As some of you may already know, applying for a Schengen Visa can be such a hassle — but it’s never an impossible task to be granted one! My first Schengen application was actually to the Embassy of Belgium, so I might as well help you guys out if you’re also planning on getting a similar one. Let’s go and make your Europe dreams come true! (Belgium Schengen Visa)
What to Do in Belgium…?
Come and check out this list of the top things to do in Belgium which features the best activities and tours to do in places like Brussels and more!
But first, some disclaimers…
- There are different types of visas (for fiancé, work, study, etc.) but my main focus for this article will be on the ‘Visa for Tourists‘ in which the requirements are quite similar ‘Visa for Family Visit or Private Invitation’.
- To see a list of requirements for other types of visas for Belgium, go here.
- NO ONE can give you the guarantee of your Schengen Visa’s approval — not even a lawyer, a consultant, a travel agent, or an embassy employee. Anyone who says otherwise is most likely going to be a scammer. So what I’m rather offering you here is a comprehensive guide with helpful tips to increase your chances of getting that visa. Nothing more, nothing less.
Schengen Area
A Schengen Visa is a document that allows the holder to travel freely within the Schengen Area or Zone for a maximum stay of up to 90 days in any 6 month period. This Schengen Area is a group of 26 European countries (22 European Union member states and 4 EFTA member states) that have abolished passport and immigration controls at their common borders and they are namely:
These 27 countries are namely:
[1] Excluding Greenland and the Faroe Islands
[2] Excluding overseas departments and territories
[3] Excluding Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and the Caribbean Netherlands
[4] Excluding Svalbard
[5] With special provisions for Ceuta and Melilla
There are certain nationalities worldwide that are exempted from applying for a Schengen Visa, but as Philippine passport holders, in order to visit one or more of these Schengen states, we are required to apply for the visa. (Remember, Schengen Tourist Visa holders are NOT allowed to live permanently nor work in Europe, they only have the right to travel as a temporary visitor within the allotted timeframe indicated on their visa.)
» READ: How to Stay Longer in Europe
NOTE: It helps to mention that there are non-Schengen members in Europe that allow entry to their country if you have a Schengen Visa, namely: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Macedonia, Monaco, Montenegro, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Turkey, and Vatican City.
HOWEVER, you must check these details beforehand since their rules might have changed. Plus, customarily, only multiple-entry Schengen visas are allowed. For starters, you can check this list for a list of countries you can visit with a Schengen visa.
» When should I apply for a Schengen Visa?
Apply as early as three (3) months or 90 days before your planned trip date departure.
You can apply several days before your trip, sure — but it’s always best that you give enough time for the embassy to look into your application. After all, you wouldn’t want to make plans only to have the embassy provide you with a visa that has a validity period that’s NOT within your intended travel dates.
» When should I apply for a Schengen Visa?
For Schengen Visas that have the main purpose of visiting a friend/family/national or reuniting with a fiancé/husband/etc. in a Schengen state, naturally, you should apply in the corresponding Embassy of the country where that person comes from.
Meanwhile, if you are planning to visit several Schengen Countries for your trip, your application must be made at the embassy of the main destination country — meaning, the country where you will be staying the longest. If the length of stay is almost the same, it’s best to apply for the country that you will first fly or enter in.
For my case, I determined that I had to apply at the Belgian Embassy because I will not only be staying in their country the longest, but my first point of entry will also be in their territory.
» Which Schengen embassy will I have a better chance of getting a Visa?
There’s no such thing as an embassy that would easily give away Schengen Visas. But, if it is a question of time — like which Embassy can you get application results the quickest — then that would be an easier query for me to answer, which then leads us to the question…
» How long does it take for Schengen Visa results to be released?
To the best of my knowledge, the following Embassies usually release visas earliest in an average of:
- Switzerland Embassy: 5 days
- French Embassy: 2-5 days
- Norwegian Embassy: 5 days
– the Norwegian Embassy also handles Visa processing for Schengen countries that have no Embassies here in Manila such as Iceland - German Embassy: 7 days
- Belgian and Netherlands (Dutch) Embassy: 15 days
– the Belgian Embassy also handles Visa processing for Schengen countries that have no Embassies here in Manila, like Luxembourg and Slovenia - Danish Embassy: 15 days
- Italian Embassy: 15 days
It can surely take longer if they need more documents or details from you.
