UAE residents planning European summer travel are seeing relatively favourable odds on multiple-entry Schengen visas this year, with several major destinations posting approval rates above 75 percent, provided applicants secure consular appointments in time (per Gulf News and Bazaar Times).
Where approvals are strongest
Germany has emerged as a top choice, posting an 85.20 percent multiple-entry visa (MEV) issuance rate despite processing more than 40,000 applications from the UAE. Slovenia technically leads the MEV table at 85.22 percent, but on a far smaller base of roughly 588 multi-entry visas issued (per Gulf News).
Austria hits what advisers describe as the sweet spot: a 75.18 percent overall approval rate paired with a 79.47 percent MEV rate among successful applicants. Switzerland issues multi-entry passes to 68.55 percent of approved travellers, while Belgium, Greece and Romania each sit around 59 percent on MEV (per Bazaar Times).
Watch the rejection tail
Headline MEV percentages do not tell the full story. Croatia, for instance, ranks third on MEV at 80.07 percent but rejects nearly half of all UAE applicants, leaving an overall approval rate of just 53.97 percent (per Gulf News). Romania, by contrast, posts the highest pure approval rate at 85.39 percent, making it among the easiest yes destinations even though its MEV share is lower than Germany or Austria.
Summer demand and timing
With a nearly two-month school summer holiday approaching across UAE schools, consular appointment capacity is already tightening. Visa advisers recommend UAE residents start the process 8 to 10 weeks ahead of their planned travel date, particularly for July and August departures (per Wego and Green Apple Travel).
European-wide application volumes
EU and Schengen consulates received close to 12 million Schengen applications in 2025 and issued more than 10 million visas, a roughly 3 percent rise on 2024 levels (per the European Commission Migration and Home Affairs directorate). That growth reflects strong rebound demand from Gulf and Asian markets and is feeding the appointment crunch UAE residents are now navigating.
Practical advice
For frequent travellers, applying via Germany, Austria or Switzerland maximises the chance of receiving a long-validity multi-entry sticker rather than a single-trip visa. For first-time applicants or those with thinner travel histories, Romania high pure-approval rate makes it a strong starter destination, though it sits outside the core Schengen passport-free area on land borders and should be checked against the traveller wider itinerary.
