Schengen Visa for UAE Residents – What needs to be done?
If you are a UAE resident currently planning a trip to Europe and are a little perplexed about the visa process, here’s what you should know about the Schengen Visa and how you can apply for it.
Schengen Visa
It is a short-stay visa mandatory for non-Europeans to travel to all 26 countries which are part of the Schengen region. Once the visa is issued. It allows the traveler to cross the borders of the member countries without having to go through identity checks. There are several types of this visa but the most common one allows the traveler to stay for a maximum of 90 days. Schengen Visa is the most common visa for Europe.
VFS Global centers in the UAE accept Schengen visa applications for the following countries: Austria, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Latvia, Finland, France, Norway, Portugal, and The Netherlands. Besides VFS Global, another frontrunner is AlCabana Travels, known to provide the most reliable and top-of-the-line UAE visa assistance.
While applying for a short-stay Schengen visa, residents should follow these simple steps:
- For UAE residents, most embassies have outsourced visa submission to VFS Global. Hence the residents will have to submit their visa applications either at their Visa Application Centers in Abu Dhabi or Dubai.
- Carefully fill out your visa application form, sternly following the indicated format. Missing out on key details could result in the visa getting issues with incorrect details.
- Some countries might ask for specific kinds of documents, make sure to follow through on that.
- If the sponsor details are required, then make sure to enter all the necessary details carefully as these could prove crucial to the visa decision.
- Make sure to book an appointment at the embassy/visa center on time.
- Be on time for the visa interview, and make sure to bring along all the required documents.
- As the embassy processes your visa, it will go through EU security systems such as Visa Information System and Schengen Information System.
- Don’t leave your visa applications to the last minute. Says Perfect cv every country has a different turnaround time for processing a visa application.
- Alcabana also offers hassle-free UAE visa assistance for UAE residents offering services from form filling to travel itinerary bookings etc. as well.
Types of Schengen Visas
Transit:
Valid only in the transit zone of an airport.
Transit Through the Schengen Countries:
Issued for up to 5 days.
Single or Multiple-Entry:
Allows the holder to spend 90 out of 180 days in Schengen countries.
National:
Valid only in the country that issued the visa.
Category C Visa:
This is the most popular visa. For example, the one-year Category C visa issued at Spanish consulates allows the holder to spend 90 consecutive days in Spain in the first half of the year. And then another 90 days in the second half of the year.
Schengen Visa Application Fees
The application fee is non-refundable, and to be paid by every applicant. Costs may vary depending on the age of the applicant, the type of visa, or other factors. Applicants can pay the visa fee in the form of cash, or via debit or credit cards.
