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Wednesday 22 May 2013 (UAE)
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Obtaining a Schengen visa for Europe in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, UAE
This page under development, assume all information unconfirmed and erroneous. Do not rely on anything written here. Especially any text in red which usually refers to a rumour or random comment not yet checked.
For Schengen visa applications in the UAE, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain residents should go to the VFS Global Schengen Visa Center or an embassy in Abu Dhabi, and residents of Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain (UAQ) should go to the VFS Global Schengen Visa center or consulate in Dubai.
A Schengen visa is a visa which entitles the holder to unrestricted travel in EU countries that have signed up to the Schengen Visa agreement. Not all European Union countries have signed up to the Schengen Visa though.
- United Kingdom (UK) (Great Britain) and Ireland are two exceptions - visitors who are not permitted a visa on arrival, or visa-free entry, must obtain visas for these countries separately. The UK includes England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales. Ireland (Eire) is politically a separate country.
- A Schengen visa holder can enter any of the Schengen Visa countries during the period of validity of the Schengen Visa without needing to obtain any other visa. But the first entry point should be in accordance with the conditions under which the Schengen Visa was first issued.
- Usually a Schengen Visa should be applied for from the country in which a visitor intends to spend the most time during their visit, not necessarily the first entry point. If there is no obvious largest period of time for a particular country, then apply to the country which is the first entry point.
- If a Schengen Visa holder changes their travel plans after the visa has been issued, then they might or might not have problems at the entry point depending partly on how obvious the changes in travel plans are, and maybe depending on how much the border control officials feel like questioning the visitor upon entry.
List of countries that are part of the Schengen Visa zone, and some that are not, or not yet
All European countries included. Our definition of a European country includes EU members, countries considering applying for EU membership, any country up to the western border of Russia, Russia, the Balkan and/or ex Yugoslavian countries, Turkey, any other country that might be considered a part of Europe in our opinion.
- Entries in black text are countries that are effectively included in the Schengen travel zone whether or not they are officially part of the Schengen agreement. Meaning that once a traveller is in one of those countries, they are able to travel to any other country in that list with no border checks (in theory).
- Note that as part of the Schengen agreement, countries are permitted to impose border controls in exceptional circumstances.
| Country | Date1 | EU2 | Date4 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania6 | Short-stay only6 | |||
| Andorra | No5 | |||
| Austria | 1997 | |||
| Belarus | No Schengen Visa | |||
| Belgium | 1995 | |||
| Bosnia-Herzegovina6 | Short-stay only6 | |||
| Bulgaria9 | requested, 2012? | 2007 Jan 01 | ||
| Croatia7 | planned? 2015? | 2012? | ||
| Cyprus | requested | 2004 | ||
| Czech Republic | 2007 | 2004 | ||
| Denmark | 2001 | Some exceptions? | ||
| England3 | see UK | |||
| Estonia | 2007 | 2004 | ||
| Finland | 2001 | |||
| France | 1995 | |||
| Germany | 1995 | |||
| Greece | 2000 | |||
| Holland | see Netherlands | |||
| Hungary | 2007 | 2004 | ||
| Iceland | 2001 | No | 2011? | |
| Ireland (Eire)3 | No Schengen Visa | |||
| Italy | 1997 | |||
| Kosovo | No Schengen Visa | |||
| Latvia | 2007 | 2004 | ||
| Liechtenstein | 20118? | |||
| Lithuania | 2007 | 2004 | ||
| Luxembourg | 1995 | |||
| Macedonia6 | Short-stay only6 | |||
| Malta | 2007 | 2004 | ||
| Moldova | No Schengen Visa | |||
| Monaco | ||||
| Montenegro6 | Short-stay only6 | |||
| Netherlands | 1995 | |||
| Northern Ireland3 | see UK | |||
| Norway | 2001 | No | ||
| Poland | 2007 | 2004 | ||
| Portugal | 1995 | |||
| Romania9 | requested, 2012? | 2007 Jan 01 | ||
| Russia | No Schengen Visa | |||
| San Marino | No5 | |||
| Scotland3 | see UK | |||
| Serbia6 | Short-stay only6 | |||
| Slovakia | 2007 | 2004 | ||
| Slovenia | 2007 | 2004 | ||
| Spain | 1995 | |||
| Sweden | 2001 | |||
| Switzerland | 2008 Dec | No | ||
| Turkey | No Schengen Visa | EU membership under discussion | ||
| Ukraine | No Schengen Visa | |||
| United Kingdom (UK)3 | No Schengen Visa | |||
| Vatican City | ||||
| Wales3 | see UK |
- Date country first implemented Schengen Visa agreement
- Member of European Union (EU)
- Countries in grey text are part of the EU but not part of the Schengen visa zone, and a separate visa is required.
