How long a Schengen visa takes, country by country
Typical decision times for short-stay Schengen visas in every EU country, from application-centre submission to passport collection.
| Country | Typical decision | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Croatia | 0 days | There is no application to make. Non-British UK residents who hold a visa-required nationality apply to the Croatian Embassy consular section, 21 Conway Street, London W1T 6BN, by appointment (Mon-Thu 11:00-14:00). |
| France | 10 days | Slots released daily on the France-Visas platform. Reasonably available in most locations but Paris-bound tourists during summer may face 4–6 week waits. |
| Estonia | 10 days | Complete the application in Estonia's national visa e-application portal, then book a VFS Global appointment for biometrics and document submission. |
| Poland | 12 days | Appointments are booked only through e-Konsulat (e-konsulat.gov.pl). For C-type Schengen visas the consulate releases new slots weekly — every Sunday at 11:00 — and they are taken quickly; it is first-come, first-served, not a lottery. Since 1 March 2026 you must pick one of three categories when registering: "Schengen visa – tourism and other purposes", "Schengen visa – business purposes", or "Schengen visa – family or friends visit". |
| Italy | 14 days | Prenot@mi online booking system for consulates; VFS uses its own portal. Rome & Milan flights peak season = long waits. |
| Spain | 15 days | Appointments are booked online with BLS International (London, Manchester, Edinburgh). Standard slots can be several weeks out in peak season. Paid extras (premium in-centre service £100, premium lounge from £175, next-day courier £29.99) add comfort but do not speed up the appointment or the decision. |
| Germany | 15 days | Book directly on the embassy website. Waiting times vary heavily by country (2 weeks to 3 months). |
| Hungary | 15 days | Book a biometric appointment through VFS Global's Hungary UK portal. Optional paid add-ons include SMS updates, courier passport return and prime-time slots. The Embassy does not take walk-ins for Schengen visas. |
| Belgium | 15 days | Book online at visas-be.tlscontact.com. Prime Time slots (early morning and out of hours) cost extra. Biometrics are taken at your first Schengen application or if your last set is more than 59 months old. |
| Finland | 15 days | Book the Schengen appointment through the VFS Global Finland portal for the UK. |
| Lithuania | 15 days | Since 1 October 2025 the old EPM portal is retired: applications must be completed in MIGRIS (migracija.lt), and the appointment at the VFS centre is then booked and tracked through your MIGRIS account. |
| Slovenia | 15 days | Book through the VFS Global Slovenia UK portal; ten-fingerprint biometrics are taken at the centre. Consular fees at the London embassy are collected in GBP and move with the exchange rate. |
| Netherlands | 15 days | Book online via VFS. Generally responsive with 1–3 week waits for appointments. |
| Greece | 15 days | Appointments are booked online at uk-gr.gvcworld.eu. Peak-season slots are routinely booked out a month or more ahead, and the GVCW service fee must be paid online before the slot is confirmed — unpaid bookings are released back into the pool. A call centre (+44 203 7938 626) helps applicants who cannot find a slot. |
| Portugal | 15 days | Book online at visa.vfsglobal.com/gbr/en/prt. Premium lounge and prime-time slots are sold as paid add-ons; London slots fill fastest in summer. |
| Austria | 15 days | Book online at visa.vfsglobal.com/gbr/en/aut. Biometrics are taken at the centre; premium lounge and prime-time slots are paid add-ons. British passport holders do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days in 180. |
| Czechia | 15 days | Book online at visa.vfsglobal.com/gbr/en/cze. VFS handles biometrics and document intake; optional premium lounge, SMS and prime-time services cost extra. |
| Sweden | 15 days | Complete the Sweden e-application through the VFS portal, then attend the London centre for biometrics. Book three to four weeks ahead in high season; prime-time slots are a paid extra. |
| Denmark | 15 days | Complete the application online at applyvisa.um.dk and pay the fee first, then book a biometrics appointment at the VFS Global Denmark centre in London. |
| Cyprus | 15 days | Book online through the VFS Global Cyprus UK portal. Slots are released periodically and priority services are sold as extras. |
| Malta | 15 days | Book online through the VFS Global Malta UK portal; premium lounge and priority services are available at extra cost. |
| Bulgaria | 15 days | Slots are booked online at bgconsullondon.co.uk/book-online. Attendance is in person for biometrics; there is no postal route for visas. |
| Romania | 15 days | Register the application on evisa.mae.ro, then attend the London consulate on the allotted slot with the printed application and originals. |
| Slovakia | 15 days | Book the appointment directly with VFS Global or BLS International online; the embassy does not arrange slots. Biometrics are captured at the centre and a partner service fee applies on top of the consular fee. |
| Latvia | 15 days | Book the appointment through the VFS Global Latvia portal for the UK; biometrics are captured at the centre. |
| Luxembourg | 15 days | Appointment only, no walk-ins. Visa submissions run 09:00–16:00 Monday to Friday and passport collection 15:00–16:00. Consular fees are collected in GBP at the prevailing rate. |
| Ireland | 35 days | Create the application on AVATS at irishimmigration.ie, print the summary sheet, then book a slot (or use postal submission where the centre allows) at the VFS centre in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh or Cardiff. |
Figures are the consular amounts and typical decision times recorded on our country pages. Visa application centres (VFS Global, BLS, TLScontact, Capago and others) add their own service fee, and courier, photo or insurance costs are extra.
Frequently asked questions
- Which EU country processes tourist visas fastest?
- Based on our verified records, the shortest typical decision times are: Croatia (0 days), France (10 days), Estonia (10 days). Times are indicative and rise sharply in peak season.
- How far in advance should I apply?
- Typical decisions in our data range from 0 to 35 days, and appointment waits come on top. Booking as early as the rules allow is the single biggest thing you control.
- Do these figures include application-centre service fees?
- No. The amounts shown are the consular fees set by each country. VFS Global, BLS International, TLScontact, Capago and similar partners charge their own service fee, and courier, SMS, photo and insurance add-ons are extra.
Related guides
- France tourist visa
- Spain tourist visa
- Italy tourist visa
- Germany tourist visa
- Netherlands tourist visa
- Greece tourist visa
- Portugal tourist visa
- Austria tourist visa
Or compare countries side by side and browse all guides.