• • •
Application Process for Belgium Schengen Visa
Step 1: Determine the type of Belgium Schengen visa you need to apply for
There are, of course, various types of Belgium Schengen Visas out there that you can apply for: a visa for residence, a visa for studying, a visa for work, a visa for transit, a visa for being a fiancé, etc.
For this particular guide though, I will only be discussing the requirements for a short stay (less than 90 days) tourist visa which is also similar to a visa for a family visit or private invitation since they are experiences that I’ve gone through.
So if you have a different situation or purpose of visit, it’s best that you head over to this page for more information.
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Step 2: Schedule your appointment online with VFS Global
Starting the 16th of January 2017, all applicants should place an appointment through VFS.
The steps you should take would be:
- First, create a new electronic visa application form and complete it correctly. You can do this by going to this link. Create an account as a new user by clicking ‘Not registered yet‘, and once your account is set up, you will be led to the electronic visa application form. There are mandatory fields indicated by an asterisk (*) in this form and they all have to be filled in correctly before you can submit your application.
. - Once the application has been submitted electronically, you will receive a confirmation e-mail with the application form in PDF format in the attachment. You must print and sign this form, and then join it with the rest of your documents in support of your application. (For family members or a group, an application form must be submitted for each person.)
. - By this point, you should make an appointment with VFS by going to this link. Once an appointment is booked, the system will generate an appointment letter, and you should bring this when you visit the Belgium Schengen Visa Application Centre of VFS in Makati.
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Step 3: Double-check your documents
General Requirements
Apart from the printed electronic visa application form mentioned above that you filled out in this link, you should also submit the following additional requirements to VFS on your appointment date, as applicable to you.
Make sure that you submit 1 original copy of all the below applicable documents and 1 complete set of their photocopy.
- Visa application form
This is the document you completed above in ‘Step 2’
. - Valid passport with no less than 3 months validity from the date of intended travel
Note: Provide a photocopy of your valid passport, a photocopy of former visas, if any, and a photocopy of entry/exit stamps of countries you’ve previously visited.
. - Two (2) recent 2 x 2 colored passport-size photos with WHITE background
Note: Taken with nothing covering the face, without sunglasses or contact lenses, or a head covering unless worn for religious or medical reasons. The subject should have their mouth closed (no grinning, frowning, or raised eyebrows). Paste your photo on each of the electronic visa form that you completed online (1 original and 1 photocopy of the form).
For the Sponsor (If Applicable)
- Original Affidavit of Support called “Bijlage 3bis/Verbintenis Tot Tenlasteneming / Prise en charge/Annexe 3Bis”, legalized by the sponsor’s municipality in Belgium
Note: Make sure it is the original, so they should ship this document to you.
. - Photocopy of the sponsor’s resident or Belgian ID card (front and back)
. - Photocopy of the sponsor’s birth certificate or marriage certificate
. - Original copy of the Family Composition of the sponsor called “Composition de Ménage/Samenstelling Van Het Gezin” to be obtained from the sponsor’s municipality as well
. - Recent proof of the financial capacity of the sponsor
- For employees: Proof of employment and salary slips in the last three (3) months and last income tax assessment paper from the Finance Department in Belgium
- For private businessmen: An extract of the company from the Chamber of Commerce (business registration), bank statements of private bank and their company’s bank account in the last three (3) months.
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- Invitation letter explaining the reason for their invitation, the duration of your stay, where you will stay, their email, address, and contact number, and an assurance that you will not overstay there.
For the Applicant
- Cover letter with itinerary, and explain why you are going to Belgium and explanation/details of relationship with the sponsor.
- Here is the cover letter I used: [ sample guide ]
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- Here is the cover letter I used: [ sample guide ]
- Proof of relationship with the sponsor (if applicable)
Note: I provided travel history and photos
. - Authenticated birth certificate from NSO.
If you’re married, bring also a photocopy of your marriage contract, as well as the birth certificates of your children (if applicable).
