Schengen visa from Dubai: refusal rates by country and consulate (2025)
Applying for a Schengen visa from Dubai? In 2025, Schengen consulates in the United Arab Emirates did not issue 24.2% of the 294,849 applications they decided (European Commission); among the countries with at least 1,000 applications, the lowest rate was Spain (14.1%). Fees in dirhams, insurance and money to show for each country: Schengen visa from Dubai, country by country.
How many Schengen visa applications made in the United Arab Emirates were not issued in 2025, country by country and consulate by consulate, with the easiest and hardest countries for applicants from the United Arab Emirates. Official figures only.
Schengen visas · applications made in the United Arab Emirates · 2025: 24.2% not issued (71,261 of 294,849 decisions)
Easiest Schengen visa from the United Arab Emirates, by the numbers: the lowest not-issued rate among Schengen countries with at least 500 decisions was Latvia (10.9%); the highest was Bulgaria (58.2%). Full ranking by country and consulate. Of the 74 countries with the most applications, the United Arab Emirates ranks 46 (1 = lowest rate). Multiple-entry visas: 55.5% of uniform visas issued in 2025 (by country).
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026); European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2024 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
Statistics, not advice. These are official figures for all applications made in a past period. They cannot predict the decision on your application, and a lower rate does not make a visa easier for you: you must apply to the Schengen country where you will spend the most time (or, for equal stays, the one you enter first), at the consulate responsible for the place where you legally live. Always follow the consulate's official requirements.
Schengen visa rejection rate by country, applications made in the United Arab Emirates
Tap a column heading to sort. "Not issued" includes refusals and applications whose examination was discontinued. * Fewer than 100 decisions: the rate can swing a lot.
| Germany | 22.0% | 27.0% | 40,555 | 31,124 | 8,883 |
| Netherlands | 30.5% | 20.8% | 31,634 | 21,358 | 9,482 |
| Spain | 14.1% | 18.3% | 30,265 | 24,814 | 4,171 |
| France | 16.7% | 18.9% | 28,160 | 23,364 | 4,702 |
| Italy | 19.1% | 15.9% | 27,398 | 22,162 | 5,236 |
| Switzerland | 21.3% | 21.3% | 25,603 | 19,881 | 5,449 |
| Denmark | 31.8% | 44.6% | 17,288 | 11,374 | 5,319 |
| Norway | 30.5% | 27.6% | 16,232 | 11,274 | 4,958 |
| Greece | 15.6% | 17.1% | 13,587 | 11,285 | 2,117 |
| Hungary | 35.2% | 33.5% | 10,424 | 6,691 | 3,636 |
| Czech Republic | 24.0% | 26.4% | 8,961 | 6,713 | 2,150 |
| Belgium | 19.8% | 18.0% | 7,460 | 5,917 | 1,462 |
| Austria | 16.4% | 25.1% | 7,406 | 5,568 | 1,116 |
| Malta | 45.9% | 45.0% | 7,079 | 3,809 | 3,235 |
| Sweden | 40.7% | 41.2% | 6,312 | 3,654 | 2,532 |
| Bulgaria | 58.2% | 35.9% | 4,494 | 1,778 | 2,473 |
| Poland | 32.5% | 16.2% | 3,123 | 2,094 | 1,027 |
| Portugal | 20.3% | 15.9% | 2,582 | 2,055 | 527 |
| Croatia | 42.6% | 45.8% | 2,092 | 1,129 | 848 |
| Finland | 18.0% | 25.4% | 1,603 | 1,304 | 287 |
| Slovakia | 31.5% | 32.8% | 1,110 | 737 | 357 |
| Romania | 14.5% | 15.9% | 1,095 | 935 | 158 |
| Slovenia | 27.0% | 28.9% | 1,049 | 690 | 286 |
| Luxembourg | 48.5% | 28.5% | 1,037 | 518 | 489 |
| Latvia | 10.9% | 6.2% | 762 | 671 | 82 |
| Estonia | 46.4% | 65.7% | 468 | 251 | 217 |
| Lithuania | 21.9% | 24.6% | 285 | 220 | 62 |
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026); European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2024 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
Easiest Schengen visa from the United Arab Emirates: lowest and highest refusal rates (2025)
Which Schengen country has the lowest rejection rate for applicants from the United Arab Emirates? Among the 25 Schengen countries that decided at least 500 applications made in the United Arab Emirates in 2025, Latvia had the lowest not-issued rate (10.9%) and Bulgaria the highest (58.2%). Smaller numbers move too much from year to year to compare. These rates describe past decisions, not your chances. See the easiest Schengen visa from the United Arab Emirates: all countries and consulates ranked.
