HOW TO APPLY FOR A VISIT or A TOURIST VISA TO ICELAND
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Ever dreamt of visiting Iceland, a Nordic nirvana? Speckled with majestic waterfalls, geysers, and fjords among many others, I’m sure this is a European dream destination that you would love to set foot into for a road trip or two! If you are a Game of Thrones fan, then surely you would love to discover the North and what’s beyond the wall! Thankfully, it’s fairly easy to apply for an Iceland Schengen visa as a Philippine citizen.
Iceland is one of the best places on the planet to witness the Northern Lights. This surreal natural phenomenon paints the night sky in swooshes of iridescent color. It is a mystical sight to behold. There are no guarantees that conditions will be right for such a display on any given night, but Iceland is on the optimum latitude to experience the Aurora Borealis, especially September through March.
There are so many bewitching waterfalls in Iceland, not all of them have names. There are countless cascades along the famous Ring Road, but plenty of others in more remote areas. Large, small, thin, wide – the variety of falls is astounding. Nature puts on a stunning show here.
If you really want to visit Iceland, here’s a guide on how to apply for Schengen Iceland Visa with your Philippine Passport. This will be helpful in your journey in the Schengen Zone.
An Overview of Schengen Visa for Short-term Stay in Iceland
Iceland is a part of the Schengen area i.e. a group of countries which carry out no checks at their common borders and which have brought their efforts to fulfill the right of free movement of persons to a successful end.
More information about the Schengen area can be found here.
In order to enter Iceland as a Philippine passport holder (and any other countries in the Schengen zone), you must obtain a Schengen Visa first. You can get a tourist visa (if touring the country is your primary purpose) or a visit visa (if your main objective is to visit a family, friend, or significant other).
With a Schengen Visa, you may come and stay to Iceland for up to 90 days total starting from the date of entry to the date of exit. This 90-day stay may start and end anytime within the dates stipulated in the visa validity period (180 days).
Iceland Visa Conditions for Philippine Citizens
If you are a Philippine passport holder and you are planning to apply for an Iceland Schengen visa, you must fulfill these conditions:
- Iceland is your main destination. It means that you will visit Iceland only and have no plans of visiting any other neighboring Schengen country (sa Iceland ka lang pupunta at mag-stay); or
- You will stay the longest in Iceland. You have plans of visiting other Schengen countries, but Iceland is where you will be staying the longest. (Pupunta ka pa sa ibang Schengen countries, pero sa Iceland ang pinaka-mahabang stay mo).
Example: You will stay in Iceland for 14 days to visit a family member or a relative. After that, you will go to Belgium, France, and Germany for a 2-week side trip, before returning to the Philippines.
- The main purpose of your travel is in Iceland. You have plans of visiting other Schengen countries, but the focus of your travel is in Iceland.
- Iceland is your port of entry. You have plans of visiting multiple Schengen countries for the same number of days, pero Iceland ang iyong first point of entry.
Important Documents to Prepare
If you are applying from the Philippines, there is no Iceland Embassy. Instead, Iceland is represented by the Royal Norwegian Embassy.
When you apply for a visa, the application will be forwarded to the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand for processing. All cases are considered individually to see if the conditions for granting a visa are fulfilled. To read more about the conditions that must be fulfilled in order to be granted a visa, please click here and select the purpose of your visit.
Below are the list of documents that are required to be submitted when applying for an Iceland Schengen Visa for the purpose of tourism or visiting family or friends in this Schengen area.
Note: Prepare two sets of each document—one original set and one photocopy.
1. Application Form via a Cover Letter– You may apply for it online through this Application Portal. Below is the procedure on how to register and to create your own account:
- Provide all the details that are asked of you, and make sure that you are registering an active email address. Once done, click the button that says ‘Create user account‘.
- Now that your account is created, you need to activate it before you can log in. So, check the email that you registered and look for a message from the Norway Application Portal (noreply-spn@udi.no). There should be a link inside the mail that you need to click in order to activate your account.
- Enter the email and password that you set up and click the ‘Log-in‘ button.
- On the next page, click ‘Want to apply‘
- Then ‘New application‘, followed by ‘Application forms for citizens of all countries’
- Choose ‘Visitor’s visa‘.
- Check the box that says ‘I accept the legal disclaimer‘ and then click on ‘Go to application form‘.
- From here on, everything will be quite easy to follow since it will just simply ask for your personal information, travel plans, etc. Make sure that you filled in all these details correctly.
- Once you are done filling everything out, the next step is to pay the application fee which is EUR 60.
