The Schengen visa is in crisis; UAE residents are facing a wait of 6 to 8 weeks for their appointments to obtain a Schengen visa.

UAE residents planning summer travel to Europe are now confronted with a waiting time of 6 to 8 weeks to secure a Schengen visa appointment; this is happening at a time when limited and last-minute appointments are only available for a few minutes and are quickly booked.

With the upcoming 6-day Eid al-Adha holiday and a sharp increase in travel demand, many experts say that obtaining a Schengen visa for near-term travel has become nearly impossible.

The website musafir.com has reported that requests for travel to Europe this summer have increased by 50 to 60 percent, but the capacity for embassy appointments is filling up rapidly.

Meanwhile, the manager of Neo Travel has warned that for tourist visa applicants, finding an embassy appointment has become very difficult, and given the time remaining until Eid, obtaining a visa is practically impossible in many cases.

Due to these circumstances, many travelers are turning to Asian destinations that do not require a visa or offer visa-on-arrival options; including Bali, Vietnam, Thailand, Maldives, Seychelles, and Mauritius.

Experts say that Schengen countries like France, Spain, and the Netherlands are nearly fully booked, and available appointments usually appear only in case of cancellations or quota changes; appointments that are reserved within minutes.

In contrast, some countries like Iceland, Denmark, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia may still have limited chances for securing appointments.

Travel agencies also report that many UAE residents are now choosing destinations that offer easier entry, lower costs, and shorter travel times instead of waiting for the uncertain visa approval.

Source: Gulf Times