Broken Hearted by Japan: Denied Visa

I am sharing to you my dismay about applying a Japan Single Entry Tourist Visa.

I should have been on the flight this December 4, 2016 at 5:45 am via Cebu Pacific but my visa was denied.

I applied through an accredited agency here in Cebu, Friendship Tours

CEBU	( MON to FRI 08:30-16:00 )
Address	BLDG 1 Oakridge I.T Center 880 AS Fortuna st. Banilad Mandaue City
Phone	( 032 ) 345-3459 / 344-4825 / 581-5906
FAX	( 032 ) 344-4714
E-mail	visa@friendshipmanila.com  ( English ) info@friendshipmanila.com  ( Japanese )
Cell phone	0917-724-3373

It was because, it's the only accredited agency in Cebu and that they say you can get your visa as early as 3-5 days for 1200 pesos.

There are also other agencies which cater visa processing like Grand Hope Travel in SM City Cebu for 1500 pesos.

I prepared my requirements:

1. Bank certificate from BPI refelcting 60,019 pesos

2. ITR from work (Cebu Doctors' University Hospital - Staff Nurse)

3. Certificate of Employment

4. Itinerary (I think the agency handled this, but I submitted an itinerary good for 4 days only)

5. Plane tickets

6. Passport with previously traveled countries (Singapore, Malaysia)

I applied last November 16, 2016. I completed the application form, submitted my picture and other requirements. Upon handling those, the receptionist checked it and filed it. She didn't even told me that my bank certificate is enough or not.

I waited for 2 weeks (10 business days) for the results.

And then my heart was crushed upon confirming that it was DENIED.

With a help of a friend, she tried to apply for a reconsideration from the embassy and asked why it was denied. The embassy cannot divulge any information as to why and we can reapply after 6 months.

THIS REALLY BROKE MY HEART.

Do you have the same experience?

What can possibly be the reason for the denial?

Hong Kong 2013: Where are we going?

Tsim Sha Tsui was our destination. We landed at HKIA around 9 in the morning and arrived safely at our hostel around 11 am. We rode the city bus, A21 from the airport to the 13th stop, Nathan Road where our hostel is located.

The bus by the way is operating 24 hours. During day it has A and N at night.

A double decker bus wherein you can just leave your baggage at one single area to avoid hustles and bustles along the corridor. Worried it may get lost? Need not since that area is secured with a CCTV and you just can take a sit anywhere in the bus.

The usual mode of transportation in HK are buses, taxis and the MTR. You can either pay in cash (must be in exact amount since they will not give you any change) or you can use the so called Octopus Card.

You can have your Octopus Card at the Customer Service at the airport which opens from 6 am to 10 pm. It is a reloadable card with a deposit of 50 hkd which you can get back if you surrender the card. During our 6-day stay, 250 hkd was enough, including the 50 hkd deposit. You can have it reloaded at 7/11 stores and you can use it to pay not only for transportation but also at some stores like 7/11, McDo to name some.

The bus fare was around 34 hkd. You tap the card once when you enter the bus at the front. When you tap it, the screen lets you see how much the fare is and how much your remaining load is.

It was a 45 minute to an hour trip. It somehow served as a mini tour in HK minus the tourguide. You can appreciate the bridges and the infrastructures of HK while on the bus.

Buildings were everywhere. People were everywhere. As they say you can never get lost at HK, now I know why, because signs are everywhere. You just need to know where you want to go and have some map and viola! you can know where you are going.

Our hostel reception was located at Mirador Mansion on the 13th floor. We were lost as to where Mirador Mansion is, thanks to the signs and a little help of the police, we were able to know where it was. A big building only a few steps from where our bus stopped. When we were at the reception area, we were told that check in was still at 2 pm and it was still 11 am. So we decided to just leave our bags at the reception and come back.

We were excited to stroll around, see Hong Kong in the dimming lights of the cloudy morning. Hong Kong with its busy streets with busy people.

We walked and walked, mind you there is so much to see when you try to walk and besides walking is the main way to get to places in a short distance ofcourse.

There are a lot of stores in the area of Tsim Sha Tsui. From Chinese herbal products to high end designer wear, everything is just a walking distance and some money to splurge.

