UAE: No Schengen visa appointments until August; residents told to rethink summer plans
Making plans to visit Europe during summer vacation to relax in the cool weather? If your Schengen visa hasn’t been sorted yet, it looks like you might have to go back to square one since, at the moment, there isn’t space for any visa appointments in the near or not-so-near future.
Travel consultants have noted that the slots for the 29 member countries are fully booked and will only start showing up past the middle of August.
As per their estimates, a large number of slots are booked till after the second week of August. Even if vacationers are lucky enough to get an appointment, the waiting time for the visa itself could be anywhere from two weeks to a month, which makes it close to impossible to plan a Schengen holiday during the school vacation.
“We do not have appointments available for any countries for now,” said Subair Thekepurathvalappil, senior manager at Wisefox Tourism. “Greece has some limited slots in July, but those too are scarce. At this point, people would not get their visas till the summer holidays are over due to the delays.”
The demand for Schengen visas is extremely high this year. The majority of UAE travelers tend to prefer Italy and France but the competition makes appointments harder to come by.
“Schengen is not the only one. Even the UK visa is taking close to two months nowadays.” Pavan Poojari, travel consultant at Luxury Travels said. “There is a huge demand for travel, but people are being forced to consider alternative solutions.”
With the range of choices available for residents to travel to being limited, tour operators highly suggest that for the time being people consider traveling to places that are not that easy to access but still offer breathtaking sights.
“There is no better time to visit Kenya. The Great Migration starts in July running through August. This is one of the most spectacular wildlife spectacles of the world. The best part is people can go on safari to witness the breathtaking scenery,” remarked Subair.
South Africa and Zanzibar are becoming increasingly popular alternatives. As Subair states, “Many UAE residents choose these places for their scenic beauty, unique culture, and easier visa process.”
Besides the African destinations, some Asian countries have the most enticing vibrant cities and beaches. “Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Japan are among the top picks,” remarked Pavan. “These locations are wonderful during monsoon and are cheaper relative to Europe. Although they have their own unique culture, these countries still provide families with an enjoyable vacation.”
For those wishing to capture a glimpse of Europe, Turkey still remains a viable option. “A Turkish visa can be acquired in under a month, which is significantly better than Schengen or UK wait times,” added Pavan.
Certain Schengen countries up north have available slots for appointments, but Subair mentions that they are not the most suitable for all applicants. “These countries are located in the northern part of Europe. Travelling to the more popular southern areas like Italy or Spain becomes expensive and takes a longer duration, which is why lesser people choose this option.”
At the same time, travel agents are of the opinion that a larger number of visa slots will become available in the upcoming months, but for now, they are suggesting locals to remain open with their plans and consider new destinations that are less popular.
“Embasies may finally be paying attention to the demand for slots and issuing them in greater numbers, as the desire for visas to Schengen countries is extremely high,” subair explains.
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