Your VFS appointment is booked. The date is on your calendar. Now comes the phase where most Filipino applicants either set themselves up for success — or scramble at the last minute and show up with something missing.
This guide gives you 10 concrete things you must have sorted before you walk through the VFS doors. Not vague advice — specific actions, specific deadlines, specific mistakes to avoid.
Why This Phase Matters So Much
The German Embassy in Manila processes thousands of applications. Consular officers review your file methodically. They are not looking for reasons to approve you — they are checking that every requirement is met. One gap, one missing translation, one expired certificate — and your application is delayed or refused.
The good news: all 10 items on this list are fully in your control. You have time. Use it.
The 10 Things to Fix Before Your Appointment
1. Confirm Your Training Contract Is Fully Signed and Final
Go back to your Ausbildungsvertrag right now. Check: Is it signed by your employer? Is your own signature on it? Does it show your name exactly as it appears on your passport? Does it state your monthly salary for all years?
If any of these are missing — contact your employer or agency immediately. Do not go to your appointment with an unsigned or incomplete contract.
⚠️ Watch Out: A pre-contract or “letter of intent” is NOT the Ausbildungsvertrag. Make sure you have the actual, final signed contract — not a preliminary document.
2. Check Your Language Certificate Is Valid and at the Right Level
Most Goethe-Institut, telc, and ÖSD certificates are valid for 2 years from the date of issue. Check the date on your certificate. If it has expired or will expire before your Ausbildung starts, you need to retake the exam.
Also confirm the required level with your German employer: B1 or B2? For nursing and healthcare, B2 is almost always mandatory.
3. Complete the DFA Apostille Process for All Philippine Documents
Every official Philippine document you are submitting needs a DFA apostille. This includes your high school diploma, college diploma (if applicable), and transcript of records. The DFA apostille process has two steps:
- Authentication by DepEd (for high school documents) or CHED (for college documents)
- Apostille stamp by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
Standard DFA processing takes 1–2 weeks. The expedited service takes 3–5 working days. Do not leave this until the week before your appointment.
💡 Pro Tip: You can book a DFA apostille appointment online at dfa.gov.ph. Go for the earliest available slot as soon as your VFS appointment is confirmed.
4. Hire a Certified German Translator for All Philippine Documents
After apostille, all your Philippine documents must be translated into German by a certified (sworn) translator. This is not optional. Google Translate, bilingual friends, and non-certified translation agencies are not accepted.
Find certified German translators through the German Embassy Manila website (they maintain a recommended list). Translation typically takes 1–2 weeks and costs PHP 500–1,500 per document.
⚠️ Watch Out: Have your documents apostilled BEFORE sending them to the translator — the translator needs to see the complete, apostilled originals.
5. Get Proof of Health Insurance in Germany
You must show that you will be health-insured in Germany from Day 1 of arrival. Your employer typically arranges statutory health insurance (gesetzliche Krankenversicherung) for you. Contact your German employer or placement agency and ask them to provide a health insurance confirmation letter you can bring to the appointment.
If you cannot get this in time, travel insurance covering your first 30 days in Germany is accepted as a temporary alternative.
💡 Pro Tip: Ask your employer to issue the health insurance confirmation on company letterhead with the name of the insurer (TK, AOK, DAK, etc.) and your expected start date.
6. Resolve Your Financial Proof Situation
By now you should know whether your training salary meets the German cost-of-living threshold (currently ~€934/month). If it does — your Ausbildungsvertrag is your financial proof. If it does not — you need a Sperrkonto (blocked account) from Fintiba or Expatrio, or a Verpflichtungserklärung from a German sponsor.
If you need a Sperrkonto, set it up at least 3–4 weeks before your appointment. The deposit transfer from a Philippine bank to Fintiba/Expatrio takes time, and you need the account confirmation in hand before you go to VFS.
7. Prepare Your Visa Application Form Correctly
Download the national visa application form (Antrag auf Erteilung eines nationalen Visums) from the German Embassy Manila website. Print it. Fill it in by hand with black ink, in block letters. Do not leave any fields blank — write N/A where questions do not apply.
Sign the form. Print 2 copies. Bring both to your appointment.
🌍 Culture Check: Germans read forms very carefully. A messy, incomplete, or digitally-signed form signals carelessness — which is not the impression you want to make at a visa interview.
8. Get Professional Biometric Photos Taken
Bring 2 biometric passport photos taken within the last 6 months. Requirements: 35×45 mm, white background, no glasses, taken by a professional photo studio — not a selfie or phone photo. Go to a reputable photo studio in Manila or your city.
💡 Pro Tip: Tell the photo studio explicitly that you need biometric photos for a German national visa. They will know the specifications.
9. Write Your Motivation Letter in German
While technically optional, a well-written German motivation letter significantly strengthens your application — especially if your case has any complexity (low salary, less common profession, young applicant). It should be 1–2 pages and cover:
- Why you chose this specific Ausbildung profession
- Why you chose Germany
- What you know about your employer and training program
- What your plans are after completing the Ausbildung
Write it in German. If your German is not yet strong enough, ask your placement agency or a language tutor to help you draft it — but make sure it reflects your own voice and genuine motivation.
10. Prepare a German-Format CV (Lebenslauf)
A German Lebenslauf is different from a Philippine resume. Key elements:
- Professional photo (top right corner)
- Personal details: full name, date of birth, nationality, address, phone, email
- Education history (most recent first)
- Work experience (most recent first, including part-time and volunteer)
- Language skills (German level: B1/B2; English; Filipino/Tagalog)
- Date and signature at the bottom
Keep it to 1–2 pages. In German. No graphics or fancy templates — German CVs are clean, professional, and text-based.
The Day Before: Your Final Checklist
- ☐ Signed Ausbildungsvertrag (original + 2 copies)
- ☐ Valid passport (original + 2 copies of photo page)
- ☐ 2 biometric passport photos (taken within 6 months)
- ☐ Completed, signed national visa application form (2 copies)
- ☐ German language certificate B1/B2 (original + 2 copies)
- ☐ Apostilled Philippine school documents (original + 2 copies)
- ☐ Certified German translations of all Philippine documents
- ☐ Proof of financial resources (training salary or Sperrkonto confirmation)
- ☐ Health insurance confirmation (employer letter or travel insurance)
- ☐ Employer cover letter (original)
- ☐ Motivation letter in German (optional but strongly recommended)
- ☐ German Lebenslauf (optional but strongly recommended)
- ☐ VFS appointment confirmation (printed or on phone)
- ☐ VFS service fee payment confirmation
🌍 Culture Check: Organise your documents in a clean folder in the exact order of the embassy checklist. German officials appreciate order and thoroughness. Showing up with documents in a loose pile is not the impression you want to make.
Get Our Free Pre-Appointment Checklist
Want a printable version of this checklist with reminders and deadlines? Our team at AusbildungForFilipinos has helped hundreds of Filipinos arrive at their VFS appointment fully prepared — and it shows in their approval rates.