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UAE Residents Turn to UK Visit Visas as Schengen Delays Become Long

Prime Highlights:

UAE residents are facing long waiting times for Schengen visas, and along the way, UK travel is becoming popular.
The UK has a super-fast visa system with an in-principle decision within one day

Key Facts:

Schengen appointments in the UAE are mostly unavailable until May or June months.
The UK’s Super Priority visa service ensures a decision within the next working day.
Normal UK visitor visas take approximately three weeks after giving biometrics.

Key Background

With increased travel demand this year, most residents in the UAE find it difficult to obtain Schengen visas because of unavailability of appointments and extended waiting times. Top Schengen holiday destinations such as France, Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy are said to have blocked-out calendars with no appointment slots until late spring or summer. The backlog is leaving travelers who plan to go to Europe angry.

The United Kingdom is, however, an extremely popular destination substitute due to its streamlined visa process. The UK provides a “Super Priority” visa service that ensures applicants are notified within 24 hours of having biometrics taken. If the biometric appointment is nonetheless on a weekend or a UK bank holiday, the decision will be published on the subsequent working day. This expedited service has an additional premium charge of £1,000 over the normal visa charges.

Alternatively, for faster processing but at a lower price, the UK offers a “Priority Visa” service, which takes five working days to determine, for £500 in addition to the normal fees. Standard visitor visas allowing six months’ stay typically take three weeks from the point when biometrics are given.

Apart from the usual six-month visitor visas, the UK also offers longer-term visitor visas for two, five, and ten years. These visas allow multiple entries but a single stay cannot last more than six months. The cost of these visas is between £475 to more than £1,000, depending on how long the visa lasts.

Applicants are required to apply online, book a biometric appointment at any of the UAE UK visa application centers, and may opt for premium services like lounge facilities and courier return as add-ons to make it even more convenient.

With processing delays and hassle of Schengen visas, UAE residents increasingly now have their eyes on UK travel due to the speed, consistency of its visa process, and adaptability provided by its visitor visa programmes.