Since it seems nightmarishly problematic to get a tourist visa to spend Xmas with me in the UK, I'm wondering how easy it would be for him to travel to Spain at Christmas? Are the eligibility criteria less severe than the UK?-would the Spanish be content with me as his financial sponsor/guarantor? I'd be grateful for any information with regard to filipino visas for Spain and Portugal.Thanks.
I have no experience with Schengen visas (yet). Would assume, in your circumstances, it will still not be straight forward. What about Israel for a country relatively close to the UK with frequent and cheap flights (for yourself...obviously still expensive for the bf)? No visa needed for Filipino nationals. Hugely significant Christian sites over the festive period. Rocking gay scene in Tel Aviv (I'm led to believe).
Shame! Sometimes, for convenience's sake,we throw ethics out the window. Sites like Bethlehem are in the West Bank (just a taxi drive from Jerusalem) if you were worried about looking like Zionist fundamentalist! Hope your moral compass steers you clear of countries such as the USA, China, Russia,most Arab states (where Palestinians have less liberty than Israel) and Australia. Otherwise, agree with the above. You going to the Philippines is overwhelmingly the sensible option (unless you have sympathies for the Moro or NDF)!
To answer your question ,yes!-I'm not singling Israel out.You're right, I wouldn't countenance going to Russia,because of its human rights abuses and hatred of lgbt pepole;nor would I visit China,because of its horrific abuse of animals and people,and nor indeed would I ever go to Saudi Arabia,because of the cruelty and state terrorism of its regime,exemplified by the murder of a journalist in Istanbul. No country is perfect but to me these regimes are deplorable.