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Philippine Ambassador to Sweden Maria Zeneida Angara
Collinson was able to secure a pledge for easier visa application
procedures, including for residence and work permits, to be
implemented by the Swedish Government when consular operations of
the Swedish Embassy are concluded.
She recently met with Swedish
Minister for Migration and Asylum Policy Tobias Billström on these
issues, and was informed that Sweden’s Honorary Consul General to
the Philippines would be authorized to both receive and initially
process visa as well as residence and work permit applications.
Regular visits to Manila by
Swedish consular officials to grant interviews are being considered
positively.
After being registered in the
Swedish Embassy in Bangkok and later processed by the Swedish
Migration Board in Sweden, approved visas and permits would then be
sent back to Manila for easy pick-up by applicants. The new
procedures will require an additional five days for processing.
Billström added that the Swedish
Government is in the process of finalizing the details of its visa
and residence and work permit application procedures for the
Philippines.
Collinson welcomed the Swedish
Government’s positive response to suggestions to relax procedures
that require Filipino applicants to travel all the way to Bangkok
twice to lodge and then follow-up their applications.
These, she said, would result in
emotional, financial, and family hardships of those who wish to
travel to Sweden.
The Swedish Government is
currently negotiating with prospective Schengen-member countries
with embassies in Manila on the acceptance and processing of
short-stay visas to Sweden.
Ambassador Collinson underscored
the urgent need for the Swedish Government to ensure a smooth and
client-oriented visa application procedure.
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