Lowest refusal rates
Highest refusal rates
- 1Bulgaria4,251 decisions58.2%
- 2Luxembourg1,008 decisions48.5%
- 3Malta7,044 decisions45.9%
A lower rate is not a guarantee, and you cannot choose freely. Each rate mixes different travellers, purposes and documents. You must apply to the country of your main destination: the rule is on the European Commission page on applying for a Schengen visa (checked on 15 October 2026). Applying to a country you do not plan to visit mainly can itself lead to a refusal.
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
Multiple-entry Schengen visas issued in the United Arab Emirates (2025)
Schengen visas issued in the United Arab Emirates · 2025: 55.5% were multiple-entry visas (122,822 of 221,370 uniform visas issued)
Among the 25 Schengen countries that issued at least 500 visas in the United Arab Emirates in 2025, Slovenia gave the highest share of multiple-entry visas (85.2%) and Sweden the lowest (13.9%). All Schengen visas issued worldwide in 2025: 51.7% multiple-entry. Multiple-entry Schengen visas by country and by place of application.
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026); European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2024 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
Schengen countries that issued at least 500 uniform visas in the United Arab Emirates in 2025, from the highest share of multiple-entry visas. Tap a column heading to sort. "Change" is in percentage points; * fewer than 500 visas issued in 2024. Not shown (fewer than 500 visas issued): Estonia, Lithuania.
| Slovenia | 85.2% | 66.9% | +18.3 pts | 690 | 588 |
| Germany | 85.2% | 99.5% | −14.3 pts | 31,124 | 26,518 |
| Croatia | 80.1% | 73.9% | +6.2 pts | 1,129 | 904 |
| Austria | 79.5% | 76.9% | +2.5 pts | 5,568 | 4,425 |
| Switzerland | 68.6% | 70.5% | −1.9 pts | 19,881 | 13,629 |
| Belgium | 59.8% | 87.1% | −27.3 pts | 5,917 | 3,540 |
| Greece | 59.2% | 56.4% | +2.8 pts | 11,285 | 6,684 |
| Romania | 59.0% | 64.6%* | – | 935 | 552 |
| Norway | 58.9% | 54.3% | +4.6 pts | 11,274 | 6,636 |
| Denmark | 58.8% | 56.5% | +2.3 pts | 11,374 | 6,688 |
| Portugal | 58.4% | 60.2% | −1.7 pts | 2,055 | 1,201 |
| Luxembourg | 53.9% | 48.3% | +5.5 pts | 518 | 279 |
| France | 53.4% | 32.6% | +20.8 pts | 23,364 | 12,477 |
| Slovakia | 52.0% | 57.3% | −5.4 pts | 737 | 383 |
| Malta | 51.7% | 66.5% | −14.7 pts | 3,809 | 1,971 |
| Netherlands | 49.8% | 50.0% | −0.2 pts | 21,358 | 10,626 |
| Italy | 44.0% | 47.0% | −3.0 pts | 22,162 | 9,759 |
| Finland | 41.9% | 36.0% | +5.9 pts | 1,304 | 546 |
| Spain | 37.5% | 32.4% | +5.1 pts | 24,814 | 9,305 |
| Bulgaria | 33.6% | 48.2% | −14.6 pts | 1,778 | 597 |
| Hungary | 32.6% | 33.3% | −0.6 pts | 6,691 | 2,182 |
| Poland | 29.6% | 71.0% | −41.4 pts | 2,094 | 620 |
| Czech Republic | 26.6% | 25.3% | +1.3 pts | 6,713 | 1,787 |
| Latvia | 26.5% | 30.6%* | – | 671 | 178 |
| Sweden | 13.9% | 21.8% | −7.9 pts | 3,654 | 507 |
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026); European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2024 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
What this share means, and what it does not. A multiple-entry visa "allows several visits to the Schengen area for as long as the visa is valid"; a single-entry visa allows one entry (European Commission, checked on 30 October 2026). Every visit is still a short stay, of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. A multiple-entry visa is not a long-stay visa, a work permit or a residence permit. The Commission's file only says whether each visa allows multiple entries: it does not say how long the visas were valid for. The share describes visas issued in the past, not your chances: the consulate decides the number of entries and the validity of each visa.
By consulate
Each Schengen country's consulates (or visa sections) in the United Arab Emirates, by number of applications in 2025. Where a country is represented by another, the applications appear under the country that decided them.
