How to book a VFS Global appointment in the UAE, and what to do when there are no dates

Dubai or Abu Dhabi

Most Schengen countries take applications at VFS Global centres in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, each with its own calendar. Which one you use depends on the country. Germany assigns the centre by emirate — Dubai and the Northern Emirates to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain to Abu Dhabi — and an appointment cannot be moved between them. France sends applicants from every emirate to Abu Dhabi, with an optional, paid enrolment point in Dubai. Italy decides by the emirate on your residence visa: Dubai and the Northern Emirates go to VFS Global in Dubai, Abu Dhabi to BLS International. Where a country lets you choose, check both calendars.

Of the 24 Schengen countries we track at VFS Global in the UAE, we track 22 in both cities. The full list is on the UAE board.

How booking works on the portal

1. 1

   Open the destination’s VFS Global page for the UAE

   Each country has its own, under visa.vfsglobal.com/are/en followed by the country's code — Germany's is /deu, for example. Italy is the exception, with its page under visa.vfsglobal.com/dxb.
2. 2

   Create an account and sign in

   With an email address you check; the confirmation and appointment letter go there.
3. 3

   Choose the centre and the category

   The centre is Dubai or Abu Dhabi, where the country allows a choice; the category is the purpose of your visit (see below).
4. 4

   Add each applicant

   With passport details exactly as in the passport. Families can usually book together.
5. 5

   Pick a date and time

   If the calendar shows none, the route is full for now — see what to do below.
6. 6

   Confirm and keep the appointment letter

   You will need it at the centre. Payment differs by country: Germany and France take the VFS service fee online when you book.

Choosing the category

The category tells the centre what kind of application you are bringing, and the names differ by country. On the portals we track, a tourist or family visit is booked under, for example:

• Germany: “Short Stay”, with “Business Purpose” for business trips.
• Netherlands: “Tourist Purpose”, “Family/Friends Visa” or “Business Purpose”.
• Switzerland: “General Appointment”, with “Business” for business trips.
• France: “Short Stay - Any purpose”, with “Short Stay (Business)” for business trips.

Pick the one that matches the visa you are applying for. Germany's page warns that booking under the wrong category loses the fee you paid, so if none fits, read the country's VFS page before booking.

When there are no dates

An empty calendar does not mean the route is closed. Centres release new dates from time to time, and cancelled appointments come back into the calendar — but there is no published schedule: VFS Global's France FAQ says new slots open on the consulate's instructions and at random times. On busy routes a released date can be gone within minutes. These are the options:

The waitlist and paid appointment options

VFS Global runs a waitlist for select countries in the UAE. Germany's UAE page strongly advises joining it: invitations go out in chronological order, the booking link in one is valid for 24 hours, and a waitlist booking cannot be rescheduled. VFS says that from May to September, booking Germany without the waitlist is highly unlikely. On our board, the portal currently shows a waitlist instead of a calendar for Germany and Switzerland. A waitlist place is not an appointment, so keep watching the calendar while you wait.

Some centres also sell optional appointment types: a Premium Lounge service, and Prime Time appointments outside normal hours. VFS Global France in the UAE lists Prime Time at AED 182 and the Premium Lounge at €70 on its optional services page; VFS Global Italy in Dubai lists both on its additional services page. On the portals we track, France and Greece list a “Prime Time” category and Norway a “Premium” one.

On the appointment day

• Bring the appointment letter, your passport and the full document set, with copies.
• Arrive on time.
• Expect fingerprints and a photo unless you gave them for a Schengen visa in the last 59 months.
• Pay whatever was not paid online: for Germany, the visa fee is paid at the centre in cash, in dirhams.

After that the application goes to the consulate. The decision usually takes up to 15 calendar days, and VFS Global lets you track the passport until it comes back. For the application itself, see how to apply for a Schengen visa from the UAE.

How often new dates appear on the routes we check

Our monitors record every time new dates appear on a UAE route we check. These were the busiest over the last 90 days; each route's page has its own pattern.

Dubai → Netherlands

160 releases on 71 days, typically about 8 hours apart

Abu Dhabi → Netherlands

137 releases on 71 days, typically about 9 hours apart

Dubai → Austria

112 releases on 51 days, typically about 8 hours apart

Dubai → Hungary

100 releases on 47 days, typically about 6 hours apart

Dubai → Germany

79 releases on 44 days, typically about 12 hours apart

Dubai → Greece

79 releases on 39 days, typically about 7 hours apart

Abu Dhabi → Hungary

60 releases on 35 days, typically about 15 hours apart

Abu Dhabi → Greece

60 releases on 32 days, typically about 10 hours apart

Dubai → Switzerland

56 releases on 39 days, typically about 19 hours apart

Dubai → Czech Republic

50 releases on 37 days, typically about 24 hours apart

Questions

Can I book a VFS Global appointment in Abu Dhabi if I live in Dubai?

It depends on the country. Germany and Italy assign the centre by the emirate you live in, and France sends applicants from every emirate to Abu Dhabi. Where a country lets you choose, each centre has its own calendar, so check both.

Why does the VFS calendar show no dates?

All released appointments for that route and category are taken. New dates appear when the centre releases more or someone cancels, without a published schedule.

Is Visa Catcher part of VFS Global?

No. Visa Catcher is an independent service that checks the VFS Global portals and tells you when a date opens. You book on the official VFS Global website, or, with auto-booking, we book there on your behalf.

Sources

• VFS Global: visa services in the United Arab Emirates
• German Missions in the UAE: Schengen visa
• VFS Global Germany, UAE: book an appointment
• France-Visas: applying from the United Arab Emirates
• VFS Global France, UAE: optional services
• VFS Global France, UAE: FAQ
• VFS Global Italy, Dubai: book an appointment
• VFS Global Italy, Dubai: additional services
• EU Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 (consolidated text of 28 June 2024)

Rules and fees are set by the consulates and VFS Global and can change; check the official pages above before you apply. Route status and our prices on this page are live. Visa Catcher is an independent appointment-tracking service, not affiliated with VFS Global or any embassy, consulate or government.