Abu Dhabi

All Schengen visa applications should be lodged in a VFS center in the UAE.

INVITERS! Please send the invitation and all the additional documents to the applicant to take with them to the appointment at VFS. Do not send these documents to the Embassy!

! Concerning your visa status – PLEASE CONTACT VFS! DO NOT send inquiry e-mails to the Embassy!

If your intended stay in Estonia is up to 90 days from the date of first entry in the territory of the Schengen countries, you have to apply for a C-type visa (also called “Schengen visa” or a “short-stay visa”). A Schengen visa entitles you to travel to the EU member states which are members of the Schengen area, as well as four non-EU countries (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Lichtenstein). The process of applying for the visa depends on the country of your passport and your residency, as explained below.

Please note that the minimum processing time is 15 calendar days (it may be further delayed depending on the case). All applications must be submitted at least 15-20 days prior to the proposed date of travel to accommodate any unforeseen processing delays.

You must lodge the application for a Schengen visa at the Embassy of the country that you intend to visit, or – if you intend to visit more than one Schengen State, the Embassy of the country which is the main destination of the stay (in terms of the length or purpose!). If you intend to visit several Schengen States and the stays will be of equal length or the aim in general is tourism, you must apply at the Embassy of the country whose external borders you will cross first when entering the Schengen area.

The Government of the Republic of Estonia has approved a sanction imposing a restriction on citizens of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus applying for an Estonian visa.

WHERE TO SUBMIT YOUR VISA APPLICATION?

Applying for a Schengen Visa depends on your citizenship, passport and country of residence. UAE passport holders do not need a Schengen visa.

Other countries’ passport holders who are residents of the UAE (have an Emirates ID) may submit their application at the Estonian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

If are not a resident of the UAE (have an Emirates ID), you must go to the designated Embassy of your home country. Your Schengen visa application will not be accepted at the Estonian Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Please see HERE for the full list of countries where Estonia is represented by another country’s Embassy for issuing Schengen Visas.

Estonian representations which are handling visa applications

WHEN TO SUBMIT YOUR VISA APPLICATION?

All applications must be submitted at least 15-20 days prior to the proposed date of travel to accommodate any unforeseen processing delays.

Please note that the minimum processing time is 15 calendar days (it may be further delayed depending on the case). This period may be extended up to a maximum of 30 calendar days in individual cases, notably when further scrutiny of the application is needed.

WHAT DOCUMENTS DO I HAVE TO TAKE WITH ME WHEN I TRAVEL ON A SCHENGEN VISA?

Mere possession of a Schengen visa does not confer an automatic right to enter the Schengen Area. At the external border, visa holders may be requested to produce documents justifying the purpose and conditions of their intended stay; that they have sufficient means of subsistence, both for the period of the intended stay and for the return to their country of origin or transit to a third state into which they are certain to be admitted, or are in a position to acquire such means lawfully.

WHO DOES NOT NEED A VISA FOR VISITING ESTONIA?

Nationals of the member states of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA) and any third-country national who is a holder of a Residence Permit of a Schengen country do not need a visa to enter Estonia. Furthermore, the holders of passports of certain countries do not need a visa to enter a Schengen region (including Estonia) for stays of no more than 90 days in a 6 month period. For a complete overview of who does not need a visa for visiting Estonia, click HERE

COMPLAINTS

Schengen visa applicants may submit complaints about the conduct of the Embassy staff, the external service provider or the visa application process.

A complaint can be submitted to the consular department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by e-mail: [email protected]. Important: It is not possible to lodge appeal against refusal, annulment or revocation of a visa to this e-mail.

The right to appeal the decision on refusal, annulment or revocation of a visa