- Take note that you can only pay this on the portal with a credit card (Mastercard or Visa).
- When you do so, you will receive an automated message on your mail that contains a Cover Letter. Save, print, and sign this document since you will need to submit it later on when you visit VFS.
2. Two current biometrical passport photos
- Size 35 x 45 mm
- White background
- Not older than 6 months
- Printed on high quality paper
- Complying with ICAO guidelines (International Civil Aviation Organization)
3. Original Passport and a Photocopy of it as well as the Bio Page– must be valid at least 3 months calculating from the date of intended departure from the Schengen area.
Must contain at least two blank visa pages, excluding the endorsements pages.
Not older than 10 years (extended passports are not accepted).
4. Travel Insurance – the coverage must be applied during the entire duration of the trip and must be valid for all Schengen countries. Coverage sum must be AT LEAST EUR 30,000 (Php 2.5 million or USD 50,000). I highly recommend Pioneer Insurance which you can avail yourself through me. Feel free to directly inquire through JASTravel on Facebook and I would be very glad to assist you.
5. Documents indicating the purpose of your travel based on the Short-term Schengen Visa classification that you fall under – Now, depending on your circumstance or Visa type that you wish to apply for, click the symbol ‘▼‘ below to view the corresponding requirements for each section.
- Invitation letter signed by your host in Iceland (reference person), stating the purpose of the visit, who you will visit, duration of the visit, and plans.
- Proof of relationship (birth-/marriage certificate, household book, proof of co-habitation etc.)
- Copy of the host’s passport including visa entry/ exit stamps
- Boyfriend/girlfriend visits: Documentation of time spent together
- Certificate from your employer/company/organization/school in your home country, and an invitation from your host in Iceland, introducing:
- You, your role and length of service
- The place and duration of the trip, the purpose and need to travel, (meetings, conference, fairs, sports events, concerts, study trip etc.)
- The activity to be undertaken by you during the stay
- Detailed plans of the visit including dates and places you intend to visit in Iceland (and Schengen) and means of transport. Destinations, tourist attractions, activities, and special events, if any. At this part, it’s good practice to include an itinerary so that you can properly explain the purpose of your trip. We can help you plan your trip by availing our itinerary service.
- If group tours: Confirmation of the tour package and payments. Contact information of the travel agent and list of participants
6. A copy of your roundtrip flight reservation. Do NOT buy flight tickets before the visa is issued because the Iceland Embassy would NOT take any responsibility for the costs you’ll incur if your visa gets denied. We can assist you with a dummy ticket for your flight reservation requirement; get it here!
7. Proof of Accomodation, copy(ies). These are confirmed hotel reservation(s) only for the entire duration of your stay in the Schengen countries containing the name and contact details of the hotel(s) as well as the reservation number.
Tip: I suggest that you reserve your hotel stays via Booking.com and/orAgoda.com. With them, you can reserve a hotel with NO pre-payment and you can even cancel the booking a day before your arrival with NO cancellation charges at all. So yes, you can make reservations without any payment, you can change the reservation anytime, AND you can cancel them at no cost as well if in case your Iceland Schengen visa is not approved.
8. Proof of financial capacity to show that you (or your sponsor) can support your expenses for the whole duration of your travel.
• For those traveling without a sponsor: this means that you will cover all your expenses during the entire duration of your travel.
- Bank statements – must show records of the past six months. A bank statement shows your transactions in your account at a specific period. It will show debits (withdrawals, payments, taxes, service fees) and credits (deposits, interest earned.) Bank Statements can also be seen online especially if you have a registered account. There is no signature for the manager or a bank officer.
- Bank Certificate – it is a confirmation by the branch manager or a bank officer that you have an existing account in their bank. It shows the account number, the type, and other details such as the opening date of your account, your account balance as of the date of request, and your average daily balance.
- Other proof of income (supporting documents) – although it is not really required, you can submit invoices and pay slip equivalent to prove that you earn enough to support this trip financially.
9. Evidence of your rootedness in the Philippines – Evidence of deep-rootedness a.k.a. strong family and social ties to your home country, is one of the most critical requirements when applying for a Schengen Visa. It is what the Consul will look for in your visa application. So how do you prove that you are firmly established in the Philippines and that you will go back to your home country? This can either be: Confirmation of employment / private business / studies / pension.
You need to convince them that you will return to the Philippines. Insufficient evidence of deep-rootedness to your home country is also one of the chief reasons for visa denial.
