Spain, Portugal and Italy are all part of the Schengen area. One Schengen visa lets you travel between 29 European countries without border checks, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Citizens of the UAE do not need a visa for short stays; most other Gulf passports do. Here is how to make the application simple.
1. Apply to the right country
You apply to the embassy (or its visa centre) of the country where you will spend the most nights. If the nights are equal, apply to the country you enter first. For example, 5 nights in Madrid and 3 in Lisbon means a Spanish visa.
2. Apply at the right time
You can apply up to six months before your trip, and at the latest 15 days before. In summer the appointment calendars fill up quickly, so for July and August trips we recommend applying in March or April.
3. Prepare the documents
- Passport valid for at least 3 months after your return, issued in the last 10 years, with two blank pages.
- Recent passport photos on a white background.
- Travel medical insurance covering at least 30,000 euros for the whole Schengen area.
- Flight reservation and hotel bookings for every night.
- Bank statements for the last three to six months and a salary or employment letter.
- For children: birth certificate and, if one parent is not travelling, a signed consent letter.
Our tip: make sure the names and dates are identical on every document – passport, flights, hotels and insurance. Small differences are the most common reason for extra questions.
4. The appointment
At the visa centre your fingerprints are taken (they stay valid for later applications) and you pay the fee. The standard fee is 90 euros for adults and 45 euros for children aged 6 to 12; children under 6 do not pay. Visa centres add a service fee.
5. Waiting for the answer
The usual decision time is around 15 days, sometimes longer in high season. Recent EU rules allow travellers with a good history of previous visas to receive multiple-entry visas valid for longer periods, which makes the next trips much easier.
Can we help?
We prepare the hotel bookings, transfers and the full itinerary in the format embassies expect, and we can advise on the documents. Visa decisions are always made by the embassy, so apply early and keep copies of everything.
