The Resident’s Travel Journal
Planning Europe from the UAE?
Find the right route, documents and official application link.
Free guides and tools. No signup.
Quick planning check
How much time and visa fee should I allow?
Choose a destination and travellers. The result separates the standard consular fee from costs that depend on the operator and your trip.
Your planning baseline
Decision window: ordinarily 15 calendar days after an admissible application; individual cases may extend to 45 days. Appointment waiting and passport return are additional.
This is not a quote. It uses the standard EUR 90 adult and EUR 45 child visa fees and excludes application-centre service charges, optional services, insurance, translations, travel and accommodation. Children below 6 generally have no Schengen visa fee and are not included in this short calculator. Check the fee source and exceptions.
Guidance for your next step
What describes you?
Choose the guide that fits your UAE circumstances.
Employed in the UAE
Employment letters and the documents to prepare.
Read the guide →Self-employed
Guidance for freelancers and business owners.
Read the guide →Travelling with children
Prepare for a family application, one person at a time.
Read the guide →A closer look at where you’re going.
France
France is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Germany
Germany is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Italy
Italy is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Spain
Spain is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Netherlands
Netherlands is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Portugal
Portugal is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Malta
Malta is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Denmark
Denmark is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Poland
Poland is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Hungary
Hungary is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Czech-republic
The Czech Republic is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Switzerland
Switzerland is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Romania
Romania is your main Schengen destination.
Explore the guide →Greece
Greece is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Austria
Austria is your main destination.
Explore the guide →Start where you are most certain
Two things determine your route: the passport you hold and the country you are actually going to. Begin with whichever you know.
Schengen visa for Indian passport holders living in the UAE
You hold an Indian passport and live in the UAE.
Read it →Schengen visa for Pakistani passport holders living in the UAE
You hold a Pakistani passport and live in the UAE.
Read it →Schengen visa for Filipino passport holders living in the UAE
You hold a Filipino passport and live in the UAE.
Read it →Schengen visa for Egyptian passport holders living in the UAE
You hold an Egyptian passport and live in the UAE.
Read it →Schengen visa for Bangladeshi passport holders living in the UAE
You hold a Bangladeshi passport and live in the UAE.
Read it →Not one of these 5? The general requirements and the destination guides still apply — it is the passport-specific scrutiny that differs.
What this site covers
Every section, and what it is for.
Schengen visa →
Understand documents, costs, travel dates and the application process.
Applying from the UAE →
Guides for the passport you hold and your residence situation in the UAE.
Destinations →
Find destination-specific guidance and official application routes.
Visa types →
Explore tourist, business, family visit and transit guidance.
Refusals →
Understand refusal reasons, reapplications and appeal information.
EES →
Read about border registration and what it means for your trip.
ETIAS →
Understand travel authorisation and how it differs from a visa.
Visa, border checks or travel authorisation?
Understand border checks before you travel. Our Entry/Exit System guide explains how EES relates to visa holders, who is covered and where to check official guidance. What that means in practice.
ETIAS and a Schengen visa are different processes. Start with our comparison to understand why nationality and residence must be considered separately. The distinction, set out properly.
Free tools, no sign-up
Things that are genuinely hard to work out by hand. They run in your browser — nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Schengen preparation checklist for UAE residents
Find the preparation steps and reading relevant to my situation.
Open it →90/180 Schengen day calculator
Work out how many days I have left.
Open it →Which consulate should I apply to?
Find out which country must receive my application.
Open it →Schengen refusal rates at UAE consulates
See which destination actually refuses the most applications from here.
Open it →Schengen financial requirements by country
Understand published financial references and their limits.
Open it →