HOW TO APPLY FOR UK VISA IN THE PHILIPPINES? (2014 EDITION)

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London, Great Britain is a part of United Kingdom (along with Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales). This is one of my dream places! I've been given an opportunity to travel to London this year and this post documents my road to acquire a UK Visa.

A Filipino National needs to have a visa before setting foot to United Kingdom. Whether for business or pleasure, one needs to apply and secure a visa. 

The visa itself is more like that of Schengen Visa. However, having a Schengen Visa is of course not a guarantee that you'll be granted a UK visa, and vice versa. However, you may have a good chance of approval, since you have shown that you are in good faith in the past (provided that you went back here on your previous Schengen Visa arrangement). Anyways, below is a list of the UK Visa Requirements that I have prepared for my application.

REQUIREMENTS:

♣ Current and previous passport

The more countries you have visited, the better. It's a good plus if you have obtained different kinds of visas too (i.e. Schengen, Korea, Japan, etc.) Note though that this is not a guarantee of approval.

♣ 2 passport size color photographs

It is originally, 1 passport size picture. However, to be sure, just have a buffer. In my case, when I went for personal appearance, I've been asked for another one. Good thing I have an extra in my wallet.

♣ Certificate of Employment

I gave them the original one, though I've heard from my friends that they also accept PDF documents that have been digitally signed.

♣ Letter of Invite / Guarantee Letter

I've also sent them the original letter. The letter should state that your sponsor will shoulder your expenses during your trip. It has to include the letterhead, address and contact number of the sponsor. 

♣ Evidence of Finance

This includes your Income Tax Return, bank certificate, photocopy of your bank book, stock certificates, pay slip, credit card statements, mutual fund certificates and the like. This is important specially if you're applying for a tourist visa. 

♣ Travel Details

You need to include your Flight Itinerary and Hotel Booking Confirmation. In my case, I'll be staying for 60 days in the UK. Initially, I've been booked for the first 3 weeks (since I gather it's not a norm for them to reserve for super long stays) - thank God, I didn't encounter any problems with that.

♣ Completed Visa Application Form

I have printed one and accomplished them in writing. This way, I can verify the accuracy of each information.
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SCRIBBLED NOTES #23: THE BEAUTY OF UNCERTAINTY

Uncertainty. The possibility of getting heads or tails. And this comes in all shapes and forms. Your seat in the bus. The result of a much dreaded exam. The man waiting for you at the end of the altar. Like air, it is all over the place. I, for one, hate uncertainty. I mean, there's nothing cool about it. Part of the reason why I hate it so is because dealing with uncertainty requires waiting.

Yet, when I go back in my 20's life in retrospect, I noticed that all my major life's breakthroughs requires this deadly combination: Waiting + Uncertainty. And you know what? Each combination made me better. Is there any beauty about uncertainty? I'd dare say I can count one, two, three:

♣ My dependence on GOD got stronger.
I've heard somebody said People never appreciate who GOD is until GOD is all they have. Not ideal, but it's rather true. It's easy to rely on yourself when you have reasons to, but when you've done everything but still something is lacking, suddenly GOD becomes so BIG. And that should be the way it is, before... during... or after what you have been praying for come to pass.

♣ I become more sensitive about things around me.
I don't know if it is just me, but when I've been praying for something, suddenly events around me makes more sense. The Bible verse that I'm pondering into is relevant. I sometimes balance this out with a caution, but based on my experience, GOD really answers prayers. And as I've learned from the past, YES, NO and WAIT are all answers! :)

CMK EATS : EPIC COFFEE ROASTERY

I always, I mean, ALWAYS get excited at the mere sight of cheesecakes and coffees! It's like I am seeing their yummy state for the very first time. And the decision making?! Oh, I always get the last-to-order trophy! Another proof that girls are indecisive. #Justifying :)

Just weeks before, me and my little sisters (B & K) decided to go on a little food trip! We had a homey lunch along the stretch of Kapitolyo Pasig and headed here at EPIC! It's a country side, bike-loving, hole-in-the-wall type of coffee house. And here's a bunch of what we've ordered:

Strawberry Cheesecake (Php 160). It's like any other cheesecake except that EPIC's version is not too sweet on the crust. Texture is heavy and consistency is just right. Their toppings are light and tangy, I just hope they put in some more toppings for additional awesomeness. We also got their Banana Carrot Cake (Php 120) which does not look like one at all! It's a welcome break from all the usual cakes and it is light on the taste buds too. Lastly, we ordered their take on Classic Sans Rival (Php 120). It's not too sweet too! It's far from the usual oozing-with-butter type of Sans Rival. Theirs are the type which you can finish in one sitting without the umay factor.

Now, on to my MOST FAVORITE item among them all. Drum rolls please... it's their SEA SALT CARAMEL COFFEE! Geez! Tumaas ang standards ko in terms of Salted Caramel items after I tasted this! I think it's about Php 130 (pardon me, I forgot sa sobrang sarap). The sweetness and saltiness can be tasted distinctly. It's really a genius fusion! Now, my problem is I'm living in the south and EPIC is too far from where my home is. How can I get this coffee everyday? HOW?!!! :D

To check their cakes in pictures, read after the jump. 

