Schengen visa applications from the UAE have jumped by 20% this summer… thanks to the irresistible combo of the Paris Olympics and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Because who wouldn’t want to mix sports, sightseeing, and sing-alongs to iconic songs?

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UAE Schengen visa applications jumped by 20% in the second quarter of 2024

New data from The Visa Services, a Dubai-based visa expert, shows a 20% year-over-year spike in Schengen visa applications from UAE residents in Q2 2024. Europe remains a hot travel spot, snagging 65% of all travel requests processed by The Visa Services.

This surge is happening during peak travel season… primarily because of Europe’s great weather and major events like EURO 2024, the Paris Olympics, and of course, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Everyone loves TayTay, and they’re traveling abroad to catch her live! According to The Visa Services, summer is when visa requests skyrocket as people mix vacations with these fun events. Popular spots include Spain, Greece, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, and Switzerland. Europe better get ready for a wave of excited UAE travelers, from sports fans to Swifties…

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Is it hard to snag a Schengen visa?

While most Schengen visas get processed in 15 days, some countries like to take their sweet time—up to 45 days! In 2023, UAE residents saw a 22.44% rejection rate, but 77.56% got the green light. Last year, 74% of visas were single-entry, and 21% were for 3-6 months multiple entries. Fast forward to 2024, and things have flipped: 45% are now for 3-6 months, 30% for over a year, and just 25% for single trips. This year, 70% of visas are for travel (because who doesn’t love a good vacay?), 20% for business (gotta mix work with pleasure!), 7% for study (smart cookies), and 3% for medical reasons (stay healthy, folks!).

For those who were lucky enough… (totally not jealous)

Data shows that applicants during this period were mostly Russians (35%), followed by Indians (23%), Filipinos (16%), Egyptians (7%), Jordanians (6%), and South Africans.

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