| Germany | Dubai | 22.0% | 40,555 | 8,883 |
| Netherlands | Dubai | 30.5% | 31,633 | 9,481 |
| Spain | Abu Dhabi | 14.1% | 30,265 | 4,171 |
| France | Abu Dhabi | 16.7% | 28,160 | 4,702 |
| Switzerland | Abu Dhabi | 21.3% | 25,603 | 5,449 |
| Italy | Dubai | 21.7% | 19,422 | 4,207 |
| Denmark | Dubai | 31.8% | 17,288 | 5,319 |
| Norway | Abu Dhabi | 30.5% | 16,232 | 4,958 |
| Greece | Abu Dhabi | 15.6% | 13,587 | 2,117 |
| Hungary | Abu Dhabi | 35.2% | 10,424 | 3,636 |
| Czech Republic | Abu Dhabi | 24.0% | 8,961 | 2,150 |
| Italy | Abu Dhabi | 12.9% | 7,976 | 1,029 |
| Belgium | Abu Dhabi | 19.8% | 7,460 | 1,462 |
| Austria | Abu Dhabi | 16.4% | 7,406 | 1,116 |
| Malta | Dubai | 46.9% | 6,915 | 3,228 |
| Sweden | Abu Dhabi | 40.7% | 6,312 | 2,532 |
| Bulgaria | Dubai | 58.2% | 4,494 | 2,473 |
| Poland | Abu Dhabi | 32.5% | 3,123 | 1,027 |
| Portugal | Abu Dhabi | 20.3% | 2,582 | 527 |
| Croatia | Dubai | 42.6% | 2,092 | 848 |
| Finland | Abu Dhabi | 18.0% | 1,603 | 287 |
| Slovakia | Abu Dhabi | 31.5% | 1,110 | 357 |
| Romania | Dubai | 14.5% | 1,095 | 158 |
| Slovenia | Abu Dhabi | 27.0% | 1,049 | 286 |
| Luxembourg | Abu Dhabi | 48.5% | 1,037 | 489 |
| Latvia | Abu Dhabi | 10.9% | 762 | 82 |
| Estonia | Abu Dhabi | 46.4% | 468 | 217 |
| Lithuania | Abu Dhabi | 21.9% | 285 | 62 |
| Malta | Abu Dhabi | 4.3% | 164 | 7 |
| Netherlands | Abu Dhabi | 100.0%* | 1 | 1 |
Source: European Commission, Visa statistics for consulates 2025 (XLSX, downloaded on 15 October 2026). Short-stay (Schengen) visas, calendar year. All years on the Commission website.
UK visa refusal rate
The Home Office data show 172 UK visitor visa decisions for nationals of the United Arab Emirates from July 2025 to June 2026 (and fewer than 500 for study and work visas), fewer than the 500 we need to show a meaningful rate. See UK refusal rates for all nationalities.
Source: Home Office, Entry clearance visa applications and outcomes detailed datasets, year ending June 2026 (XLSX, published 27 August 2026, downloaded on 15 October 2026; next update 26 November 2026). Refusal rate = refused ÷ (granted + refused), as in the Home Office grant rate; withdrawn and lapsed applications are excluded. Figures from 2026 Q1 are provisional.
Australia student visa refusal rate
In 2025-26 Australia decided 451 student visa applications from primary applicants who are nationals of the United Arab Emirates and applied from outside Australia, fewer than the 500 we need to show a meaningful rate. See Australia visa refusal rates for all nationalities.
New Zealand visa decline rate
In 2025/26 Immigration New Zealand decided at most 20 visitor, student or work visa applications from nationals of the United Arab Emirates in each category, fewer than the 500 we need to show a meaningful rate. See New Zealand visa decline rates for all nationalities.
Canada temporary resident applications
IRCC processed 355 temporary resident applications from the United Arab Emirates in 2025, fewer than the 500 we need to show a meaningful rate. See Canada temporary resident approval rates by country.
Travel medical insurance
AffiliateA Schengen visa application must include medical insurance covering emergency medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation (European Commission, checked on 15 October 2026). SafetyWing's own FAQ says many members have used its Nomad Insurance for visa applications, Schengen included, but that it cannot guarantee every authority will accept it (SafetyWing FAQ, read on 31 October 2026). Check the minimum cover, the countries and the dates the consulate asks for, and the certificate you need, before you buy any policy.
See SafetyWing travel medical insurance (opens in a new tab)
SafetyWing sells travel medical insurance for travellers and nomads online. Some links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Buying insurance does not change the decision on your visa, and we do not know whether a given consulate accepts a given policy: check before you pay.
How to read these figures
- Where you apply, not your passport. The Schengen figures count applications made in the United Arab Emirates, including residents of other nationalities, and leave out nationals of the United Arab Emirates who applied elsewhere.
- Not-issued rate = visas not issued ÷ (uniform visas issued + visas with limited territorial validity + visas not issued), the formula in the Commission's file. Applications still pending at the end of the year are not counted.
- If you are refused, the consulate must tell you why and how to appeal (European Commission).
- Australia, New Zealand and Canada count applicants by citizenship (Canada: "source country"), like the UK, and each authority defines its rate differently: see the notes under each table.
- Full method: how we calculate the rates.
Other countries where people apply
Living in the United Arab Emirates? Schengen visa from Dubai: which country refuses least, the €90 fee in dirhams, insurance and money to show, country by country.
Schengen visa refusal rates by country, 2025 · Multiple-entry Schengen visas by country · UK visa refusal rates by nationality · Australia · New Zealand · Canada · Visa income calculator