What’s Driving the Surge in UAE Residents’ Schengen Visa Applications?

Hey, did you hear about the latest data from The Visa Services in Dubai? They’re a leading expert in visa services, and they’ve reported a 20 percent increase in Schengen visa applications from UAE residents during Q2 2024. Europe is still a top travel destination, accounting for 65 percent of all travel requests they processed. The US is next at 25 percent, and Asia-Pacific countries like Singapore, Australia, and China make up 15 percent.

This surge in visa applications comes during the peak travel season, thanks to Europe’s great weather and major events like EURO 2024, the Paris Olympics, and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The data from The Visa Services shows that Schengen visa requests usually go up in the summer months (June-September) as people want to combine their vacations with these exciting events. Some of the most popular European destinations are Spain, Greece, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, and Switzerland.

Anastasia Yanchenko, the Commercial Director at The Visa Services, mentioned that the UAE has a very diverse population, and most nationalities need visas to enter Schengen countries (except Emiratis) and the USA. According to their data, the applicants this period were mostly Russians (35 percent), followed by Indians (23 percent), Filipinos (16 percent), Egyptians (7 percent), Jordanians (6 percent), and South Africans. They cater to a wide range of clients, including families (58 percent) and individuals applying for themselves or their families.

Typically, Schengen visas are processed within 15 days, but some countries might take up to 45 days. In 2023, the rejection rate for Schengen visas for UAE residents was 22.44 percent, with an approval rate of 77.56 percent. Schengen visas generally last around six months, but this can vary based on factors like documents, previous travel history, job and salary, current place of residence, and financial stability.

Yanchenko also pointed out that in 2023, most visas issued were for single-entry travel only (74 percent), with some for 3-6 months multiple entries (21 percent). However, in 2024, the trend has changed. Now, 45 percent of visas are issued for 3-6 months, 30 percent exceed a year, and 25 percent are for single travel only. This year, the most popular visa purposes are travel (70 percent), business (20 percent), study (7 percent), and medical (3 percent).

The Visa Services has seen significant growth, with the number of completed applications tripling last year. This growth aligns with the rise in outbound tourism, flourishing GCC trade with other countries, and well-developed airline networks within the GCC. This really underscores their reliability and experience in the industry.