Depending on your nationality, you may need a visa to experience much of Europe. Emirati citizens, for example, do not require a visa to fly into Paris and visit other popular European destinations, including Rome, Madrid, and Berlin. For most travelers from the Gulf and around the world, a Schengen visa is the best way to see the best of the continent. Applying for a visa is convenient and inexpensive; successful Schengen visa applicants gain entry to all 26 countries in the Schengen area. Read on to discover where to apply for a Schengen visa in UAE in 2023, and other FAQs about the Schengen visa application process.
How to apply Schengen visa in Dubai?
Schengen visa applications are processed by national embassies and consulates of Schengen states. In the UAE, Schengen state embassies are located in Abu Dhabi; consulates and their affiliated visa application centers are located throughout the UAE; however, most locations are limited to Abu Dhabi and Dubai (there is no Schengen state embassy in Dubai).
Some Schengen countries provide applicants with a choice as to where to apply. For example, French Schengen visa applicants can apply through visa application centers in either Abu Dhabi or Dubai. However, other Schengen countries limit you to one application destination. For example, if you are applying for a Schengen visa to Poland in the UAE, you are required to apply through the Polish Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
Where to Apply for a Schengen visa in UAE?
Where to apply for a Schengen visa in UAE in 2023 depends on your primary destination in the Schengen area. Once you know your primary destination in the Schengen area, you will make a Schengen visa appointment at that country’s embassy, consulate, or visa application center—whichever is responsible for providing Schengen visa appointments. Depending on what country you are applying to—and whether they offer online Schengen visa applications—you may be able to schedule an appointment online. For example, to apply for a Schengen visa in the UAE to Poland, you must schedule a visa interview at the Polish Embassy in Abu Dhabi via the online application system (e-konsulat). Alternatively, you may need to reach out to your country’s embassy/consulate directly in order to schedule an appointment.
To figure out your primary destination in the Schengen area, ask yourself which country you will be spending the most time in during your trip. Remember that you are limited to 90 days in the zone. If you intend to spend 50 days in Italy, for example, Italy will represent your primary destination in the Schengen area. If, however, you are looking to spend 45 days in both Italy and Spain, your primary destination will be whichever country you enter first. Therefore, if you enter Spain before you enter Italy, your primary destination will be Spain, and you will apply for a Spanish Schengen visa.
Your visa appointment in the UAE
Your Schengen visa appointment, which will take place at your Schengen state’s embassy, consulate, or visa center in the UAE, is where you will do the following:
- Hand in your complete Schengen visa application (including all required and supplemental documents).
- Pay your Schengen visa fee (80 EUR for most applicants).
- Present your biometrics (photos and fingerprints).
- Submit to a visa interview (short, consisting mainly of questions related to your stated reason for travel).
Once you have attended your visa interview, you will wait to see how long a Schengen visa takes to be processed. Most Schengen visas from the UAE are processed in 15 days or fewer. Ultimately, how long a Schengen visa takes to be processed is subject to external factors, such as how busy an embassy is. Therefore, it can take anywhere from 15-60 days for you to receive a decision on your visa. If you are rejected for a Schengen visa from the UAE, you may decide to appeal the result. Alternatively, you may simply decide to apply again.
Basic Schengen Visa FAQs:
Where do I apply for a Schengen visa?
- Most Schengen countries will allow you to submit the universal basic Schengen visa application form, available online here. Alternatively, countries like France prefer you to apply through their online visa portal. However, even online applicants will need to apply in person, at the embassy, consulate, or visa application center of their application destination (at whichever Schengen country is their primary destination in the zone).
What do I submit for a Schengen visa application?
- All Schengen visa applicants will need to submit a passport and photos of themselves, as well as the basic Schengen visa application form. A complete list of required and supplemental application elements is available here.
What are Schengen visa types?
- There are numerous types of Schengen visas, each of which relates to an applicant’s reason for travel. Common types include medical, student, and business—a complete list is available here. You should choose the type that best reflects why you are traveling to the Schengen zone from the UAE.
What are Schengen visa entry categories?
- Schengen visas are available in categories of single, double, and multiple entry—the particular category you select will determine how many times—if at all, you may return to the Schengen zone after entering it the first time on your Schengen visa. Applicants who plan on traveling back and forth between the UAE and the Schengen area throughout their visa validity period should apply for a multiple entry Schengen visa.
How much a Schengen visa costs?
- The basic cost for all Schengen visas is 80 EUR. The price is the same regardless of what country you are applying from (this means that someone applying for a visa from the UAE will pay the same as someone who applies from Saudi Arabia, for example).
How to make a Schengen visa appointment?
- You can contact us to help you with booking a Schengen visa appointment at your application destination embassy/consulate/visa application center.
Guidance on Required Docs