Schengen visa for UAE residents

In the UAE, all residents coming from countries not exempt from the European Schengen Area are required to obtain a Schengen visa to travel to this area.

To obtain a Schengen visa from the UAE, each person must present a residence card valid for a period of not less than 3 months after the expected return date from travel.

In addition, some other important documents necessary for submitting the visa application should be submitted. It is important to check all the required requirements from the embassy or the official Schengen Area website before submitting your visa application.

All formal procedures for obtaining a Schengen visa from the UAE must be respected and the required documents must be submitted correctly to ensure a comfortable and smooth travel experience.

What are the documents required to obtain a Schengen visa for residents of the Emirates?

People residing in the UAE must obtain a Schengen visa to travel to the European Schengen Area. The documents required for a Schengen visa are identical in all Schengen countries.

In other words, the required documents are the same in all countries of the Schengen area, including documents for an Italy visa, a Netherlands visa, a Spain visa, a Greece visa, and any other Schengen country.

Regarding the documents required to obtain a Schengen visa from the UAE for residents, they include:

1. The Schengen visa application form is specific to the country they wish to visit and must be filled out and signed by the applicant personally. (Some countries can fill out their visa form electronically).
   
   
2. Two recent personal photographs with a white background that comply with Schengen visa requirements.
   
   
3. A passport valid for a period of not less than 3 months after the date of expected return from travel. The passport must contain at least two blank pages for visas.
   
   
4. Copies of previous entry visas, if any.
   
   
5. Residency card in the Emirates, which must be valid for a period of no less than 3 months after the date of return from travel.
   
   
6. A health insurance policy covering the length of travel for an amount of at least 30,000 euros. (The cost of travel insurance ranges from approximately 35 to 50 euros depending on the insurance agencies).
   
   
7. Proof of financial ability to bear travel costs. Important information regarding the financial costs of travel can be found in a useful article.

It is always advisable to check the current Schengen visa requirements from the embassy or consulate of the country you wish to visit before submitting your visa application, in order to ensure compliance with all conditions and avoid any complications in the visa procedure.

Documents supporting the application

The embassy or consulate of a European country may reject a resident’s application if it deems that the purpose of his travel there is to immigrate or seek asylum. This challenge is faced more by Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni citizens, and therefore the visa applicant must submit some documents to support his application and convince the consular official that he will return to the UAE as soon as the specified visa period expires.

Among the documents supporting the visa file:

1. Employment contract or employment contract.
   
   
2. A letter of no objection from the Emirati sponsor (whether an individual or a company), confirming his approval for the sponsored person to travel for a specific period, mentioning the type of work, the start date of work, and the duration of the sponsorship.
   
   
3. Salary statement and bank statement for the last 3 months.
   
   
4. Booking round-trip flight tickets (consulates advise against purchasing a ticket before obtaining a visa and only booking).
   
   
5. Book a hotel or submit a letter of invitation from a friend or relative residing in the country you will travel to.
   
   
6. Proof of civil status (marriage contract, birth certificate for children if you are married, etc.).

It is always advisable to check the current visa requirements of the country in question from its embassy or consulate before submitting your visa application. Doing this will help ensure that the required documents are submitted correctly and have a successful chance of obtaining a visa.

How much is the Schengen visa fee for UAE residents?

After compiling the file and submitting it to the embassy, consulate, or visa processing offices, the applicant must pay the visa fee. The visa price varies according to age groups and is usually as follows:

• 80 euros for adults.
  
  
• 35 euros for children aged 6 to 12 years.
  
  
• Free for children under 6 years old.

The applicant must pay this fee to cover the costs of issuing the visa and processing his application. The exact price of a Schengen visa for the country from which the visa is being applied must be checked, as the price may vary based on the policies of each country.

The applicant should note that paying the visa fee does not guarantee that a visa will be granted, it merely reflects the credibility of the desire to obtain the visa. The visa application is considered and a decision is made based on the evaluation of the documents and information provided in the file. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that all required documents are submitted in accordance with the requirements of each country and that the applicable conditions and regulations are adhered to in order to increase the chances of a successful application.

Offices for issuing and clearing Schengen visas for residents of the Emirates:

Soon, more than 80% of the embassies of Schengen Area countries will rely on visa processing offices such as TLScontact, VFS Global, and the BLS Center, and most of these offices are located in Abu Dhabi or Dubai.

Therefore, direct dealing with consulates of the Schengen Area has become almost rare, as every person who wishes to obtain a visa deals with the visa extraction centers mentioned previously.

Individuals can access the website of the embassy of the European country to which they wish to travel to learn about the methods by which they receive visa applications, the required documents, and the necessary procedures for that. This shift to using visa processing centers provides more convenience and flexibility for visa applicants and facilitates procedures for traveling to Schengen Area countries.

Schengen Visa Clearing Office in Abu Dhabi:

Level B2, The Mall World Trade Centre, Khalifa Bin Zayed the 1st Street, Abu Dhabi

Schengen Visa Clearing Office in Dubai:

WAFI Mall, Level 2, Falcon, Phase 2, Umm Hurair2, Dubai