BLS International is a visa application centre operating in the UAE on behalf of several European embassies. You submit your Schengen visa documents there, pay the required fees, and provide biometrics before the embassy makes the final decision.
If you're applying for a Schengen visa from the UAE and your destination country uses BLS International as its application centre, you'll submit your paperwork there rather than directly at the embassy. BLS handles visa applications for a number of European countries including Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and others — though this can change, so always confirm with the embassy before booking your appointment.
BLS doesn't make the visa decision. That stays with the embassy. BLS collects your documents, takes your biometrics, and forwards everything to the consulate. Understanding this distinction matters because it affects how you prepare.
BLS International operates Visa Application Centres in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and other Emirates on behalf of several Schengen member states. Countries that have worked with BLS in the UAE include Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Malta, among others.
Country assignments can change, and some countries switch between BLS and VFS Global. Always check the official embassy website or the BLS International UAE portal to confirm which countries they currently represent before booking.
The core document list is set by the Schengen embassy, not BLS. That said, BLS will check your file at the counter, and incomplete applications get rejected on the spot. Here's what you'll typically need:
For a full breakdown, see the Schengen visa documents checklist for UAE residents.
Embassies want to see that you have a planned travel route before they issue your visa. Buying a fully paid flight ticket before your visa is approved is a risk — if the application is rejected, getting a refund can be difficult or impossible.
The standard approach is to use a dummy flight ticket — a confirmed flight reservation with a real PNR code that can be verified in airline booking systems. BLS and the embassies it serves accept these as proof of travel intent. A dummy ticket from Travl.ae starts from AED 49 and is delivered to your email in standard airline booking format.
It's worth reading more about why buying a real ticket before your visa is approved is a risky move before you spend money on a non-refundable booking.
Travel insurance is not optional for a Schengen visa. Every application must include a policy with at least EUR 30,000 in medical coverage, valid across the entire Schengen zone for the full duration of your trip. BLS will check this at the counter.
Schengen visa travel insurance from Travl.ae is issued by AXA, starts from AED 30, and is accepted by BLS International and VFS Global. It meets all embassy requirements including medical emergencies, hospitalisation, and repatriation.
If you travel frequently or plan multiple European trips in the year, an annual multi-trip insurance policy from AED 245 may work out considerably cheaper than buying single-trip cover each time.
For more detail on what's required, see the guide on Schengen visa travel insurance requirements.
Appointments at BLS International UAE are booked online through their portal. Here's the general process:
Appointment availability can be tight during peak summer and holiday seasons. Book as early as possible. Processing times typically range from five to fifteen working days once BLS forwards your application, but this varies by country and season. See the full breakdown on how long Schengen visa processing takes from Dubai.
BLS charges a service fee on top of the standard Schengen visa fee. The embassy visa fee is set at EUR 90 for adults (as of 2025), and BLS adds a separate handling or service charge. The exact BLS fee depends on the country and any optional add-on services like SMS tracking or document courier. Always check the current fee schedule on the BLS portal before your appointment.
For a complete picture of all the costs involved, the Schengen visa fees breakdown for UAE applicants covers embassy fees, service charges, insurance, and other costs in one place.
BLS can refuse to accept your application if documents are missing or incorrect. The most common issues are expired insurance policies, photos that don't meet biometric standards, incomplete bank statements, and application forms that aren't signed. Sort these before you arrive — you'll waste your appointment slot otherwise.
If your visa is ultimately refused by the embassy, check the top reasons for Schengen visa rejection to understand what went wrong and how to address it before reapplying.
For a step-by-step walkthrough of the full application process, see the complete 2026 guide to applying for a Schengen visa from the UAE. And if you have specific questions, the Travl.ae FAQ covers the most common ones around dummy tickets, insurance, and visa documentation.
