Every UAE resident applies for a Schengen visa through the same system: same form, same €90 fee, same visa centres. But a few rules depend on the passport you hold. Some nationalities need a visa just to change planes in Europe. One has a fast track to long multiple-entry visas. Some face extra rules on trips outside Europe. This page shows which rules apply to which passport, and links to the full guide for each nationality.
Checked on 5 October 2026 against the EU Visa Code, the European Commission and the Government of Georgia. Sources at the end.
On this page
- What is the same for everyone
- Comparison by nationality
- Full guides by nationality
- The airport transit visa list
- The cascade schemes
- Georgia’s one-year residence rule
- If your passport does not need a visa
- Questions people ask
What is the same for everyone
For anyone who needs a Schengen visa and lives in the UAE, these rules do not depend on nationality:
- You apply in the UAE as a resident, with a valid residence visa and Emirates ID, normally valid for at least 3 months after your return.
- You apply to the country of your main destination.
- The visa fee is €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 11, plus the visa centre’s service charge.
- Your evidence is UAE evidence: UAE employer letter, salary certificate and UAE bank statements.
- You need travel insurance with at least €30,000 medical cover.
- Your fingerprints and photo are recorded at the border under the Entry/Exit System.
The full process is in our Schengen visa from Dubai guide. In short: your passport decides which special rules apply to you, and your UAE residence decides where and how you apply.
Comparison by nationality
| Passport | Transit visa to change planes in Schengen? | Cascade for long visas? | Georgia one-year rule? |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | No | Yes | No |
| Pakistan | Yes, unless exempt | No | Yes |
| Philippines | No | No | No |
| Egypt | No | No | No |
| Bangladesh | Yes, unless exempt | No | Yes |
| Sri Lanka | Yes, unless exempt | No | No |
| Nigeria | Yes, unless exempt | No | Yes |
“Transit visa” refers to the EU’s common list. A few Schengen countries keep extra national lists, so check unusual connections with your airline.
Full guides by nationality
Each guide covers the rules above in detail, plus the issues that most often cause problems in files from that community.
| Guide | The key issue for this passport |
|---|---|
| Indian passport holders | Using the cascade to reach 2-year and then 5-year multiple-entry visas |
| Pakistani passport holders | The airport transit visa, and building a multiple-entry record without a cascade |
| Filipino passport holders | Household service worker files, middle names and PSA documents |
| Egyptian passport holders | Arabic documents, legalisation without an apostille, and family invitations |
| Bangladeshi passport holders | The transit visa, payroll card salaries, and apostilles some countries reject |
| Sri Lankan passport holders | The transit visa, names written with initials, and domestic worker files |
| Nigerian passport holders | The transit visa on routes home, document checks, and business owner files |
The airport transit visa list
Normally, changing planes in a Schengen airport without going through immigration needs no visa. Nationals of the countries below need an airport transit visa (ATV), unless they are exempt. This list is set in Annex IV of the EU Visa Code:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka.
You are exempt if you hold a valid Schengen visa or residence permit, or a valid visa for the United States, Canada or Japan, or a residence permit from the US, Canada, Japan, Andorra or San Marino. A UAE residence permit does not exempt you, and nor does a UK visa under the common rules.
If you hold one of these passports and none of the exemptions, book direct flights or connect through a non-Schengen hub such as Doha, Istanbul or London. Otherwise, apply for an ATV at the consulate of the country where you change planes.
The cascade schemes
The standard Visa Code lets any applicant build up to multiple-entry visas of up to five years, based on previous visas used lawfully. That usually takes several years.
For a few countries, the EU has adopted a national cascade: fixed, faster steps to longer visas. As of October 2026, these cover India, Türkiye and Indonesia. None of the other nationalities on this page has one. You may read that Pakistan, the Philippines or Sri Lanka will be added. Nothing has been adopted, so do not plan around it.
Whatever your passport, three things help you get a longer visa: select multiple entry on the form, include copies of previous visas, and use every visa lawfully. Check your days with our 90/180-day calculator.
Georgia’s one-year residence rule
Georgia is not in Schengen, but it is a popular short trip from the UAE, and its rules depend on your passport. Since 16 May 2025, citizens of 17 countries can enter Georgia without a visa on a UAE residence permit only if it is multiple-entry and has at least one year of validity left on the day they arrive:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Uganda and Yemen.
Our Georgia entry rules guide covers the details.
If your passport does not need a visa
Some UAE residents hold passports that can visit Schengen without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180, including UAE nationals and citizens of the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and many others. You do not apply for a visa. You still have your fingerprints and photo taken under the Entry/Exit System, and once ETIAS starts you will need an online travel authorisation before you fly. ETIAS is expected to start in the last quarter of 2026.
Questions people ask
Does my nationality affect my Schengen visa from the UAE?
The process is the same for everyone. Your passport decides whether you need a transit visa, whether a cascade applies, and some rules outside Schengen. Your UAE residence decides where you apply and which documents you use.
Which nationalities need a transit visa for Europe?
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka, unless an exemption applies, such as a valid US, Canadian, Japanese or Schengen visa.
Which nationalities have a Schengen cascade?
India, Türkiye and Indonesia, as of October 2026.
Are refusal rates published by nationality?
Not for applications made in the UAE. The European Commission publishes data by consulate, not by the nationality of applicants. See our Schengen visa statistics for the UAE.
Related guides
- Schengen visa from Dubai and the UAE
- Which Schengen country to apply to
- Schengen requirements checklist by applicant type
- Schengen visa refusal appeal from the UAE
Sources
- EU Visa Code, Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 — Article 3 and Annex IV on airport transit visas, Article 24 on multiple-entry visas: eur-lex.europa.eu
- European Commission — Visa statistics for consulates, 2025: home-affairs.ec.europa.eu
- European External Action Service — cascade regime for Indian nationals, 18 April 2024
- Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia — statement on the amendments of 17 April 2025: mia.police.ge
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, and Sifqa does not process applications. Read the editorial policy.
Last checked 5 October 2026. Rechecked quarterly and when EU visa rules change. Found an error? Email [email protected] — it gets fixed and logged.