AI visa bots are forcing UAE travellers to pay for ‘free’ Schengen visa appointments

Dubai: Travellers in the UAE trying to secure Schengen visa appointments for Europe this summer are increasingly facing a new problem: bots and unofficial agents snapping up free appointment slots and reselling them at inflated prices.

According to Monaz Billimoria, Regional Head UAE, VFS Global, automated bots are rapidly booking visa appointments the moment new slots are released online, creating what it described as a “false or forced limitation” in availability.

“The bots, unlike humans, are able to work tirelessly at scouring the appointment pages waiting for slots to be released, and snap them up at a moment’s notice,” Monaz said in responses shared with Gulf News.

“This creates a false or forced limitation of slots that are then sold outside at high prices. Whereas the truth is, appointments are available at no charge on our websites," she added.

The issue comes as demand for Europe travel from the UAE continues to surge ahead of the peak Eid and summer holiday season.

There are now an entire ecosystem of AI-powered and automated services built around securing Schengen visa appointments, especially for high-demand markets like the UK, Germany, France, and more.

Many of these platforms openly advertise automated monitoring, instant alerts and even auto-booking services for VFS Global, TLScontact and BLS appointment systems.

Travel agents told Gulf News that appointment availability varies depending on the Schengen country, with slots for popular destinations often much harder to secure. Some countries have introduced waitlist systems that notify applicants when appointments become available.

Agents also reminded travellers that Schengen visa rules require applicants to apply through the country that will be their main destination or first point of entry.

They advised UAE residents planning European holidays to start the process months in advance, prepare a clear itinerary with tentative travel dates, and ensure they have confirmed travel plans before applying.

Appointment delays, strong demand

Travellers planning trips to Europe’s Schengen Area between May and August are already facing limited appointment availability due to a sharp rise in application volumes, immigration services firm Fragomen recently warned in an alert.

VFS Global said travel demand to Europe has remained strong despite recent geopolitical tensions and regional airspace disruptions.

“Demand for travel to Europe remains robust,” she said.

“Across our Schengen visa centres, we continue to see strong daily application volumes with no noticeable decline attributable to the current geopolitical situation.”

According to VFS, demand for Schengen visas has been growing by nearly 10 per cent year on year and has increased by almost 22 per cent since 2022.

Why appointments remain difficult

The visa appointment crunch has become a recurring issue for UAE residents since international travel rebounded after the Covid-19 pandemic.

VFS said some embassies and consulates had briefly suspended operations during the initial weeks of recent regional tensions, although services resumed soon after.

However, the timing of the disruptions added further pressure to an already strained system. “The disruption did impact travel plans, particularly as it coincided with a period when many people were planning trips for Eid and the summer season,” Monaz.

“By the time operations normalized, it was closer to Eid and summer, and the resulting pent-up demand placed additional pressure on appointment availability.”

The company stressed that visa appointment capacity is determined by embassies and consulates, not by VFS itself. “It is not fair to generalise as different Embassies and Consulates have different appointment availability,” she added .

VFS also clarified that Schengen appointments are generally released up to six months in advance and are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional slots may appear periodically when cancellations occur or embassies release more capacity.

Warning against unofficial agents

The growing shortage of appointments has fuelled a parallel market of unofficial agents charging travellers for faster slots.

VFS warned applicants against paying high fees to third parties for appointments that are officially free.

“While we continue to work towards circumventing this growing issue, we also urge applicants to beware of malicious entities extracting high prices for what are actually free appointment slots,” Monaz said.

“Plan your trip in advance, apply for a visa early, and avoid last minute challenges.”

The company said some countries have also introduced waitlist systems that notify applicants when appointments become available.

Despite rising travel costs and ongoing visa frustrations, Europe continues to remain one of the most popular summer destinations for UAE travellers due to its proximity and strong air connectivity from the region.