What is Schengen Visa and What are the Procedures? |
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The Schengen cooperation agreement took its name from the town of
Schengen in Luxembourg, where it was signed for the purpose of
ensuring the free movement of persons and goods between the member
states.
All European Union (EU) member states except five countries UK,
Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus and four non-EU countries
namely Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Lithuania are part of the
Schengen area.
The remaining member states are Austria, Belgium, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Italy, Latvia, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. The Schengen system allows
travel between its 25 member countries (21 European
Union states and four non-EU members)
Over 400 million Europeans currently enjoy passport-free travel
across the Schengen area.
Schengen visa applicants have to undergo biometric scans to record
10 fingerprints and a facial image as part of the visa application
process.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
1. Find out which country / countries you will be travelling.
If you are travelling to more than one country during your trip you
will need to obtain a Schengen Visa from the consulate of the country
you intend to visit first. For example if you are travelling to
Portugal but will be visiting Greece and Italy too, you need to obtain
your Schengen Visa through the Portuguese consulate as your initial
point of entry will be through Portugal. However, in cases of short
trips, the number of nights spent in a Schengen country will determine
which country you need to apply for the Visa . It may be a country
that might not be the first point of entry.
2. Make sure you know how long you intend to stay. A Schengen
Visa is usually granted as a single entry or multi-entry visa and is
valid for 3, 6 or 12 months. However each consulate grant Schengen
Visa's using different scoring criteria. It's important to be very
clear and honest about your travel intentions.
3. Ensure you have proof of funds. When applying for a Schengen
Visa you will need to provide current bank statements amongst other
documents.
4. Book accommodation and flight. It's important to check with
the consulate first with regards to what documents you need in order
to obtain a Schengen Visa. While Spain requires that a flight has been
booked and paid for and accommodation reserved, Italy, France and
Portugal only require flight and accommodation information. Check and
double check with the consulate in question.
5. Get Travel Insurance. You will need travel insurance when
you apply for a Schengen Visa.
6. Ensure you plan early to apply for the Schengen Visa. Some
take a week, others take 15 working days. It's important to take this
into account when planning your holiday. It is also important to
remember that you may only get an appointment to apply for the visa in
3 weeks time so this should be taken into consideration before booking
your holiday.
7. Ensure your passport is not about to expire. Most countries
require your passport to be valid for travel for the next 6 to 12
months before it's due to expire. You will also need a blank page
(sometimes 2 opposite) in the passport to accommodate the visa stamp.
Expatriates:
UAE Residence visa should be valid for minimum six months.
A Schengen visa is needed when you are visiting one or several of the
countries of the Schengen Area (i.e. Austria, Belgium, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,
Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands,
Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia , Slovenia , Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland).
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The duration of your total stay in Schengen countries shall not
exceed 90 days in a period of 6 months, starting from the date
of first entry.
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In case you intend to visit several Schengen countries, you have to
apply for a Schengen visa at the Greek Visa Application Centres when:
- your main destination (the Schengen country where you will spend the
longest time) is Greece, or
- you are spending the same amount of days in several Schengen
countries, but Greece is your first port of entry into the Schengen
Area.
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Only UAE nationals and nationals of third countries that are legal
residents in UAE can apply for a visa at the VFS Greece Visa
Application Centre in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
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Visa applications cannot be submitted earlier than three months
before the expected arrival in the Schengen Area.
+
Applicants must hold a valid passport issued within the previous 10
years, containing at least 2 consecutive blank pages. The
validity of the passport should extend for at least 3 months
after the intended date of departure from the territory of Greece If
you do not meet the above mentioned criteria, a new passport must be
obtained before submitting your application.
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All applicants must submit their visa application in person at the
Visa Application Centre.
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At the time of application applicants will be required to submit
their biometrics (fingerprints, digital photo). For more information,
click here.
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The applicant may be requested to appear in the Embassy for
interview. In this case, the applicant will be accordingly informed by
VFS.
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Due to security reasons only the applicant will be allowed inside
the application centers. Any accompanying family, friends etc. must
remain outside the area.
Processing time:
Processing time at the Embassy may vary between 2 - 15 days depending
on the nationality of the applicant
VFS Global is the authorized Centre
to submit Schengen & UK Visa Applications in UAE. Premium and doorstep
services also available. Doorstep visa service available for UK,
Switzerland, Czech Republic and South Africa.
Schengen Visa waiver for UAE Nationals
UAE Nationals will no longer require a visa for short stays (up to 90
days) in the Schengen area, whether for business, tourist or family
visit purposes.
