Reader Trinh Hang (40 years old, Hanoi) shares more experiences to increase your chances of receiving a Schengen visa after consulting on the application steps.
The list of official documents that the French Government requires to submit to issue a visa is quite simple, but after researching, I submitted many documents that were not in the required list, and passed the French tourist visa the first time.
Many Vietnamese people often apply for a Schengen visa to enter France.
Letter expressing wishes
This time to apply for a French visa, each of us hand-wrote a letter in English, without any form, explaining why we wanted to go to France, and stating clearly that after the trip we would return to Vietnam.
If you are not good at English, you can seek support from translation software, friends, and relatives to translate.
Old passport
The application list only requires you to submit your current passport.
If those old passports have stamps from the countries needing a visa, it will be even more effective (USA, Japan, Korea, Australia…), even for trips many years ago, it is still a good proof.
Documents proving assets
To apply for a Schengen visa, an important thing to do is prove your finances.
Once you have passed your visa, you can receive your passport back directly or by mail.
Documents proving identity
In case you are a student, the application list still requires submitting documents proving your social and professional background.
Although not as effective as a labor contract or employment certificate, the above documents still provide useful information about you so that the visa application reviewer can know your background and decide whether to apply or not.