They have Rainbow Cake, Rhum Cake and Truffle Cake among many others.

CMK TRAVELS : CUBE HOTEL (KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA)

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How are you as a traveler? I, for one, am the type who can endure a hotel or inn with few, basic necessities. Good bed, clean bathroom, wi-fi, standard TV, air con (or heater), that's it. Pretty standard things. My philosophy is: I won't be staying in a hotel for the whole day, so might as well stick with bare necessities.

Last January, I've visited SG and Malaysia with my mum. When we're in Malaysia, we stayed at CUBE Hotel. This would be a brief review, so please bear with yours truly :) Room is a bit tiny. When you enter the door, 2 more steps and there goes the bed. Rate is about Php 1,500 per head. Take note that 1 (MYR) Malaysian Ringgit is equal to Php 14. I got the reservation from Asiatravel site (I've been their regular client since 2012, a quick blog review of my experience HERE). Here are some snap shots of our home away from home.

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CMK SWEATS : YOU MAKE TIME TO DO THE THINGS YOU LOVE

It was one of those 7:00 am Friday mornings. I've been doing one of my self-talks again. Should I sleep some more? Should I get up and get ready? But the bed looks so inviting! But sunshine is here! Tells myself to my other self :) What I did was I prayed and literally asked for the strength to get up and do what's better. And I think I got my answer.

I put on my maxi dress, carried my purple yoga mat and headed to The Yoga Way studio (Full Review). Morning class is 8:30 am and I was there around 8:00 am. Yay! I paid my drop in rate (Php 350, very wallet-friendly) and changed to my usual yoga clothes.

Here's the surprise, this session turned out to be a private (one-on-one) session with Teacher Dani! I've learned so much about Yoga and anatomy and other interesting stuff that fateful day. I'm glad I showed up. Here are my latest thoughts so far:

♣ You find make time to do the things you love.

The word "I'm busy" is so overrated and lame to some extent. I'm not holier than thou and I've used this phrase a thousand times. But as they say, you should do the things your future self will thank you for. We're all a work in progress but it's nice to get things going. Let's all seize the opportunity, baby!

♣ Power naps are the greatest.

Okay, so I was dilapidated and my muscles feel like royal jellies, when I got home and opened the AC and the next thing I did was zzzz... Oh my! Yoga puts you to sleep in no time! I've noticed that my monthly period comes regularly when I practice too.

MONEY MATTERS : HOW TO FUND YOUR COL ACCOUNT VIA BDO ONLINE BANKING?

Okay, so it turned out that this post is a bit more timely since there's a newly listed stock that in the PSE called Double Dragon, "DoubleDragon (stock code: DD), a joint venture of Jollibee Foods Corp owner Tony Tan Caktiong and businessman Edgar Sia II's Injap Investments Inc, raised P1.16 billion ($25.8 million) in the country's first initial public offering (IPO) of 2014." Source: HERE. Knowing how good JFC's stocks are, I would be more than glad to be part of their recent venture. 

However, I do not usually store fund balance in my COL Account, hence I need to transfer some money to finance my acquisition of DD. For more info on how to open an online stock account at COL, steps can be viewed HERE. Here's a round up of 4-easysteps on how to fund your COL Balance:

1. Enroll COL Financial Group Inc. on your online bank account. Upon enrollment, you need to indicate your COL Number so that the bank would know where to credit your funds.

2. Go To Financial Services > Pay Bills. IMPORTANT: Do NOT do Fund Transfers. Opt for the Pay Bill option for the reason stated in point 1.

3. Once done, select the Company and the desired amount you wish to transfer.

4. Click on Continue.

SWATCH FULL BLOODED IN GOLD

There are items worth your extra buck, and to me, a dependable watch is one of those. I've  been a junkie for classic pieces for as long as I remember. And of course, few quality pieces are better rather than many cheap ones. It's a person to person thing, really. One can buy a 2-thousand-peso makeup in a jiffy, because that's her thing. As long as you worked hard for the pieces you're buying, and it's proportional to what you're earning... then suit yourself :)

So lately, I've been lemming an over sized, gold watch. I've been thinking about this for quite some time, in fact up to a point of holding back since I already have a sturdy Fossil dress watch, to begin with. But well, a birthday is always a good reason to buy a new watch, so I gave in.

Watch is called Full Blooded for reasons I don't know. However, it was love at first sight. I noticed how masculine the piece appears, yet its little gems and matte cover lends sheer sophistication to the overall piece. I got this from Swatch Greenbelt. Available colors are Gold, Silver and Caramel {more of Rose Gold}. It has two stop watches and one minute mini-watch. Here it is up close and personal:

CMK READS : STYLIZED (LIZ UY'S TEN STYLE ESSENTIALS)

As I've mentioned on my latest book review, I've been taking a quick break from 'serious' genres and shifting to a more casual ones. And so... here's another book I've been {and pretty much everyone else is} raving about. Manila - Philippines, people know about them, IT Girls, one of which is Liz Uy. Remember their Call Me Maybe video? If not, refresh your memory HERE.

