Located in Abu Dhabi, the Norwegian Embassy issued a warning to visa applicants from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Qatar.
It said that they should submit their applications for a Schengen visa at least 15 days before they want to travel.
The Advice
The authority issued a press release for travelers from these regions. It also advised the applicants to not wait until they have received a positive response to their application before buying a ticket.
It should be noted that travelers are only permitted to withdraw their passports after the application has been processed.
The Royal Norwegian Embassy said that travelers have the freedom to apply for a Schengen visa to Norway at least six months ahead of time.
However, the Embassy suggests that travelers submit their applications at least 15 days in advance. The Embassy also advises travelers to wait until they receive their visa before purchasing a ticket. The Embassy is currently processing applications submitted in the first half of August 2024. The Royal Norwegian Embassy has disclosed that most of these applications came from Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Additionally, the Embassy is reviewing visa appeals submitted before August 2024.
This shows that there is a considerable amount of backlog of applications, which likely prompted the advice.
Maximum Cap
The Norwegian Embassy also said in the press release that during the high season, the processing time for visa applications can go as high as 45 days.
This is also applicable in cases where the Embassy asks for more information. Likewise, applications that are sent directly to the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) can also take just as long to be processed.
In addition, the authorities were quick to highlight that the applications would stay pending for as long as the applicant’s passport would be with the Embassy and not the VFS.
This is due to the fact communicating with the clients is the primary responsibility of the VFS. It does so because the Embassy does not receive social media messages, or phone calls.
The only way to get in touch with the Embassy is via email and they have to be written in English.
The Waiting Time
The Royal Norwegian Embassy states that it normally extends the waiting time for some visa applications during the peak season.
However, they said that their goal is to provide the applicants with an answer before their travel date. The Embassy will process the applications, as long as the applicants provide all the required documents. In 2023, the United Arab Emirates submitted a total of 10,691 visa applications for Norway, and the Embassy approved 72.8% of them. The Embassy also notes that applicants requested Multiple Entry Visas (MEVs) for 34.3% of these applications, totaling around 2,673.
