The Resident’s Travel Journal
Planning Europe from the UAE?
Start with the paperwork.
Independent Schengen visa guides for UAE residents. Explore your destination, prepare your documents and find your next step.
Free to use. No signup. Information, not an application service.
Guidance for your next step
Start with what you know.
Find guidance that fits your life in the UAE.
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 →Switzerland
Switzerland is your main 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.
Indian passport, UAE residence
You hold an Indian passport and live in the UAE.
Read it →Pakistani passport, UAE residence
You hold a Pakistani passport and live in the UAE.
Read it →Filipino passport, UAE residence
You hold a Filipino passport and live in the UAE.
Read it →Egyptian passport, UAE residence
You hold an Egyptian passport and live in the UAE.
Read it →Bangladeshi passport, UAE residence
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 →