Be informed: How to Apply for Schengen/US visa from the UAE

The Schengen countries form a group that dismisses border restrictions to travel amongst them. The countries in the Schengen area are: 

Belgium	Austria	Czech Republic
Estonia	Denmark	Finland
Germany	France	Greece
Iceland	Hungary	Italy
Liechtenstein	Latvia	Lithuania
Malta	Luxembourg	Netherlands
Poland	Norway	Portugal
Slovenia	Slovakia	Spain
Switzerland	Sweden

Schengen tourist visa 

The Schengen tourist visa allows the holder to travel through any of the 26 listed countries. Any Schengen country allows the traveler to transit through or stay  for a brief period inside the border of the country. To tour these countries, you will need a Schengen visa. You can transit through or stay in any of those countries for a period not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period. 

If you are hailing from UAE, the consulate of the country/countries in UAE will be your point of application. You may visit more than one country with an equal period of stay. In that case, you should apply at the consulate of the country whose borders you will cross first. 

Schengen tourist visa fees 

Adults must pay 245 Dh (60 Euros) to apply for a Schengen visa. For children aged 6 to 12, it takes 143 Dh (35 Euros).  

Visa fee waiver applies to: 

• Children under 6 years 
• Students and accompanying teachers staying & traveling for educational purposes 
• Researchers from third countries traveling for carrying out scientific research 
• Representatives of non-profit organizations taking part in events by non-profit organizations, aged 35 years or less 
• Family members of EU/EEA citizens, falling under Directive 2004/38 

Documents required for a Schengen tourist visa 

To apply for the visa, you will need: 

• A valid passport that: 
• Has at least 2 empty pages 
• Has been issued within 10 years of application  
• Is valid for at least 3 months beyond the date you plan to leave the Schengen territory. In case you are making multiple trips, the date will be on which you wish to leave after the last day 
• A correctly filled visa application form completed and signed  
• Proof of visa fee payment 
• A recent identity photograph conforming to ICAO standards 
• A travel medical insurance covering emergency medical, hospitalization and repatriation 
• Your travel itinerary, hotel bookings, and other documents relating to the purpose of stay, evidence of finance to support your stay and your accommodation 
• Bank account statements or sponsorship letter from a person confirming their financial support for your stay 

The visa issue takes 15 days in normal cases. For a more detailed examination of applications, this could  be between  30 to 60 days. 

The USA visit visa 

A non-immigrant visa is a primary requirement for a trip to the USA. Sub-categories of this visa will vary as per the purpose of your visit.  

Documents needed 

To apply for the US visit visa, you will need to submit: 

• Passport details 
• Family details 
• Address of your stay in the US 
• Name of your relatives in the US if any 
• The address of the consulate where you will appear for an interview  

Fill the application form properly and upload a digital photograph. Once you make the payment, print out the application bar code. 

After that, you will need to book an interview at the US Embassy or consulate. Attend the interview with necessary documents which include: 

• Current passport, valid to travel to the USA. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the period of stay in the USA. 
• A passport containing the most recently issued US visa (if applicable) 
• Non-immigrant visa application and Form 160 confirmation page 
• Confirmation and Instructions page printed from the official webpage 
• One 5X5 cm color photo not older than 6 months 
• Marriage certificates of accompanying family members, unless entering the USA for a different purpose. 
• Birth certificate for unmarried children under 21, if applicable 

If you are looking to Visit USA or Schengen countries from UAE, talk to Y-Axis, the World’s No.1 Immigration & Visa Company.