UAE residents wishing to travel to countries requiring a Schengen visa will have to wait till mid-December for visa appointments. This is due to the travel rush in the preceding season.
Travel industry executives say that UAE residents can fly to a few Schengen countries only after November as appointments to these countries have been delayed. For Schengen countries like Austria, Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Poland, and others, the visa could take at least 15 days to process.
Libin Varghese, director of sales and marketing, Rooh Tourism noted that aspirants must possess all up-to-date required documents in order to get their visa application accepted.
How to apply for a Schengen Visitor Visa?
Varghese notes down the step-by-step process and documents required to apply for a Schengen Visa:
- Fill in a Schengen Visitor Visa Application Form
- Collect the required documents for a Schengen Visitor Visa
- Schedule a visa interview
- Attend the interview
- Provide biometric data
- Pay the Visitor Schengen Visa fee
Documents required
- One should complete Schengen Visitor Visa Application Form online and print two copies of it
- Two photographs in accordance with the Schengen visa photo requirements. They should be no older than 6 months, 35–40mm in width
- Valid passport – It should have at least two empty pages in order to affix the visa and be issued within the last ten years
- The passport must be valid for three months beyond the intended stay in the Schengen area
- Clear photocopies of the first and last page of the passport
- Personal cover letter to talk more about the purpose of visiting the EU, the countries you plan to travel to, the dates, where you plan to stay, and other details of your trip
- No Objection Letter from the employer or education institution
- Schengen area medical insurance that covers emergency medical, hospitalization, and in case of death, repatriation.
- Proof of booked flight tickets without buying them. However, the embassy wants you to purchase a flight reservation in order to prove your intended entry and exit dates. One-way tickets are not accepted.
- Proof of accommodation for the entire period of stay in the Schengen area
- Proof of financial status – The traveller must show evidence of possessing sufficient funds for the visit and will be able to financially maintain themselves during the stay in the Schengen territory
- The traveller should also submit documents to prove their working status.
Please take note that you may have to submit some additional documents depending on:
- The country where you are applying from
- The country you wish to visit
News Source: Khaleej Times
