Schengen status will benefit UAE citizens

If UAE citizens travelling to the EU are afforded visa-free travel, it will be good news for Emiratis and their European destinations.

With its high per capita income, a geographical location that places it within five or six hours of much of Asia and Europe, and two world-class airlines flying to and from almost everywhere, the UAE is a major target market for international tourism operators.

Despite this, travelling overseas is more difficult than it ought to be for Emiratis, because of the need to obtain visas for many popular destinations.

According to the latest survey by international residence-planning consultancy Henley and Partners, citizens of the United Kingdom, Finland and Denmark can visit 173 nations visa-free. In comparison, UAE passport holders can visit just 72 countries without having a prearranged visa. And, as everybody who has ever had to gather together personal documents, stand in a queue at an embassy and undergo an intrusive interview knows, that can be time-consuming and frustrating.

What’s even more frustrating is that many countries whose citizens are afforded visas on arrival in the UAE do not offer reciprocity to Emiratis.

Finally, it looks like that’s about to change – at least when it comes to the Schengen nations, including most of the European Union (except Ireland, the UK and some of the EU’s new members), as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Schengen status, which is already available to citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Mexico and much of South America, permits European travel for up to 90 days.

A breakthrough occurred this week when the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee unanimously approved a proposal to extend Schengen status to UAE citizens. As The National reported yesterday, the full European Parliament and Council of Ministers will vote on the proposal next year, and there is every reason to believe it will pass.

As the committee noted, Emiratis are keen travellers and there is no risk of attempts at illegal immigration.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the UAE Foreign Minister, as well as Sulaiman Al Mazrouei, the ambassador to the European Union, and their staff deserve credit for pursuing this issue, which will be of great benefit to UAE citizens – and have a positive economic effect on the nations they are free to visit. It will be a win for both Europe and the UAE.