For company employees – original letter from employer confirming the position in the company, date of employment, salary for the last 6 months and period of holidays granted (certificate of leave of absence). The letter must include the name and position of the person who signed the certificate, registration and contact details of the company.
For private business – confirmation of business registration, license, income tax return, business financial statement;
For students – proof of enrolment, certificate from the school with confirmation of leave of absence and the valid student’s ID card. You may be also requested to submit a student’s record-book;
> Recent certificate of enrollment from the school
> Letter authorizing the student’s absence from schoolFor pensioners – pension certificate indicating the amount of pension;
For unemployed – a written and signed explanation on the applicant’s labour situation;
For Solo parents:
› A copy of your birth certificate- PSA Authenticated
› A copy of your child/children’s birth certificate- PSA Authenticated
› Solo parent ID
› Barangay Certification as Solo parent
› Notarized Affidavit of Solo Parent with Undertaking
› Money remittances to support your dependents- For those who are supporting or watching over the health/well-being of the family:
› A copy of my parent’s birth certificates- PSA Authenticated
› If parents are already Senior Citizens: a copy of their Senior Citizen ID and Barangay Certification as Senior Citizens
› If parents have sickness/ illness: Medical history of parents (diabetes, hypertension, etc.)- Documents confirming ownership of real estate property in the Philippines (if applicable)
> Land titles
> Car registration certificates
> Deeds of Sale
- For Minors
> Joint affidavit of both parents or legal guardians granting consent
> Photocopies of the passports of both parents or legal guardians
> Birth certificate of the minor. Must be recent, original, and issued by PSA.
> DSWD Clearance, if the minor is not traveling with either parent or legal guardian
NOTE: If in case you are a Philippine national living or residing in a foreign country and you wish to avail an Iceland Schengen tourist visa, kindly inquire with the appropriate embassy in the country that you’re living/residing in about the requirements and procedures that you need to take (as the process and requirements will not be similar).
Also, the Royal Norwegian Embassy (in representation of Iceland Embassy) may request more information or additional documents other than those listed above in order to verify the contents and truthfulness of the documents you’ve submitted; so, be prepared for that.
Step-by-Step Guide on How to Apply for a Schengen Visa to Iceland
Information to applicants in the Philippines: Applications for visitor’s visas and residence permits for Norway are handled by the Norwegian Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand. All applications are to be submitted through VFS Global (Norway Application Center) in Manila or Cebu.
The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Bangkok also represents Iceland in visa matters. If you are applying for a visa to travel to Iceland, you are to follow the same process as if you were applying for a visa to Norway.
It takes around 15 days for applications to be processed, so you should apply no later than 15 days before your trip. However, the embassy recommends you apply at least 4 weeks in advance due to courier services between countries. You may apply up to 6 months before, so the earlier the better!
Step 1: Determine the type of Iceland Schengen visa you need to apply for.
There are various types of Iceland Schengen visas out there that you can apply for: a visa for residence, a visa for family visits, a visa for studying, a visa for work, a visa for transit, a visa for being a spouse, etc.
Each application must comply with the guidelines applicable to your visa or residence permit category.
If your documents are not in English, you may need to get notarized translations prepared before applying.
Step 2: Get started with your visa application.
On the Royal Norwegian Embassy website you will find guidelines about the application process and how to register your application online. You may also access the online Application Portal directly here. Your sponsor in Norway can also register the application and book appointment online on your behalf.
As mentioned in Item #1 from the list of Required Documents to accomplish, all applicants are required to provide an online payment receipt confirming online registration and payment of the application fee in the Application Portal when submitting an application at a Norwegian Visa Application Centre. Online payments in the Application Portal can be made by using a credit/debit card (MasterCard or Visa).
Applications for visitor’s visas and residence permits for Norway are handled by the Royal Norwegian Embassy . To submit your application, please go to VFS Global Application Centre.
Step 3: Schedule your appointment online with VFS Global.
When it comes to the Iceland Embassy, they do visa applications via their external service provider, VFS Global. You can choose a Visa Application Centre and make an appointment.
VFS Visa Application Center – Manila
Ground Flr., Ecoplaza Building
2305 Don Chino Roces Ave, Extension,
Makati, Metro Manila
VFS Visa Application Center – Cebu
Unit 503, 5th Floor, Keppel Center
Samar Loop cor. Cardinal Rosales Avenue
Cebu Business Park, Cebu City
- Take note that Iceland Schengen visa applications with VFS can only be made from 11:00AM to 2:00PM, Monday to Friday.
Once you have filled your visa form, you need to book an appointment to have your fingerprints and photo taken at a Visa Application Centre. This is known as ‘biometric information’.