- Date which country joined the EU.
- Andorra, Liechtenstein, San Marino are not part of the Schengen area but do not have border checks (BBC news 26 April 2011).
- Short-stay (up to 90 days) Schengen Visa requirement has been lifted for nationals (not residents or visitors) from Albania (from December 2010?), Bosnia-Herzegovina (Hercegovina) (from December 2010?), Macedonia (from 19 December 2009), Montenegro (from 19 December 2009), and Serbia (but not residents of Kosovo who have Serbian passports issued by the Coordination Directorate in Belgrade) (from 19 December 2009) who have biometric passports. Nationals of Kosovo still need to apply for a Schengen Visa.
- Croatian citizens (rather than residents or visitors) do not need a visa to travel to Schengen Area countries since 1999? Biometric passports required?
- On 07 March 2011, the EU approved the integration of Liechtenstein into the Schengen area. Application and removal of border controls will still take another 6-10 months from this date. However, for all practial purposes, there are no or few border controls anyway (some video cameras in lieu of checkpoints and border guards apparently).
- As of January 2011, requests by Bulgaria and Romania to join the Schengen area have been denied or postponed, possibly until October 2011.
List of nationalities - countries whose citizens need a Schengen visa
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bosnia-Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Belize
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic (CAR)
- Chad
- China
- Comoros
- Congo (Democratic Republic of)
- Congo Brazzaville
- Cote D'Ivoire
- Cuba
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Jamaica
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Korea - see North Korea or South Korea
- Kuwait
- Kyrgystan
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Macedonia (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - FYROM)
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mali
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Korea
- Northern Marianas (islands)
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Peru
- Philippines
- Qatar
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- St Christopher and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vietnam
- Western Samoa
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Schengen visa Abu Dhabi
Schengen visa Dubai
Joint Visa Application Center Dubai (JVAC) - Wafi Center, Dubai
- New location for the JVAC Dubai from 05 June 2012 is the Wafi Center shopping mall - Falcon area, Phase 2, Level 2 of the mall.
- Opening times 0900-1700 Sunday to Thursday.
- Schengen visa applications for Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Malta.
- Visa applications also for Bulgaria, Cyprus, India, Singapore, UK.
- New center area 45,000 square feet.
Joint Visa Application Center Dubai (JVAC) - Al Mina Road, Dubai
- JVAC center on Al Mina Road closed from 02 June 2012 and relocating to Wafi Center Mall.
- Tel +971-4-3455461. Location is the Jumeirah Palms Residence building on Al Mina Road (not on the Jumeirah Palm island or anywhere near it).
- Opening hours for visa application submissions: 0900-1500 Sunday to Thursday
- Opening times for passport collection: 1500-1700 Sunday to Thursday. For passport collection, you must bring the original application receipt. If you are collecting someone else's passport, you must bring the original receipt, and a signed letter of authority from the original passport holder.
- Email for information: info.germanyuae@vfshelpline.com, info.italyuae@vfshelpline.com, info.franceuae@vfshelpline.com, info.hungaryuae@vfshelpline.com.
- Website www.vfsglobal-svac-ae.com
- Visa application tracking - enter reference number from application receipt and your date of birth at the VFS website and click on the "Track Your Passport" link.
Schengen visa cost in UAE
- A Schengen short-term visa costs 60 EUR for most nationalities (as of April 2011). Some nationalities pay only 35 EUR.
- Visa applications through VFS Global cost an additional AED 90 in service charges. Or more for VIP treatment (a shorter waiting time at the center, but no difference in actual visa processing time at the embassy or consulate).
- Payment in UAE to be made in UAE dirhams.
Terms used
- Schengen Agreement
- Schengen Area
- Schengen Zone
Last update Wednesday 20-Jun-2012. Page development 1H 2T 3D 4L 5C.
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