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For a Germany visa from Dubai you apply at VFS Global, not at the consulate. This is for UAE residents whose passport needs a Schengen visa. The adult fee is EUR 90, paid in cash in dirhams when you submit. The German Consulate General in Dubai decides in up to 15 days. Your UAE residence must stay valid for at least 3 months after you leave Schengen.
Who files where
The German missions split the UAE in two:
- Dubai and the Northern Emirates (Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah): VFS Global Dubai.
- Abu Dhabi and Al Ain: VFS Global Abu Dhabi.
What decides it is the emirate on your residence visa, not where you work. The Consulate General in Dubai processes the applications. You never hand your file in at the consulate building for a visit visa, which surprises people searching for "dubai german embassy".
Germany must be your main destination. If you will spend more nights in Austria or Italy, file with that country instead. The Schengen visa from Dubai page explains the rule.
German visa fees from Dubai
| Applicant | Fee | How you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | EUR 90 | Cash in AED |
| Child 6 to 12 | EUR 45 | Cash in AED |
| Child under 6 | Free | |
| VFS service fee | Not stated on the consulate page | At the centre |
Source: European Commission fee rules and the German missions in the UAE visa page, checked .
Cash only is the rule people miss. There is no card option for the visa fee at submission. Check the dirham amount on the VFS Germany page the week you go, since it follows the euro rate.
What Dubai agencies charge for Germany
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 325 to AED 1,200 for a Germany tourist visa service (published prices of 4 Dubai agencies, checked ). Where the page lists inclusions, the EUR 90 consular fee is not in that price.
Documents for a German Schengen visa
The consulate's leaflet is stricter than most on paperwork from your employer and your bank.
- Passport valid at least 3 months after the visa ends, with blank pages.
- UAE residence permit valid at least 3 months after your planned departure from the Schengen area. If yours is close, renew first.
- VIDEX form, completed online at videx.diplo.de and printed with the barcode.
- Photos to the biometric standard.
- Bank statements in your name for at least the last 3 months.
- Letter from your local sponsor, meaning your employer, with your position, salary and approved leave dates.
- Travel medical insurance, EUR 30,000 minimum, with repatriation, valid in all Schengen states for the whole visa period.
- Flight reservation and hotel bookings for each night in Germany and any other stops.
- If you own a company: trade licence and company bank statements.
Applying, in order
- Fill VIDEX for a Schengen visa, type C. Print it.
- Book your slot on the VFS Germany UAE site. You can book up to 180 days before travel. Germany's leaflet uses 180 days where the EU text says 6 months.
- Get the employer letter and bank statements dated close to the appointment.
- Go to VFS with your originals and the fee in cash.
- Give fingerprints and a photo.
- Track online. Collect the passport at VFS or use the return service.
The Schengen visa appointment guide covers the day at the centre.
Processing time at the German consulate
Up to 15 days is the consulate's own figure for tourism visas. The clock runs from when the file reaches the consulate. Busy summer months can stretch it, and the EU rule lets any consulate take up to 45 days if more checks are needed. Do not book non-refundable flights before the passport is back.
Why Germany refuses visas from Dubai
- Leave not approved in the letter. The consulate asks for approved leave dates. A general NOC without dates is weaker.
- Short bank history. Fewer than 3 months of statements, or a lump sum paid in just before.
- Residence too close to expiry. Under 3 months after your departure from Schengen breaks the rule.
- Germany is not the main stay. The itinerary shows more nights somewhere else.
- Insurance without repatriation or valid only in Germany.
Tips that help a German file
Write a short cover letter that matches the VIDEX answers. Keep the same dates on the form, the bookings and the leave letter. If you have had Schengen visas before, copy them; a clean travel record helps.
How it works with us
Start by sending your passport, residence page and planned dates on WhatsApp, or fill the form on this page. A visa adviser checks that Germany really is your main destination and reads your employer letter and bank statements against the consulate's list. You see one total price before you pay. We complete VIDEX, draft the cover letter, arrange bookings and insurance if you need them, and book VFS where possible. You attend for fingerprints and pay the cash fee there. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service and has no link to the German Consulate General, which alone grants or refuses the visa.
The consulate keeps the visa fee if it refuses. Before payment, your adviser confirms in writing what share of our total, if any, would be returned in that case.
Official sources
- German missions in the UAE, Schengen visa: VFS split by emirate, cash payment, residence and passport validity, bank statements, employer letter, insurance.
- German missions, tourism leaflet: up to 15 days processing and the 180-day limit.
- VIDEX: the online form.
- European Commission, Schengen visa: fees and the 45-day maximum.
Going on from Germany? See Austria, Switzerland or the Netherlands. Outside Schengen, try visas from Dubai.