Hong Kong is also rich in culinary taste. You can never go hungry once you are in HK. Food is available almost at every corner. It was already lunchtime and we decided to have our first taste of HK. I have also searched for places to dine, budget places in particular. First bite goes to Cafe de Coral.

http://aysasia.tumblr.com/post/67219276227

Cafe de Coral has budget combo meals ranging from 26 hkd to 40 hkd. Complete meals with your choice of drinks. I particularly love their cold milk tea! My favorite in HK. It is available anywhere, just like any fast food chains we can find here in the Philippines.

After having our lunch, we were already able to check in at our hostel. We bought everything from our hostel --- tickets to Disneyland, Ocean park, Macau. It is your choice whether to buy from your hotel or anywhere convenient. Prices may range, it's up to your convenience.

Our room was located at their extension building, Chungking Mansion. And yes, blogs are right about the place, never stay here. The environment is not convenient to pass by especially at night, many foreigners are selling you everything. But we survived 6 days staying here. Early to go out in the morning and early to come in at night. Just remember safety should be prioritized in foreign lands.

Our room was okay, small but clean. The comfort room was too little, water splashing everywhere when you take a shower. But overall the stay was good, they have a water dispenser and the staff were friendly. And we get to have a 20% discount when we come back!

There are a lot of places to stay in HK, from budget hostels to high end five star hotels. It is all choice, your convenience and ofcourse your budget to whichever you want to stay.

aysasia

Let's Try It Out: Hong Kong 2013

2013 would be a year of many firsts in the field of travel. I’ve been to many places this year, which of course was my first. But today I’m making it into words. This would also serve as a try of a travel blog.

Travelling requires a lot of factors and money is a first on the list. I do have limited budget but I find ways to see the world and the beauty it offers.

November 10, 2013 was the day I used my passport and received my first stamps at HKIA.

A first time outside the country (of many more to come, fingers crossed haha). Hongkong is just a 3-hour trip from Cebu via plane. With a currency of 1 hkd = 5.95 php and with a tight budget (like me!), one can enjoy the culture, sights, food, attractions to name a few at HK.

We booked our flight online via Cebu Pacific Airlines. It was a Php 999 promo fare roundtrip, and totaled to Php 4480 including taxes and all. A flight from Mactan International Airport to Hong Kong International Airport and vice versa.

We also booked our hotel accommodation good for 6 days and 3 persons via ATJ Travel and Tours agency worth Php 14,000. We needed to have proof to where we are staying since it was everybody’s first time to go to HK and also for immigration purposes.

I planned our itinerary, searched through the net and blogs. Good thing Pinoy Exchange Hong Kong thread was there, helping me throughout the planning phase. Everything you will experience may not be as well planned but meeting the unknown is an added adventure and thrill, it may affect the way you treat who you are with but at the end you will just all laugh it out.

It was a not so sure trip because of the weather and the news. The super typhoon Haiyan was still raging the Philippine islands and news about HK and Philippines not in good terms, requiring tourist visa to be approved.

I was down to thinking if I travel alone, I travel alone then. But thank God, Joan was with me throughout the entire trip :D

AIRPORT

Our flight was at 6 am and I was wide awake that night and can’t sleep because of the excitement. So I just decided not to sleep and just get ready.  We were at the airport around 3 am with our bags and early drive through breakfast from Jollibee. Gates were still closed, but the waiting area welcomed us with still a few people. After minutes of waiting, everybody was up and ready to check in. We lined up and pay for some travel tax (Php 1620) and terminal fee (Php 550), that’s good for each person.

And then the most awaited part, immigration! Reading from blogs it was quite strict especially at HK, questions were just almost the same at Cebu and HK. So questioning was done and then you need to fill up the Embarkation Card, it is more like general information of where you are coming from and going to. Be sure to have return tickets, voucher for where you are staying. If you are staying with a relative, make sure you know the exact address. Then you should bring your ID, better if company ID. And if you are a government employee, try to hide it (haha) because they sometimes ask you a lot and you need more documents to come with that.

The trip was okay. Sitting for 3 hours was already a pain in the ass, that’s 3 hours how much more with 16 hours. But then I just slept for half of the travel since I haven’t had enough sleep from the night before. A little bumpy because of the typhoon but the captain got through the dark clouds.

And hurray! Arrival at HKIA, the airport consisted of 2 terminals about one minute travel by their airport train (more like their MTR). The Airport was an attraction itself. Lots of escalators everywhere, people of different race coming from every direction. And that was it, the cliché, TOUCHDOWN!

aysasia