Eurowings CEO Urges Faster Schengen Visa Processing for UAE Foreign Residents

The CEO of Eurowings, Jens Bischof, has called on the member states to process the Schengen visa applications filed by foreign residents living in the UAE faster.

Through a statement, Bischof said that the delays are affecting many UAE foreign residents wanting to visit the bloc. The same noted that Schengen visa issues continue to remain a restricting factor for this group of travellers, Schengen.News reports.

Taking into account the obstacles that come along with long visa processing times, Bischof said that the authorities should take measures to ensure that applicants receive responses within a shorter period of time. He also called for a higher approval rate.

The call of Bischof some ahead of the year-end holidays during which period a large number of travellers are expected to reach the bloc for tourism purposes.

Since it is in the interest of Eurowings to have more passengers, Bischof said that they are working together with consulates and visa departments in the UAE to ensure that the processes are being accelerated, Gulf News explains. However, it is yet to be seen whether these efforts will have positive results.

UAE Foreign Residents Complain of Limited Schengen Visa Appointments
In addition to having to wait for long periods of time to receive a decision on their visa applications, UAE foreign residents have also been complaining about the limited number of slots available.

Local travel industry sources have said that currently, there are no Schengen visa appointment slots available for more than two months.

When applicants are unable to find appointment slots, in some cases, they ask for the help of intermediaries. However, not long ago, UAE foreign residents were warned of fake agencies and have been called to complete the application process themselves.

Issuing the warning, a UAE VFS Global spokesperson said that many agencies are pretending to be their staff or partners.

As explained by the spokesperson, these agencies offer appointments telling interested applicants that their visa is guaranteed. However, VFS Global spokesperson said that this is a scam and that applicants never hear from the agencies again once they make the payment.

UAE passport holders are not required to obtain a visa to be permitted entry into the Schengen Area. On the other hand, foreign residents in UAE whose country of nationality does not have a visa exemption agreement with the EU need a Schengen visa to enter the bloc.

Source: https://schengen.news/eurowings-ceo-urges-faster-schengen-visa-processing-for-uae-foreign-residents/