. - Recent proof of financial capacity. If you have a sponsor, they usually don’t need to see your proof of financial solvency; but still, they tend to ask for this, so it’s best to provide it just so you’re prepared:
- For employees: Proof of employment of the applicant such as a certificate of employment (COE) stating position, years of service, monthly salary, and approved leave of absence (this will help justify that you will NOT overstay). If you are going away for a long time, the Belgian Embassy might ask for a certified leave of absence (LOA) from your employer. Also: provide 3 most recent payslips and ITR (Income Tax Return) for the past year.
- For self-employed: A copy of Official Business Registration/ Business Permit, ITR, and bank statement of the company for the last 3 months
- For unemployed persons: It could work if you could show them a job offer, or if applicable, documents showing any of your real estate property here in the Philippines. For proof of financial credibility, you can provide copies of credit cards, bank certificates, or bank statements in the last six (6) months.
- For minors: Parental consent legalized by DFA 6 or a DSWD Travel, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) clearance, copy of the passport of parents or legal guardian clearance, and birth certificate of the minor issued on National Statistics Office (NSO) security paper.
- For students: School enrollment certificate and approved leave of absence.
Are you self-employed? Start filing your local taxes as early as NOW — after all, a lot of embassies (not only Belgium) require an ITR. So if you’re looking for a hassle-free experience on Philippines tax compliance, I suggest registering with Taxumo because they can take care of literally everything for you: tax forms, payments, and submissions. I’ve been using them for years now and it has been such a time-saver. Come sign up with my code AILEEN and you can get a 10% discount on all their subscription plans!
- Travel Insurance. With coverage of 30,000 Euros, should be valid for all Schengen countries, and should be valid for the entire duration of the stay.
- Travel insurance company HeyMondo is a great choice for this given that they are accepted by Schengen embassies. Plus, if you click this link, you get 5% off!
- IF you’re going to purchase locally, the Belgian Embassy only accepts the insurance policies of the following Philippine Insurance companies. (Just visit their website by clicking the links below, and then email them to start your inquiry.)
- 1CISP Life and General Insurance
- ACE Insurance Philippines
- Assist-Card
- BPI – MS Insurance Corporation
- Charter Ping An Ins. Corp.
- Etiqa Life and General Assurance Philippines Inc.
- Fortune General Ins. Corp.
- FPG Insurance Co., Inc.
- Liberty Insurance Corporation
- MAA Insurance
- Malayan Insurance Company, Inc.
- MAPFRE Insular Insurance Corporation
- Oriental Assurance Corporation
- Pacific Cross Insurance
- Paramount Life and General Insurance Co.
- PNB General Insurers Co., Inc.
- Philippine British Assurance Co., Inc.
- Philippines First Insurance Company
- Pioneer Insurance and Surety Company
- Prudential Guarantee and Assurance Inc.
- PGA Sompo Insurance Corporation
- QBE Seaboard Insurance Philippines, Inc.
- Reliance Surety & Insurance Co. Inc.
- Standard Insurance Co.
- Starr International Insurance Philippines
- The Mercantile Insurance Co., Inc.
- UCPB General Insurance Co. Inc.
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- Hotel bookings. If you are not gonna reside/stay in your sponsor’s house of residence for the whole trip (i.e. you are planning to travel to other countries too), then, do also provide details of your trip as applicable:
- Example: Proof of confirmed hotel reservations for the whole travel period, including all other countries that you are going to visit.
- TIP: If you want to make hotel reservations, I suggest doing it through Booking.com! Why do I suggest them? You can book or reserve a hotel WITHOUT paying for it yet (so NO downpayment or pre-payment) which is useful for giving as proof to the Embassy of Belgium. Also, cancellations can even be done 24 hours prior to your booked date (just read through the hotel policies to be sure that they’re under this scheme).
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- Proof of travel flight tickets. Copy of the roundtrip airline ticket reservation ONLY with passenger name & registration number (or reservation number). You can easily get a flight reservation online with OneWayFly for a small fee of only Php 1,000~. I highly recommend them because they are fast, easy, and legitimate; plus, I have been using them for years for all of my Schengen visa applications! (Read here for more info).
