Process guide

Visa Processing Times and Document Checklist

Visa planning fails on timing far more often than on paperwork. This page puts the published processing windows for the destinations we handle in one table, sets out when to apply relative to your travel date, and lists the documents each application actually needs — including the ones travellers most often forget: residence-permit validity, stamped bank statements and a leave letter that matches the itinerary.

Schengen

15 calendar days, up to 45

Apply up to

6 months ahead for Schengen

Fastest routes

e-visas, 3–5 working days

Rules checked

27 October 2026

Eligibility is decided by the issuing authority. Visa rules are set by the issuing authority and change without notice. We re-check the current position for your passport and residence status before you book, and no page here promises an approval. The rules on this page were checked on 27 October 2026 against the sources listed at the foot of the page.

Published processing windows

Government windows where the authority publishes one; otherwise our observed range for a complete application, stated as such.

Application	Processing time	Basis
Schengen visa	15 calendar days, extendable to 45	Published by the European Commission
UAE visit visa (through us)	2–5 working days	Our service standard
Saudi tourist eVisa	Typically 1–3 working days	Official portal
Vietnam e-visa	Normally within a few working days	Official e-visa portal
Azerbaijan e-visa	Up to 3 working days	Official ASAN portal
Sri Lanka ETA	Usually within 24–48 hours	Official ETA service
Turkey e-visa	Same day to 2 working days once approved online	Official e-visa system
Turkey consulate visa	Around 2–3 weeks	Our observed range
Malaysia eVISA	3–7 working days	Official eVISA portal
Thailand tourist e-visa	7–10 working days in our experience	Our observed range
Egypt e-visa	Around 5–7 working days	Our observed range
United Kingdom Standard Visitor	Around 3 weeks from biometrics	GOV.UK guidance
United States B1/B2	Driven by the interview appointment — check the current wait before planning	Embassy scheduling
Canada visitor visa	Varies with biometrics and background checks	IRCC guidance

When to apply, working back from your travel date

Destination	Earliest you can apply	Comfortable lead time
Schengen	Up to 6 months before travel, and no later than 15 days before	6–8 weeks
United Kingdom	Up to 3 months before travel	6 weeks
United States	When the interview slot is booked — slots, not processing, set the timing	3–6 months
Asia e-visas and ETAs	Usually within 30–90 days of travel depending on the country	2–3 weeks
UAE visit visa	Any time before arrival	1 week

Core document checklist

Every application needs the first block. The second block is added depending on your employment status and who is travelling.

Document	What the authority looks for
Passport	Six months' validity beyond travel, two blank pages, no damage
UAE residence permit	Valid, with the remaining validity the destination requires — Schengen practice asks for 90 days
Emirates ID	Clear copy of both sides
Photographs	35 × 45 mm for Schengen on a white background; other destinations vary
Bank statements	Usually six months, stamped, showing salary credits and a balance consistent with the trip
Travel itinerary	Confirmed dates, hotel reservations and internal transport that match the application exactly
Travel insurance	Schengen requires at least 30,000 euros of medical cover for the whole area and period
Covering letter	Explains the purpose of travel and who is paying — required in practice for most consular files
Employment: NOC or salary certificate	Designation, joining date, salary, and approved leave that matches the travel dates
Business owners: trade licence	Valid licence plus a letter on company letterhead stating income
Students	Enrolment letter and the sponsor's documents
Children	Birth certificate, and consent from the non-travelling parent where applicable

The five mistakes that hold applications up

Dates that disagree — the form, the hotel booking, the insurance and the leave letter must all say the same thing.
An unstamped bank statement, or one printed minutes before submission showing a balance that appeared that morning.
A residence permit that expires soon after the trip, which consulates read as weak ties to the UAE.
Insurance that covers fewer days than the itinerary, or excludes the country actually being visited.
Applying too late: the published window is the minimum, not the planning number, and peak-season appointments in the UAE fill weeks ahead.

How long each application takes, and what to prepare — Questions We Answer Most

Eligibility, documents, timing and what happens if a visa is refused. Anything else, ask us on WhatsApp.

Where you can go with this visa position

Each destination page carries its own visa note for the passport you hold, along with the best time to travel and live holiday prices from Dubai.

Thailand

Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Krabi

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, Genting, Penang and Langkawi

Sri Lanka

Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Bentota and Colombo

Azerbaijan

Baku, Gabala, Ganja and the Caucasus foothills

Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Samarkand and the Silk Road cities

Europe

Switzerland, Italy, France, Austria, Iceland, the UK and more

Sources checked on 27 October 2026

Other visa guides

Schengen visa from Dubai →Pakistani passport holders →Indian passport holders →Filipino passport holders →Egyptian passport holders →British passport holders →Visa-free for UAE residents →

Send us your passport and travel dates

We check the current rule for your nationality and residence status, tell you what the application needs, and prepare the file. The decision stays with the authority — we will not tell you it is guaranteed.