This article has been reviewed by Wego’s editorial team to ensure that the content is up to date & accurate.
Updated February 2023
Currently, travellers from more than 50 countries are able to travel to the Schengen Area without a visa as per the visa-free agreement with the EU. Since the UAE is one of those countries, we have gathered all the European countries that UAE travellers can visit without a visa for their next holiday.
Can I travel to Europe without a visa from UAE?
To travel to the Schengen area without a visa, Emiratis will need a passport that is valid for at least 3 months past the length of time they plan to spend in the region in order to enter Europe without a visa.
According to the latest update, even if the processing time for several European countries has significantly shortened, UAE citizens who intend to visit Schengen nations may have to wait until December for Schengen visas.
Executives in the UAE’s travel sector have observed a significant demand for Schengen visa applications. Depending on the destination and the applicant’s papers, the processing period has decreased to just 15 days for some countries and up to two months for others.
Other than that, it is advisable to purchase travel or health insurance in case of an emergency. Below is the list of the Europe countries that UAE residents can visit without a visa:
Europe visa-free countries for UAE residents
- Albania
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia & Hertzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Malta
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Ukraine
- Vatican City
Please note that the other Europe regions (non-Schengen area) that are not listed above would require different visa rules than the countries in the Schengen area.
ETIAS for UAE residents
The European Union (EU) has recently postponed the launch of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) for another six (6) months to November 2023.
Therefore, from then onwards, all individuals travelling to Europe with a United Arab Emirates passport, or any of the other countries with a visa waiver agreement with Europe, will need to apply for and obtain an approved European visa waiver before they travel.
