Separate the government fee from the rest
The European Commission lists the standard adult fee as €90 and notes that application centres can charge separately. Under Article 16 of the Visa Code, children aged six to below twelve normally pay €45, while children below six are exempt from the visa fee. Other exemptions and nationality-specific arrangements exist.
An exemption from the visa fee does not automatically tell you what the application centre charges. Check both lines for each family member.
Build an itemised UAE budget
Use this worksheet before paying:
| Budget item | What to check | | --- | --- | | Visa fee | Applicant category and current AED amount | | Application-centre service | Mandatory basic fee versus optional extras | | Insurance | Suitable cover for the actual journey | | Documents | Photos, translations and copies actually required | | Travel arrangements | Cancellation conditions and refund deadlines | | Attendance | Transport, time off work and passport collection |
France’s UAE instructions, for example, list a separate €30.33 basic VFS charge collected in AED. This is a France example, not a price for all Schengen destinations. France-Visas UAE fees.
Avoid misleading package prices
Ask any service provider to identify the government fee, centre fee and its own fee separately. Get the refund terms in writing. “Visa assistance” is not the same product as a government visa decision.
Do not assume that a premium lounge, courier or insurance purchase is compulsory just because it appears during checkout. Read the destination’s official options.
What happens after refusal?
For France, the published UAE instructions say the visa fee is retained after refusal. Check each provider’s separate cancellation terms before spending; a cancelled trip can involve several contracts, not one refund policy.
Use our documents checklist before your appointment. Avoidable rebooking and duplicate document purchases can add costs even when the headline visa fee looks modest.