Liz is probably the most popular stylist on this side of the planet. I like her style and I'm sure her roster of clients love her services, so much so that this book is born. Heard from the grapevine that this book is from Kris Aquino's idea. Go girl!

What's in the book?
As the subtitle suggests, it contains Liz's 10 style essentials. Now, it would be unfair if I'll tell the whole thing to you. But just so you have an idea, I'll give you my top favorites: 1. White V-Neck Shirt, 2. Little Black Dress, 3. Shorts, 4. White Button Down Shirt and 5. Leggings.
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My Favorite Part
Book has roughly 110 pages. Majority are pictures and pegs. I like those that contain different looks for one central piece. There's nothing groundbreaking but it's nice to take a look on each style, in a hard bound book, no less.

StyLIZed retails for Php 395. Now, TO BUY or NOT TO BUY?

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Buy the book if...
You are into fashion books. This can qualify as a collector's item. The layout is amazing and it's easy to see that each page is carefully thought about. It's in this book that I get to know different fashion jargons like the difference between a satchel and messenger bag. the anatomy of a white button down shirt (yes, anatomy!), the length comparison among capri, pedal pushers and Bermuda jeans, among others. Also, there's a finer name for p*kp*k shorts, it's hot pants {only that, it's not pants, really}. Teehee >:)

Do not buy the book if...

CMK SWEATS : THE YOGA WAY REVIEW

It's summer and being a sun-induced creature that I am {I only workout when there's sunshine outside}, I have embarked on a mission to move out of my sedentary lifestyle and be active for a change! You'll prolly know by now that this blog chronicles my so-many attempts to find a workout that works for me. And I'm not giving up! :)

If there's one thing that I've learned through years of love-hate relationship with exercising, such has to be: SUSTAINABLE! It's easy to be all giddy on the first few weeks but if the routine is not incorporated in your lifestyle, it won't work. One of my challenges is that the gyms and studios that I have enrolled in the past were all located in Makati or Fort. Something that takes extra money and effort {read: 2-hour drive} if I'll do it regularly.

THEN, I have heard of The Yoga Way! It's a relatively new yoga studio (established 2013) within the heart of Las Pinas! Oh dear, I am way beyond happy! For the record, if your idea of yoga is all about chants and rituals - this is not that type. In fact: 

The Yoga Way features well-trained, professional instructors, progressive teaching methods, a non-competitive and encouraging atmosphere, and a beautiful light-filled facility. We offer a wide variety of yoga classes, from beginners to advanced level. (lifted from their FB Page, details below)

I had my first session today, and so far - here's what I gotta say:

♣ Teachers are hands-on. The class size is small, allowing Teacher Dani and Teacher Chantal to check our postures and alignments. In short, kitang-kita nila how awkward my poses are! Haha! But as they shared, this is a yoga practice {not competition} so we compare ourselves only with our prior selves. The pace is just right though as always, I'm struggling with the balancing poses >:)

♣ Price-friendly fee. Since I'm living somewhere South, the fare is less than a hundred from my house, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. The drop in rate is only Php 350.00! How about that?! I've tried other studios and the range is Php 800-ish, this is a better deal. *Cartwheel*Happy Dance*

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♣ No mirrors. I've noticed that the studio has no mirrors. Not sure why but the effect on me is I tend to listen to what my body is saying rather than checking if I look okay or there's sweat on my cheeks. The ambiance is minimalist too, I appreciate that. Though note that they only have one comfort room, but they have 3 or 4 changing rooms.

 ♣ My favorite part is the last part :) *Spoiler alert: After the session, you'll lie down as usual but here's the catch: there's a soothing background sound AND teachers will rub a minty balm on your forehead, and shoulders! Like a mini-massage. That was SO relaxing!

FASHION ALERT : FLORAL SUN DRESS

What's your favorite Summer activity? Do you spend the day having fun in the sun or are you an indoor type who's sunshine-averse? Mom and I visited Singapore last January to celebrate her birthday. Good thing the temperature's not that scorching when we visited. Knowing SG can be very humid compared to PH climate, I opted to wear a summer dress. It's a little bit shorter than my usual dresses but it's comfortable enough to stroll around the USS and other tourist attractions.

DETAILS:

Floral Sun Dress from Maldita

Sandals from SM Department Store

Bag from Aldo

Here are some of my favorite pegs! Being a top-heavy gal that I am, I always opt to don v-neck tops and three-fourths sleeves. Tip: When wearing midi-dresses (or skirts below the knee), try to wear some heels for an added illusion of length. 

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Next batch of dresses is full of color pops! 

I like Dress No. 2 among the three.