7 Tips On How Your 'Online Partner' Can Successfully Sponsor Your Visa - Tips for Couples Dating Online on Getting a Tourist Visa

Online dating is getting unusually common now.. Thanks (or no thanks) to modern technology. Some of us met our bf/gf online via Tinder or other dating sites but who cares?? Hello guys it’s 2018! How you met each other doesn’t really matter. What matters is the way you both feel for each other :)

Our views on online dating may different but let’s get realistic and keep an open mind here ok? There are a lot of us who are against it but it doesn’t give us the right to judge people who are in this kind of relationship. Your views are yours and you can’t really impose one person to adapt it as well. As long as wala naman silang sinasaktang tao, hayaan na lang natin silang maging masaya. Positive vibes lang! Ok? :)

So let’s say you’ve been dating a foreign partner for awhile now and you finally decided to visit him in his country. As a Philippine Passport holder, you’d need a visa if your partner is NOT a citizen of these 63 Visa-Free Countries For Filipinos. Good news is that he can sponsor you-- a sponsor means a resident or citizen of a country who is going to pay for your finances and is going to take you in his/her home during your entire trip. Having a sponsor makes the chances of visa approval higher but as usual, this is not a guarantee. Here are tips on how your online partner can successfully sponsor your visa ♡

1) You have to see each other in person first

Let’s go straight to the point. Have you ever seen each other in person? You know online relationships could be very different from how it feels to actually be with that person. Online relationships could be dreamy and out of this world.. Physical relationships are more realistic and intimate hence you’ll get to know the person better.

For instance, I know this person who’ve been in an online relationship for 2 years. They talk every single day until the guy finally came to the Philippines. Guess what? Ayon 3 days pa lang sila magkasama na realize na nila that they don’t have the chemistry and weren’t compatible at all! Uwi silang luhaan pareho because imagine you invested time, effort and emotions for two years tapos wala pala??

Don’t make the same mistake. Whenever someone asks me for tips, this is the first one I always say: See each other in person first. It’s better if sya ang magpunta sa Pinas or you can meet each other somewhere. For visa application purposes, it’s best if you can meet personally at least 2-3 times before applying for your visa.

If it works then very good! Congrats, teh!! You’ll have a lot of proof to show at the Embassy like booking confirmation, photos together, and passport stamps. If not, then girl mabuti nang aware ka kesa naman lumipad ka papunta sa kanya tas wala palang spark diba??

2) Keep ‘receipts’ of your relationship

If for some reason you can’t do Tip # 1, then I suggest that you should always keep ‘receipts’ of your relationship. This could include birthday/anniversary cards, snail mails, postcards, screenshots of conversations, etc. Snail mails are even better because of the date on the postage stamp which cannot be edited (unlike screenshots of messages). I know this may be a little too personal (not to mention cheesy) but if there’s no other choice then you have to do it. Don’t worry. The officer wouldn’t have enough time to read all your mushy messages :p

3) Fly as much as you can

The success of your visa application relies mostly on you and not your sponsor kaya wag tayong pumetiks. Hindi porket may sponsor e approved ka na so you have to do things yourself to get higher chances of approval.

Another tip is for you to travel and collect passport stamps-- go to Indonesia, the flights are always cheap and it’s visa free (sarap pa ng food)! You can also go backpacking around Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia where you can cross the border and get 3 stamps in one trip. (It’s not that expensive, trust me!) Not only will you enjoy, learn other culture, and get to eat the local cuisine but you’ll get passport stamps for your visa application too. Malaki ang impact sa consul pag may tatak ang passport mo! :)

4) Keep a steady source of income

Hindi porket may partner kang afam at sinusustentuhan ka e magre resign ka na sa work mo. You need to keep a steady income which you earn for yourself for higher chances of visa approval. That way, you’ll be able to submit a Certificate of Employment and your Income Tax Return which shows that you are gainfully employed in the Philippines. These documents also prove deep-rootedness in the country so if meron ka ng mga yan, hindi ka nila paghihinalaan na magwo work ka dun illegally.

This is not limited to employment ha? This can also be in the form of business wherein you need to submit ITR and Business Registration Certificates. Pwede ring rent income where you can submit a copy of the Lease Contract and/or receipts.

So what if you’re a student and you don’t have a source of income other than your daily allowance? Okay lang yan! You just have to submit your enrollment certificate and a copy of your school ID.

5) Maintain a bank account

Your bank statement and bank certificate will prove that you are financially capable and it proves deep-rootedness as well. Syempre dapat pakita mo din sakanila na afford mong gumastos sa bansa nila!

It is highly encouraged that you submit this for “show money” purposes. Now, do you really have to have a show money? The answer is yes. How much? It depends. But since you are already being sponsored, kahit di na kalakihan ang budget mo. Mema-pakita ka lang ba na may pera ka din. Here are 7 Practical Tips On How To Have The Right Show Money.

6) Gather all of your sponsor’s documents as required by the Embassy

Every embassy is specific on the documents that the sponsor needs to provide. Ask him to send everything to your email and print at least two copies each. This usually includes:

1. The sponsor’s copy of passport;

2. Proof of residence which could include a valid ID and billing statements;

3. Bank statement/bank certificate; and

4. Invitation letter which should state the fact that he/she is inviting you to come over, your relationship with each other, his/her income, and documentary proof. (Check her on how we can help you with the invitation letter!)

This is not official ha? Always check the webpage of the Embassy where you’re planning to get your visa. For your reference, here are some Visa Application Guides for Filipinos Around the World.

7) Prepare for the interview (if necessary)

Some embassies require a personal interview so you really have to prepare. Here are some tips from on of our previous articles.

1. “Dress on how you want to be addressed”. Some embassies require an interview and remember, “You never get a second chance to make a second impression”. So go ahead and put on your decent clothes-- slacks/pants, closed shoes, and a polo shirt/long sleeves. Look what you say you are-- if you’re a student then you should dress like one (not necessarily in your school uniform but if you have class on the same day the why not?).

2. Have a "2 minute elevator pitch" but briefly, truthfully, and concisely. This is very important. Most of the questions asked by the consuls are answerable by  a maximum of 5 words. Questions usually asked are: “What kind of work do you have?”, “Who are your traveling with?”, “What’s the purpose of your travel?”, “Who’s going to pay for it?” etc. Please do prepare a very quick answer na wala nang matanong ang consul sayo dahil binigay mo na lahat! Wag kang maniwala sa tips noon na kelangan isang tanong-isang sagot lang kasi alam na nila ang tungkol sayo na nakasulat sa application form mo, kelangan ang sagot mo ay expounding lang ang nakalagay sa form!

3. Be confident ala Pia Wurtzbach. Lack of confidence can be seen in your overall aura-- your eyes, your voice, your hands, the way you stand, and even the way you walk. So make sure this doesn’t show. It’s normal to be nervous but you have to relax (or at least you have to show that you are relaxed kahit hindi haha!) :)

That’s all for now. Also check out this previous article: How To Handle Tourist Visa Rejection And How To Avoid Them I swear it can help you a lot! Good luck on your visa application and wishing you and your partner all the best ♡

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