UAE citizens get Schengen Visa exemption

The European Parliament (EP) positively voted on Thursday to grant visa-free travel for UAE citizens to countries in the Schengen region in Europe.This was announced during a meeting held on Thursday in Strasbourg. The meeting posted a majority vote of 523 out of 577 EU members to support visa waiver.
The EU's endorsement of the visa waiver status for UAE citizens traveling to Schengen region is considered as an important stage which will be followed by setting up of a system to implement the decision.The process arrangements to put the decision in to effect will begin by setting up of a joint working team of the UAE and EU, which will implement the decision as soon as possible.


This team will intensify its operations to speed up the process of the establishment of decision as a prelude to the last announcement to allow UAE citizens visa free travel to Schengen cities. Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash,  UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs from Strasbourg congratulated the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for this great historic achievement saying that this historic vote is the result of two years of organised and relentless work which was under the leadership of Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, who followed all its stages from the beginning.

Thursday's EU voting is a reflection of the good reputation enjoyed by the UAE and its achievements on the regional and world levels, Gargash stated and added that the UAE will be the first country in the Arab region which got visa waiver for Schengen countries.

The European Parliament has voted by majority representatives to exempt Emirati nationals from the requirement of a Schengen visa during the vote session held on thursday at Strasbourg. Schengen visa waiver will now allow UAE citizens to travel free to Schengen countries without a visa.