- Later on, when you want to book your final plane tickets, my go-to platform is Skyscanner because they show you the best flight deals worldwide.
- Family documents (as applicable). If traveling with your spouse/children, please also provide:
- Marriage contract issued on National Statistics Office (NSO) security paper
- Birth certificates of children issued on the National Statistics Office (NSO) security paper
.
- Document checklist. Download this document, print it, and then sign.
*NOTE: Further documents may be needed from you at the discretion of VFS or the Belgian Embassy.
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Step 4: Submit your application at VFS on your appointment date
On the date of your scheduled appointment, you should submit all the necessary documents in support of your visa application in person to VFS in Makati.
Your biometric data (digital fingerprints and photo) will be captured and you will be asked to pay the non-refundable visa fee (except in case of gratuity) and a service fee by VFS for the deposit of your visa application Once you submit your visa application, you can choose to receive your passport via courier or you can collect it at the VFS counter.
*ADDRESS OF VFS BELGIUM SCHENGEN VISA APPLICATION CENTER:
The ground floor of Ecoplaza Building in Don Chino Roces Avenue, Makati.
• • •
Booking Essentials
TIP: It’s a good idea to crosscheck the prices with other popular travel insurance providers like World Nomads and HeyMondo (as my reader, you get 5% off)!
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However, take note a travel insurance’s affordability typically means lesser coverage; so please always ensure that you read the fine print in order to decipher which travel insurance company is the right fit for you and your trip!
Looking for more travel tips for Belgium?
Check out my other detailed Belgium travel guides!
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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
The visa-processing fee is EUR 60 (it is approximately Php 3,500 – depending on the day’s official Belgian Embassy exchange rate). This fee is non-refundable even if the application is unsuccessful. Payments are made at VFS during the submission of your application, and it is best that you have the exact amount on hand. (For a complete list of visa fees imposed by the Belgian Embassy, see here. Meanwhile, for the additional fee of VFS, it’s at Php 1,100.)
Yes, it’s possible! According to the recent Schengen visa code, you can get a 1-year multiple-entry tourist visa if you have obtained and lawfully used three (3) Schengen tourist visas in the past 2 years at the time of your application. You can get a 2-year multiple-entry tourist visa if you have obtained and used a 1-year multiple-entry visa within the previous 2 years; and lastly, you can get a 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa if you have obtained and used a 2-year multiple-entry visa in the past 3 years.
Even if visa applications are now simply submitted to VFS, there is still a chance that the Embassy might ask that you visit them for an interview. If they do, there’s no need to come in wearing formal or business wear — casual wear is the best to have as long as you appear respectable and clean. In my case before, I just came to the Belgian Embassy wearing a dress. (Don’t go in a revealing dress, of course.) The guys who were there were usually wearing pants and polo. So basically, wear something that makes you feel confident, presentable, and comfortable. The address of the Belgian Embassy in the Philippines is at Multinational Bancorporation Center, 9th floor, Ayala Avenue at Makati (somewhere near PLDT’s business center).
It helps to note that my interview experience happened before the implementation of VFS services, so it’s possible that the interview process in the Embassy has changed. Nevertheless, I will just continue to share my past experience as it might already help you. From what I can remember, the questions that were asked of me were about:
— The purpose and length of stay in Belgium
— My financial status and my employment
— Where will I be staying and my planned itinerary
Generally: the questions will vary depending on your situation, but going by what others were asked of as well, these were usually the ‘main’ topics that the Visa Officer wanted to ask about. So just be honest and consistent, and all will work fine.
You can track your visa application on the Belgian website of VFS here. Rest assured, you will be immediately informed once a decision has been taken regarding your visa application.
If in case the Embassy submits your visa application to the Immigration Office of the Federal Public Service Home Affairs in Belgium for further decision, your file number will be communicated to you upon the submission of your file to the Immigration Office. From this stage onwards, the Immigration Office is the only authority to contact if you wish to know the status of your application.
