Which visa centre should UAE residents use? VFS Global handles many destinations, while BLS handles Spain and Italian short-stay applications in Abu Dhabi. Italy uses VFS in Dubai. Poland takes applications directly at its embassy. Check both your destination and consular jurisdiction before booking: the same country can use different providers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Reviewed on 30 October 2026 using embassy, government and authorised-provider pages linked below. This guide mainly covers ordinary-passport visitor applications. Work, study, residence and diplomatic visas can follow a different route. Confirm the current address and service availability on your appointment letter.
What is a visa application centre?
A visa application centre (VAC) is an authorised service provider that may receive documents, collect biometrics and return passports. The destination government makes the decision. A centre cannot guarantee approval. For online applications such as Canada or Australia, the centre may only handle a requested biometric or passport step.
Which centre handles which country in the UAE
Schengen countries
| Country | Who takes your application | Where in the UAE | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | VFS Global | Abu Dhabi: Level B2, The Mall, World Trade Centre | France-Visas currently directs residents of all seven emirates to Abu Dhabi. |
| Germany | VFS Global | Dubai for Dubai/Northern Emirates residents; Abu Dhabi for Abu Dhabi/Al Ain residents | Use the official waitlist. Walk-in exceptions include spouses of German/EU citizens and parents of minor German/EU citizens. |
| Italy | VFS in Dubai; BLS in Abu Dhabi | Dubai: The Gate, DIFC; Abu Dhabi: Nation Towers Mall | Choose by the emirate issuing your residence visa. Italian Embassy guidance. |
| Spain | BLS International | Dubai (I Rise Tower, Barsha Heights); Abu Dhabi (Tamouh Tower, Al Reem Island) | Applications go to the Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi the next working day. |
| Netherlands (also Luxembourg) | VFS Global | Dubai and Abu Dhabi | The Netherlands also accepts Luxembourg short-stay applications. Use the official UAE application instructions. |
| Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland | VFS Global | Check the destination-specific Dubai/Abu Dhabi centre listing | Addresses and opening hours vary; do not assume every VFS service uses the same building. |
| Austria, Greece, Hungary, Malta, Bulgaria | VFS Global | Dubai and/or Abu Dhabi, depending on the country | Check each country’s VFS booking page for the city. |
| Czech Republic, Lithuania, Portugal | VFS Global | Dubai and Abu Dhabi for short-stay applications | Use the country-specific VFS page; long-stay routes may differ. |
| Poland | Embassy of Poland only | Abu Dhabi (CI Tower, Khalidiyah) | No outside centre. Book through e-konsulat.gov.pl. |
UK, North America, Asia and others
| Country | Who takes your application | Where in the UAE | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | VFS Global for the outsourced application route | Use the Cyprus-specific centre listing | Cyprus is not part of the Schengen area. Check its separate visa and entry rules. |
| United Kingdom | VFS Global | Dubai and Abu Dhabi | Apply online on GOV.UK first, then book biometrics. |
| Ireland | VFS Global | Dubai and Abu Dhabi | Online form first (AVATS). |
| Canada | VFS Global (Canada VAC) | Dubai and Abu Dhabi | Apply online with IRCC, then give biometrics at the VAC. |
| United States | No outside centre | US Embassy, Abu Dhabi, or US Consulate General, Dubai | DS-160 online, then the official appointment system. Check current U.S. Mission service notices before paying or booking. |
| Australia | Online (ImmiAccount) | VFS Global if biometrics are requested | Apply in ImmiAccount and follow the biometric request: some applicants can use the Australian Immi App instead of attending a centre. |
| New Zealand | Online | VFS Global Dubai for support services | Apply online with Immigration New Zealand. |
| Japan | VFS Global (since 1 August 2024) | Dubai (Dubai and Northern Emirates); Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi and Al Ain) | Your emirate decides the centre. |
| South Korea | Consulate or embassy directly | Consulate General, Dubai; Embassy, Abu Dhabi | Follow the relevant Korean mission’s appointment, jurisdiction and payment instructions. |
| China | Chinese Visa Application Service Center in Dubai; Embassy route in Abu Dhabi | Follow the relevant Chinese mission’s jurisdiction | Start from the mission’s official instructions. Abu Dhabi uses the consular online visa system; Dubai publishes walk-in submission guidance. |
| Singapore | Authorised agents, including VFS | Dubai: VFS or Uranus Travel; Abu Dhabi: Omeir Travel | VFS is not the only authorised option. See the Dubai and Abu Dhabi mission lists. |
| South Africa | VFS Dubai; Embassy in Abu Dhabi | VFS Dubai for residence visas issued in Dubai/Northern Emirates; Embassy for Abu Dhabi/Al Ain | The official booking guidance distinguishes the two jurisdictions. |
| Saudi Arabia | Tasheer for applicable consular visa categories; online tourist eVisa for eligible applicants | Use the centre assigned by the official Saudi/Tasheer route | A tourist eVisa is a different process from a work or family visa. Start with the correct visa category. |
Dubai or Abu Dhabi centre: the emirate rule
The rule depends on the destination. Some missions use the emirate that issued your UAE residence visa; others describe jurisdiction by where you reside. Do not assume you can choose either city just because appointments are available. A common division is:
- Dubai centre: residence visas issued in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
- Abu Dhabi centre: residence visas issued in Abu Dhabi, including Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
Germany and Japan publish separate Dubai/Northern Emirates and Abu Dhabi/Al Ain routes. Italy specifically uses the issuing emirate of the residence visa, and the provider changes too: VFS in Dubai, BLS in Abu Dhabi. If your visa was issued in one emirate but you live in another, ask the relevant mission before booking. France and Poland currently direct applicants to Abu Dhabi.
