Many of you, dear readers, might not have a clue of what getting a tourist visa means for a person that doesn’t hold a EU, USA or Canadian passport. Well, it is a nightmare. I guess it varies by nationality, but I’m Colombian and unfortunately we have quite a negative reputation associated with drug trafficking, therefore international travel policies are harsh on us. The average bureaucratic procedure requires a long series of letters, stamps and certificates that demand time, money and specially energy. The appointments at embassies and consulates have never made me feel comfortable at all, there is something in the atmosphere that makes me feel like a criminal (call me paranoid, but having to talk to the consul through a phone because there is heavy security glass separating us, is not exactly friendly) and increases the anxiety. And when you think this unpleasant panorama can’t get more awful, it actually can.
How? In the case you don’t have a job.
The thing is very simple, the border agencies basically want to be sure of tree things: 1. You are not a bad guy who is going to enter their country to do some sort of corrupt business, 2. You have enough money to pay for your trip, and 3. You don’t have any intentions to stay and live in their country. The first part is pretty easy to prove, if you don’t have any criminal records, off course, but the second one and specially the third one can be quite tricky in some cases, one of this cases is if you don’t have a job. If you don’t have a job, it could turn hard to prove that you have an income that allows you to pay for your trip, if you don’t have a job is harder to show that you have factual obligations that demand you to return to your residence country.
Yes, there are always other options. I relation to the money part, you can always show that you have some savings or incomes from other sources such as family. You can find someone close to you to serve as the sponsor of your trip and provide information about this person’s finances. But how do you demonstrate that you have reasons to return when you don’t hold a marriage certificate, don’t have a job, don’t own properties and don’t have children? It get’s difficult, no? And all of these are conditions that nowadays are hold by many, many people.
Luckily enough, I have the chance to prove the relationship with my partner, he can act as my sponsor and I can give evidence of some professional responsibilities that tie me to The Netherlands. But trust me in a process like this, an indefinite job contract will definitely save much hassle.