With the file number, you can inquire about the status of your application by…
Telephone: + 32 2 793 80 00
Email: [email protected] (link sends e-mail)
By fax: + 32 2 274 66 91
For one of my Belgium Schengen visa applications that involved staying at my sponsor’s residence/house in Belgium, I was required to report to their town hall within the first 8 days to request an official paper stating my registration of stay. I was to submit this paper to the Embassy of Belgium in Makati as soon as I am back to Manila as proof that I have traveled, that I am back, and that I did NOT overstay.
I haven’t gone through this, so I am unsure how you can proceed if this happened to you. But from what I’ve heard, the Belgian Embassy will usually provide you the reason for their refusal (oftentimes, it’s usually because of the Embassy’s uncertainty that you will return back here to the Philippines so it is best that you really give them the reason/assurance that you WILL go back.)
Anyhow, I believe you can appeal to them and the steps on how will usually be enclosed in their letter to you. I am not sure what the other details are since I couldn’t seem to find any info on the Embassy of Belgium’s website, so if ever this does happen to you, feel free to contact the Belgian Embassy for more information on how you can appeal on your application. Otherwise, just try applying again! There’s no limit to reapplications; but of course, try to learn from your past mistakes and ensure that you have every needed document. Good luck!
• • •
» Top Belgium Tours «
Ghent and Bruges Day Tour
…straight from Brussels!
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hi ms aileen, im planning to visit my relatives in belgium and consume my 90 days there. do i need to buy a 90 days travel insurance also?
Hey Diane! Yes, your travel insurance should cover the total days of intended travel in the Schengen Area.
Hello Aileen,
I am about to complete my requirements for shengen visa. I have already the documents expect for my approved leave and medical insurance. I have questions about the process and if the documents are good to go for appointment:
1. My insurance is from PNB General Insurers, Co. Inc.. I’m about the to get it on Monday. It is in peso coverage which is 3.5 million worldwide travel computed for 91 days (up to the departure date back here in Phils). My question is,, their insurance is in US dollars but equivalent to 30,000 euros, is this acceptable to the embassy?
2. My uncle (being the sponsor) sent me a scanned invitation letter and the dates for my stay in their house was not specifically stated only the month, is this also acceptable? Is the original copy needed? and should the dates be specified?
3. In the website, NSO birth certificate is one of the requirements, I already have mine. Is my uncle’s and (auntie’s (my real relative) also needed? If it’s needed, would it be okay if it’s scanned sent from them?
4. If I would do the next step which is to make an appointment, right after you register for appointment, will the website immediately give you the date to lodge the application to the embassy? What likely be the date, would it be a day after you make an appointment on their website?
About your questions:
1. Yep, that should be fine. They’re also an accredited insurance provider by the embassy so they know what correct coverage they should be giving you.
2. I think it’s fine. The original documents they usually just require are the Original Affidavit of Support and their Family Composition from the municipality.
3. Yep. Apart from birth certificate or marriage certificate, they also require photocopy of their Belgian ID Card. Scanned is fine.
4. Yes, the website will provide you with dates that you can choose from to lodge your application. I can’t know the availability, but you’ll see it once you apply.
Good luck!
Thank you so much for the response Aileen. I’m done passing all the requirements in the Belgium Visa Application center at ecoplaza a while ago. But i have questions still, right after the documents was verified and paid the visa fee (receipts are with me) and have the biometrics. Was that all? I was asked questions during the biometrics. Was the application end up to that? Or is there really an interview in the embassy? The one who is in charge with the biometrics was the one who asked questions on me and right after that he let me wait for minutes and said, it was all done. I just have to wait for the visa to be sent by the courier as what he said. That was the last step he said. So, I asked if shall I appear for an interview in the embassy, he replied that i will be messaged or an an e mail will be sent regarding about it. And so i went outside yet still unsatisfied. So i asked the lady guard and replied me with a question of whats the type of my visa and so i said it is a short stay visa, she said no more interview. I have asked one of the applicants who was also been there on that time he said that the interview was on the time of the taking of the biometrics but i still have a doubt on it. Which of them says the correct answer?