Once you’ve booked your appointment, you’ll receive an appointment confirmation email along with the letter of appointment.
If you are part of a family or group, you’ll have to book individual appointments for each member of the family or group.
Step 4: Pay your fees.
When you register your application on the Application Portal, you will need to pay your application fee as part of this process.
For additional information in Service fee and Courier fee, please click here
Certain additional services offered by VFS Global are not included in the service fee. Please note that these services are optional.
Step 5: Visit the Application Center on the day of your scheduled appointment.
You’ll have to submit your complete visa application form at the Visa Application Centre in person.
Find out how the process goes at the Visa Application Centre.
Step 6: Track your application.
Stay informed about the progress of your application.
You will receive an email update when your decision has been returned to the Visa Application Centre. If you can’t access email easily, or would like more detailed tracking information, you may also be able to get updates by SMS sent directly to your phone. Check whether this service is available at the Visa Application Centre you are visiting.
You can also track your visa application status online. Use the Reference Number present on the invoice/receipt issued by the Visa Application Centre along with your last name to access this service.
Some other things to remember:
After a visa application decision has been made, you can pick up your documents from the Visa Application Centre or have your documents returned to you by courier for an additional fee.
Collecting your documents in person: bring the receipt issued by the Visa Application Centre and a form of Government identification. If permitted you may be able to send a representative to collect your documents; they will need to present a Applicant’s authorization in writing (with full name, signature, passport number, place and date), valid identification issued by the government in original and copy for both, the authorized representative and the applicant (one copy of each to be kept at VAC).
Please check with the Visa Application Centre at time of your appointment for the options available to collect your documents.
When collecting your decision, please make sure to check that your envelope contains your documents, including originals. If you have been granted a visa, it will be affixed to your passport.
We kindly ask that you check the following information on the visa sticker:
Name and surname with correct spelling
Period of validity AND duration of stay. The duration of stay indicates how many days you are allowed to stay in the Schengen area.
Number of entries
Passport number
If there is a mistake on your visa sticker, please contact the VFS office or the Embassy as soon as possible.
Quick Facts
- Validity of Visa : Short-stay Schengen visas allow people to stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days every six-month period
- Processing time:Applications shall be decided on within 5 to 10 working days after the date of lodging.
- Where to lodge your application:
-
- VFS Manila
Ground Floor, Eco- Plaza Bldg., 2305 Don Chino Roces Ave. Ext., Makati, Metro Manila
- VFS Manila
-
- VFS Cebu
Unit 503, 5th Floor, Keppel Center, Samar Loop cor. Cardinal Rosales Avenue, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City 6000
- VFS Cebu
- Embassy’s Information:
- Norwegian Embassy in Manila (in-charged of handling Iceland Schengen Visa applications in the Philippines)
- Address: 12th/F Del Rosario Law Centre, 21st Drive corner 20th Drive, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila 1630
- Telephone Number: +63 (0)2 5317 2700
- E-mail address: manila.consular@mfa.no
- Website: https://www.norway.no
- Norwegian Embassy in Manila (in-charged of handling Iceland Schengen Visa applications in the Philippines)
Common Reasons for Schengen Visa Rejection
Here are the common reasons a Schengen Visa application gets denied:
- No clear travel purpose—a detailed cover letter is a must!
- Lack of strong ties—reevaluate your application and prove why you must return to your home country!
- Insufficient travel insurance coverage—make sure you get the right policy!
- No proof of financial means—convince them that you can afford your trip! Provide bank or credit card statements, VUL, investment portfolio, etc.
- Passport does not have 2 free pages—where will they attach the visa if your passport pages are already full? You should get a new passport before applying for a visa if there are no more available pages on your old one!
- No proof of accommodation—you need to prove them that you have a place to stay in the Schengen Area.
Recap and Tips
So, just a recap and a reminder, please don’t forget these TIPS:
If you ever need help, you can avail my visa application bundle, and I will be glad to help you through the process!
Let Us Be Your Partner in Your Schengen Visa Journey
Applying for a Schengen Visa can be overwhelming, with all the paperwork involved and confusing information from different sources. We understand that—we’ve been there and have done that!
But through the years, we gained experience and knowledge on the ins and outs of the Schengen Visa application. We’ve helped countless satisfied clients; we would like to invite you to be one of them!
With our Schengen Visa services personalized to your unique needs and circumstances, we will make your visa application less stressful and laborious and more promising. Contact us to schedule a consultation or for other inquiries.