Travel guidelines about wearing Veil (Neqab)
European states who enforced a ban on burqas include France,
Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands, as well as some European cities
- such as Barcelona in Spain, who banned any form of face covering
since 2010. The Hesse State in Germany and a number of Italian cities
have also banned the veil.
The Danish courts, a German state, Hesse, and a number of Italian
cities have also issued similar bans.
On the first of July 2016, the Swiss canton of Ticino imposed a ban on
burqa. Offenders can be fined up from 100 to 1,000 Swiss francs [Dh377
to Dh3,774], as well as deportation. The fine can increase if the
offender insists on wearing it.
The Italian-speaking Canton of Ticino is located in the southeast of
Switzerland, and receives a regular influx of tourists who travel to
see the lakeside city of Locarno. According to the law, which was
voted in by a 2013 referendum, burqas are forbidden in shops,
restaurants, or public buildings.
The UAE embassy in the US can be
contacted on 202-243 2400.
In countries where UAE diplomatic missions are not available, Emiratis
can contact the emergency number +971 600-5999 91.
Dubai Application Center Address:
VFS Global
WAFI Mall, Level 2, Falcon
Phase 2, Umm Hurair 2
Dubai, UAE
Abu Dhabi Application Center Address:
VFS Global
Level 25, Shining Tower
King Khalid Bin Abdel Aziz, 26th Street
Adjacent to Khalidyah Mall
Abu Dhabi, UAE
VFS
Call
Centre: +971-4-2055770
Between 0900 hrs - 1700 hrs (Sunday- Thursday)
Greece Embassy
31 Str, Al Muroor Area
P.O.Box 5483
Abu Dhabi,
United Arab Emirates
Phone: +971-2-4492550
Website:
www.mfa.gr/abu
Citizens from some countries are eligible to
travel to EU by July 1, 2020
No need pre-entry visas for Emiratis (UAE
Nationals)
to travel to Argentina
Emiratis holding ordinary passports are now exempt from pre-entry
visas to travel to Argentina and can stay in the country for up to 90
days.
No need pre-entry visas for Emiratis to
travel to:
Emiratis are now exempt from pre-entry visas to travel to
Pakistan, Mexico,
Russian Federation, Brazil, Chad, Saint Lucia, Vanuatu, El Salvador, Montenegro and
Ireland.
Emiratis can enter Kazakhstan on a 15-day visit without the
need for pre-entry visas.
Republic of Sao: UAE citizens no
longer need to apply for pre-entry visa requirements when travelling
to the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe effective
July 6, 2017. UAE nationals can stay in Sao Tome and Principe for up
to 15 days. The Republic of Sao Tome and Principe is an African
country that consists of two islands in the Gulf of Guinea, about 240
kms from the West African coast.
UAE citizens allowed to use SmartGate
services in Australian airports
Australia has extended the SmartGate service in its airports to
arriving and departing Emiratis who hold ordinary passports. The
citizens of UAE can choose to clear their arrival and departure by
using the SmartGate services, provided they get a pre-arrival
electronic entry visa to Australia. This facility is granted to
holders of ordinary UAE passports who are at least 16 years of age.
Ukrainians can travel visa-free to
EU. Only those with biometric passports - containing a microchip - can
take advantage of the visa-free travel for the time being. This
facility started on 11/06/2017.
Pakistanis can get complimentary 7-day
transit visa to Turkey
1. The issuance of the free of charge single transit visa with 7 days
stay in Turkey to Pakistani nationals who are travelling with Turkish
Airlines to the Schengen countries, USA, United Kingdom and Ireland
through Turkey on condition that they have a valid visa of these
countries and are not banned/objectionable for entering Turkey is
continuing. This type of visa can now be obtained either via
https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/ or from the Turkish Consulates in
Pakistan and the Consular Section of the Embassy in Islamabad through GERRY's Visa Drop Box Center.
2. The free of charge single transit visa with 7 days stay in Turkey
will be issued to Pakistani nationals who are travelling with Turkish
Airlines to the Saudi Arabia with the aim of Umrah on condition that
they have a valid Umrah visa and are not banned/objectionable for
entering Turkey.
The applicants should submit the required documents for single transit
visa as stated before.
The application of the free of charge single transit visa (Umrah) with
7 days stay in Turkey, has launched from (8 May 2017) and can only be
obtained from the Turkish Consulates in Pakistan and the Consular
Section of the Embassy in Islamabad through GERRY's Visa Drop Box
Center.
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