point of entry. That’s the country where you’re going to spend more days. So for me, I chose Italy.
2. Next, google Italy consulate website in Dubai. >>>  Italy Consulate website
3. There are 3 important things here. Refer to the picture below:
   1. Click the “Apply for Visa and download the FORM.”  The Form contains list of requirements depending on what type of Visa you are applying. Make sure to complete those requirements, otherwise you will end up going back and forth at the consulate to fill in more requirements.
   2. Okay I will post the requirements. Maybe someday this list will be updated so better go to the website   just to make sure you got the updated one. Don’t forget #7 it is important. I almost missed that part.  I totally understand that by looking at the list alone you might feel like ohhhh Lord  I want to give up!!! 🙂  but this is the pain of not having a visa free life 🙂  lol  – its a no pain, no gain deal!!! – SO! if you want to travel then face it! It is very easy, you just need to extend your patience on all paperworks 🙂
   3. Other tips:  hotel booking, you can booked a reservation at “Booking.com“, just make sure that you booked the one with “no cancellation fee”. The good thing in booking.com is you can pay them when you are there already.  For my trip, I used booking.com and Airbnb. Both are great! of course it’s cheaper at Airbnb. There’s a difference also in the service  but I want to try airbnb in the sense that I will live like one of the locals than staying in the hotel all the time.
   4. Airticket tips: It’s a bit risky, but I paid for my ticket already. I felt confident that I wont be denied because I have a 10 year multiple entry US Visa and I had my Schengen Visa when I went for my competition in Germany last year  .
4. Going back on #3 above, there’s another box called “Online Appointments“, click that box, book your appointment and set your appointment date.  And do the necessary payment. There are payment options, 1 you can do a special kind where they will send to your specified address your passport once approved. You dont have to line up that long at the consulate, meaning you are one of those VIPs but being part of that entails a form of payment than regular ones. I forgot how much I paid for it but I chose this because its more convenient for me and for my kind of work.
5. You can track your application too. click this link Tracking Application. 

So after going all through the holy grill of paper works. I made my dream trip to reality! Hope this helps! Wish you the best on your dream trips too! 🙂