UAE Residents

Subterms

    Latest story

    138 Shares

    UAE Residents travel to Europe: Schengen visa applications rise by 20%

    by

    Life

    by Ruman Baig
    1 min ago

    A significant uptick in Schengen visa applications from UAE residents has been reported by The Visa Services, a leading Dubai-based visa processing expert. 
    The company’s data reveals a 20% year-over-year increase in Schengen visa requests during the second quarter of 2024, underscoring Europe as a top travel destination for UAE nationals and expatriates.

    Europe Reigns Supreme as Travel Destination

    Europe captured a dominant 65% share of all travel requests processed by The Visa Services in Q2 2024, with the United States and Asia-Pacific regions following at 25% and 15% respectively. This surge in European travel coincides with a peak tourist season marked by favorable weather conditions and high-profile events such as EURO 2024, the Paris Olympics, and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

    Diverse Applicant Base and Changing Visa Trends

    The Visa Services caters to a diverse clientele, with Russians constituting the largest group of applicants at 35%, followed by Indians at 23%. Filipinos, Egyptians, Jordanians, and South Africans also represent significant segments of the applicant pool. Notably, families account for a substantial 58% of visa inquiries.

    While the processing time for most Schengen visas is within 15 days, certain countries may extend this period to 45 days.The company reported a 22.44% rejection rate for Schengen visa applications from UAE residents in 2023, with a corresponding 77.56% approval rate.

    A notable shift in visa trends has emerged in 2024. While single-entry visas dominated in 2023, this year has witnessed a growing preference for longer validity periods. Currently, 45% of visas issued are valid for 3-6 months, while 30% extend beyond a year. Travel remains the primary purpose for visa acquisition, accounting for 70% of applications, followed by business, study, and medical reasons.

    The Visa Services

    The company’s impressive growth, marked by a tripling of completed applications in the past year, aligns with the broader expansion of outbound tourism from the GCC region. The Visa Services’ success is attributed to its reliability, expertise,and ability to meet the evolving needs of its diverse clientele.

    As the GCC travel and tourism market is projected to reach $75.64 billion by the end of 2024 and $181.48 billion by 2036, The Visa Services is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for visa services in the region.
    – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
    Images: Instagram: @spain, @germanytourism, @swedense More

    More stories

    • 125 Shares

      in lifestyle and culture

      UAE Residents travel to Europe: Schengen visa applications surge 20%

      by

      Life

      by Ruman Baig
      6 seconds ago

      A significant uptick in Schengen visa applications from UAE residents has been reported by The Visa Services, a leading Dubai-based visa processing expert. 
      The company’s data reveals a 20% year-over-year increase in Schengen visa requests during the second quarter of 2024, underscoring Europe as a top travel destination for UAE nationals and expatriates.

      Europe Reigns Supreme as Travel Destination

      Europe captured a dominant 65% share of all travel requests processed by The Visa Services in Q2 2024, with the United States and Asia-Pacific regions following at 25% and 15% respectively. This surge in European travel coincides with a peak tourist season marked by favorable weather conditions and high-profile events such as EURO 2024, the Paris Olympics, and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

      Diverse Applicant Base and Changing Visa Trends

      The Visa Services caters to a diverse clientele, with Russians constituting the largest group of applicants at 35%, followed by Indians at 23%. Filipinos, Egyptians, Jordanians, and South Africans also represent significant segments of the applicant pool. Notably, families account for a substantial 58% of visa inquiries.

      While the processing time for most Schengen visas is within 15 days, certain countries may extend this period to 45 days.The company reported a 22.44% rejection rate for Schengen visa applications from UAE residents in 2023, with a corresponding 77.56% approval rate.

      A notable shift in visa trends has emerged in 2024. While single-entry visas dominated in 2023, this year has witnessed a growing preference for longer validity periods. Currently, 45% of visas issued are valid for 3-6 months, while 30% extend beyond a year. Travel remains the primary purpose for visa acquisition, accounting for 70% of applications, followed by business, study, and medical reasons.

      The Visa Services

      The company’s impressive growth, marked by a tripling of completed applications in the past year, aligns with the broader expansion of outbound tourism from the GCC region. The Visa Services’ success is attributed to its reliability, expertise,and ability to meet the evolving needs of its diverse clientele.

      As the GCC travel and tourism market is projected to reach $75.64 billion by the end of 2024 and $181.48 billion by 2036, The Visa Services is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for visa services in the region.
      – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
      Images: Instagram: @spain, @germanytourism, @swedense More

    • 163 Shares

      in lifestyle and culture

      A major update for UAE residents to convert their license without any lessons

      by

      Life

      by Sarah Joseph
      4 mins ago

      If you’ve recently moved to the UAE and have a foreign license, you might now be able to easily convert it without any added hassle.
      Per Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), a “golden chance” is now being given to expats to seamlessly convert to their UAE driver’s license without attending driving classes.
      Via an announcement made on Twitter, It grants visitors the right to drive with their national driving license or exchange it with a UAE license if they hold a residence permit.