Due to this new process of the embassy, most likely the questions done (or that interview done) by the VFS officer is simply to verify the documents you might have submitted. I’m not really sure how they work, but it’s possible they took down brief notes to send to the embassy. But yeah, typically with VFS, they’re just some sort of the middleman who passes your application to the embassy. They don’t make the decision if your visa is approved or not.
Now, most of the time people don’t have to do interviews anymore with the embassy especially if it’s just a tourist visa — unless the embassy still needs clarification then they will contact you for it. So don’t worry. You’ve gone through the right process. :) It’s actually great that the Belgian embassy finally partnered up with VFS to do this for their visa process. It’s a lot faster and efficient compared to the old process I did before (long wait, interview, etc.)
Good luck!
Hi Aileen! An email was been sent saying that I will be appearing for an interview in the embassy and due to confusing communication from the VFS and the embassy, I did write to the embassy’s official email ad of what would really i do whether to go to the embassy to confirm the call personally or just ignore the message about the personal interview. I got a replied message and I need not anymore to come… Right now I’m still waiting for the result. Thank you for all your patience to respond on me. God bless u
Hi maam Fe. I did apply a short stay visa too in vfs Belgium last Feb. There is no interview, but on my case they call me for verification.. and after that i wait for 3 days I have my result..
*i would be forever grateful for miss Aileen for the help :)
Hello ma’am Jill! I’m still waiting for the result. I did not appear for the interview personally in the embassy because an email was been sent to me confirming that the interview was made thru phone. This is the 3rd day from the time they call me for verification (an interview via phone call) but I haven’t yet get any result. How I wish it will be approved.
Were you notified through email and text message about the result? how was your passport taken? through a courier or u personally get it? Thank you for the response and congratulations and God bless to your trip!
Yes The vfs send me message that my application is finished and they send it via courier.. the most thrilling and intense part.. They don’t tell you the result.. you just to wait for your passport to know the result..
Hi Ms Aileen, I’m currently working on getting a tourist visa for Belgium. Just wanted to ask if what airline company did you get your reservation ticket before? Its hard to get one cus it seems like it doesnt exist. Pls help.
Back when I applied, airline reservations weren’t part of their requirements — unlike now. Nevertheless, almost all airlines provide ticket reservation services. Some airlines that I know of are Philippine Airlines, Cathay Pacific etc. Travel agencies can also do it for you for a small fee; feel free to just inquire. I assure you it exists; it’s just used rarely that’s why.
Hi Ms Aileen,
How are you?
Again Ms. Aileen I just confuse na kasi Because My Mom send me A website which About ( VFS ) This the website Philippines.diplomatie.belgium.be My focus is what I’ve read last year 2016 and your advise or tips since I am still completing the requirements I cant make the appointment last year. I dont know if they change the guidelines of appointment because I read and stating that they launch of the Belgian Visa Aplication Center at VFS starting last january 16, 2016. they sais Will have to book an appointment through VFS instead of booking an appointment through the Service Center or the the embassy. then I am planning to go on August but It is recommended to submit the applications well in advance before the estimated departure date at least 15 days but not longer than 90 days in advance. How true is this Ms. Aileen?
Hey Charlie! Yes, starting this year the Embassy of Belgium now accepts applications via VFS. Please reread my article above since I’ve long updated the instructions on how to go about this. Good luck!
hi ms. aileen, your blog is very helpful. im planning to apply schengen visa this may and i saw the list of requirements here, do i need to provide travel insurance upon application or after my visa has been approved? lots of question in my mind coz its my first time. thank you in advance.
Hey Cris! It seems like it’s required now to provide travel insurance proof upon application. I think most insurance companies anyway would issue you a refund in case your visa gets denied. Feel free to inquire with the above accredited insurance companies. Good luck!
Hi ms aileen another question po, is the ticket reservation can only be done in travel agency? I ask some of my co worker and they said i have to buy n agad. Theres no such thing as reservation pagdating sa ticket daw. Where can i reserve mine? Thanks again in advance.
Ticket reservations are of course possible! It’s just not commonly done (unless you’re applying for certain visas) that’s why people think they don’t exist. What’s hard indeed is finding the airlines or travel agencies who can provide this (so yes, airlines can provide this too — you often just need to call their ticketing office to inquire).