How to apply through a visa centre
- Open the destination embassy’s website and find the page that names its visa centre in the UAE. Use that link, not a search ad.
- Complete the online application form if the country has one (UK, Canada, France-Visas, China, the US DS-160).
- Create an account on the centre’s booking site using your details exactly as they appear in your passport.
- Follow that centre’s appointment rules. Book yourself through the authorised portal. Standard slot booking should not require paying a reseller, but official application or service fees may be collected online. Some routes allow walk-ins.
- Attend if personal appearance is required with your passport, checklist, appointment letter and the accepted payment method. Follow the biometric instructions and keep your receipt/reference number. Children and applicants with reusable biometrics may have different appearance rules.
What you pay at a visa centre
You usually pay two separate amounts: the visa fee, which goes to the embassy, and the centre’s service fee. Examples published for the UAE:
| Country (centre) | Visa fee, adult | Service fee |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands (VFS) | AED 385 | AED 101.33 |
| Switzerland (VFS) | AED 395 | AED 112.58 |
| Spain (BLS) | AED 388 | AED 73 |
| France (VFS) | Paid in AED at the embassy rate | AED equivalent of €30.33, paid online when booking |
| Poland (embassy) | AED 388 | None |
Visa and service fees are generally not returned after a refusal. Cancellation and rescheduling terms depend on the provider. Confirm the payable AED amount when booking, because exchange rates change. For standard Schengen applications, the government fee is €90 for applicants aged 12 or over and €45 for children aged 6–11; children under six are exempt from the visa fee.
Optional paid services
Centres also offer extras such as premium lounges, appointments outside normal hours, SMS updates, courier return, photocopying and form-filling help. These convenience services do not improve your approval chances. An official government priority-processing service, where available, is separate from a premium lounge and may shorten processing without guaranteeing approval.
How to track your application
- Find the reference number on your receipt. Use the identifier requested by your country’s tracker; a GWF number is associated with UK applications, not every VFS application.
- Open the “Track your application” page for your country on the centre’s official site.
- Enter the reference number and the matching surname, date of birth or other details the official tracker requests.
- Read the status and its instructions. “Dispatched” can mean the passport is still in transit; wait for a collection or delivery notification before travelling to the centre.
A passport-tracking status does not itself confirm approval. Some countries notify the decision separately by email or through an online account. Read that notification and check any issued visa carefully. Contact the provider through its official country page if the stated processing period has passed.
Avoid fake centres and slot sellers
- Book only through the link on the embassy’s own website. Copycat sites and paid search ads look like official centres.
- Do not buy appointments from slot sellers. Pay only official charges displayed in the authorised booking system and keep the receipt.
- Nobody can guarantee a visa. Only the embassy decides.
More in our guide to Schengen appointment scams in the UAE.
Questions people ask
Which countries does VFS Global handle in Dubai?
VFS serves destinations including Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the UK, Canada, Japan and South Africa from Dubai. The route is country-specific: France’s current official guidance directs UAE applicants to VFS Abu Dhabi, while Italian applications in Abu Dhabi use BLS.
Where is BLS Spain in Dubai?
I Rise Tower, 27th floor, Barsha Heights (Tecom). Its premium lounge is on the 9th floor of the same tower. The Abu Dhabi centre is in Tamouh Tower, Marina Square, Al Reem Island. Submission is 9 am to 3 pm, Monday to Friday.
Can I apply for a France visa in Dubai?
No. All French visa applications in the UAE go through the VFS centre in Abu Dhabi. You can pay extra for VFS to collect your file from home.
Does the US have a VFS centre in the UAE?
No. US visa interviews take place at the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi or the Consulate General in Dubai, booked through the official US visa appointment system.
Can I go to the Abu Dhabi centre if I live in Dubai?
Only if the destination’s jurisdiction rules allow it. Italy, for example, assigns applications by the emirate issuing your residence visa and uses different providers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Check the mission’s instructions before choosing a city.
Related guides
- Schengen visa appointment in Dubai: how to book
- Schengen visa from Dubai and the UAE
- Which Schengen country to apply to from the UAE
- US visa appointment in Dubai
Sources
- France-Visas: United Arab Emirates (VFS Abu Dhabi, €30.33 service fee): france-visas.gouv.fr
- German Missions in the UAE: Schengen visa (VFS Dubai and Abu Dhabi by emirate): uae.diplo.de
- BLS International: Spain visa centres in the UAE (addresses, hours, fees): uae.blsspainvisa.com
- Embassy of Poland in Abu Dhabi: C-type Schengen visa: gov.pl
- VFS Global: Netherlands visa information for the UAE (fees and tracking): visa.vfsglobal.com
- VFS Global: centre directory. Reconfirm the country-specific address before travelling.
- Italian Consulate, Dubai: provider and jurisdiction
- Japan Consulate, Dubai: VFS and residence jurisdiction
- Ireland: UAE application route
- Canada: official VAC directory
- Australia: biometric collection options
- New Zealand: overseas VAC directory
- Czech Republic: UAE visa application route
- Lithuania: short-stay visa centres
Written by Asad Waleed M, Dubai. Asad has lived in the UAE for nine years and researches visa rules from government sources. He is not an immigration lawyer or consultant. Sifqa is not affiliated with VFS Global, BLS International or any embassy, and does not book appointments or process applications. Read the editorial policy.
Last checked 30 October 2026. Providers change contracts. Found an error? Email [email protected] and it will be fixed and logged.