      This is your Golden Chance to apply for a new driving license without attending driving classes and get a direct road test via RTA’s website.To apply, visit: https://t.co/FUovyYXMRd
      — RTA (@rta_dubai) April 28, 2023

      According to a list posted on the Ministry of Interior (MOI) website, license-holders from these 43 countries are allowed to swap a driving license from their home country for a UAE license. License holders from Albania, Portugal, Hungary, Greece, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Estonia, Slovak, Slovenia, Serbia, Cyprus, Latvia, China, Luxembourg, Lithuania, the United States of America, Iceland, Montenegro, France, Japan, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Malta, Italy, Sweden, Ireland, Spain, Norway, New Zealand, Romania, Singapore, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Finland, United Kingdom, Turkey, Canada, Poland, South Africa and Australia.
      Foreign license holders that are required to take lessons and a driving test can now easily apply to complete the road test from the RTA website, without completing driving lessons, under the ‘golden chance’ scheme.
      Previous rules
      Before, in order to obtain a UAE driver’s license in Dubai when holding a foreign driver’s license– it was mandatory as per the Road and Transport Authority (RTA) for certain countries to complete driving classes and a knowledge or road test. However, as per the latest scheme, it is now easier to apply for a UAE driver’s license in Dubai.
      To now apply you can visit rta.ae
      – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
      Images: March 2022 Inside Shoot with Ferrari  More

    • 163 Shares

      in lifestyle and culture

      UAE Green Visa: Here’s how freelancers and skilled workers can get 5-year residency

      by

      Life

      by Ruman Baig
      1 hour ago

      If you want to move to UAE without being tied to an employer, the UAE Green visa is tailor-made for you.
      UAE’s Green visa allows its holder to sponsor themselves for 5 years without the requirement of a UAE national or employer to do the same.
      As per Abu Dhabi Residents Office (ADRO), the vision behind this new visa is to make the job market more felxible and invite extraordinary talent from across the globe to UAE. It comes with  not just a long-term residency solution but also serves more benefits to the families of the visa holder, as opposed to those with a standard residence visa.

      Who is eligible for this visa?
      Freelancers, self-employed and skilled employees can apply for a Green visa.
      Benefits of the Green Visa
      Removes  the need for employment to reside in the UAE.
      Allows sponsorship for sons up to the age of 25 and unmarried daughters of any age.
      The Green Visa also offers an extended grace period of six months after the 5-year validity is over.
      Application criterias for freelancers and/or self-employed people
      Freelancers and/or self-employed need to submit a freelance/self-employment permit from Ministry of Human Resources.
      Emiratisation proof of a bachelor’s degree or a specialised diploma.
      Evidence of annual income from self-employment for the previous two years amounting to not less than AED 360,000, or proof of financial solvency throughout their stay in the UAE.
      Application criterias for Skilled employees
      Must have a valid employment contract.
      Should be classified in the first, second or third occupational level as per Ministry of Human Resources.
      Hold a minimum of bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
      Have a salary of not less than AED 15,000 per month.
      Application criteria for investors
      Approval from the ICP on the investment as per the investors’ rating system.
      Investment proof, if the investor/partner has more than one licence, the total invested capital will be calculated accordingly.
      Approval from competent local authorities.
      Green Visa process and cost
      Visit www.gdrfad.gov.ae or download the GDRFA-Dubai application.
      Create a new user account.
      Select the required service – Issuance of entry permit for green residence under Entry Permissions
      Click on the relevant subcategory: Skilled worker, investor, partner or freelance work
      Attach the required documents
      Pay the fees due for the service (Dhs2,280)
      Submit the request
      – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
      Image: Instagram More

    • 150 Shares

      in lifestyle and culture

      UAE and Saudi residents can now apply for an e-visa to Japan

      by

      Lifestyle

      by Sarah Joseph
      2 hours ago

      If Japan was on your travel bucket list this year, the process to visit is now a whole lot easier with the latest e-visa laws.
      The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has set up a new online tourist visa system, and only residents of a select few countries, including the the Emirates and KSA, as well as Brazil, UK, USA, Cambodia, Canada, Mongolia, Taiwan, Singapore and South Africa.
      JNTO’s Dubai office Executive Director Daisuke Kobayashi said the new measures will “will ease the process to visit Japan for touristic purposes.”
      As for Qatari nationals, a new “Visa Waiver Registration” Seal has been announced. They can now have their passports registered at the embassy. Upon registration, applicants will then receive a “Visa Waiver Registration” seal within their passport, which will entitle them to multiple short-term stays in Japan without a need for a visa for a period of 3 years or on the expiration date of the passport.
      For UAE nationals, the full visa waiver has been incredibly successful as no visa is required for them to visit the country.

      Application process
      All residents are required to apply more than 7 days before their trip. Applicants will need to apply via the dedicated website JAPAN eVISA, where upon successful submission, a digital confirmation visa will be sent to the applicant.
      At immigration, visitors will need to simply log on to the website and show the visa upon entry.
      The new system allows residents of permitted countries to apply for an online tourist visa which will grant e-visas for up to 90 days in Japan.
      No COVID-19 restrictions
      Per the Japanese government, the Japanese government has announced that it will cease COVID-19-related entry requirements to the country from May 8, 2023, in line with Covid-19 being classified as a common disease. This means travelers no longer need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test from May 8 onward.
      – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
      Images: Supplied & Feature Image: Instagram @hisa_ks More