Getting a Schengen visa starts online and ends with one visit to a visa centre for biometrics and to hand in your file. There is currently no fully online application for a Schengen tourist visa, because fingerprints are taken in person. This guide covers the steps in the right order for applicants from Saudi Arabia and Egypt, how to book an appointment at VFS, TLS or BLS, and what to do if no appointment is available.

Step 1: Identify the responsible embassy

Before anything else, identify the embassy you will apply to, because this decides the centre, the form and the document list. The rule is simple:

• If you are visiting one country, apply to its embassy.
• If your trip covers more than one country, apply to the embassy of the country where you will spend the longest time.
• If the stays are equal, apply to the embassy of your first point of entry.

You apply from the country where you legally reside: a resident of Saudi Arabia applies from Saudi Arabia, and a resident of Egypt applies from Egypt, even if their nationality is different.

Step 2: Find the application centre that serves the country

Most Schengen embassies do not receive applications directly, but through an external service provider that receives files and biometrics and sends them to the embassy. The best-known providers in Saudi Arabia and Egypt are:

• VFS Global: serves most Schengen countries, including France and Austria in Saudi Arabia, through its centres in Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar. These centres have a separate guide: booking an appointment at the unified visa centre.
• TLScontact: serves some countries, such as Germany in Saudi Arabia.
• BLS International: serves countries such as Spain. Details are in our Spain visa from Saudi Arabia guide.

Providers can change with new contracts, so always start from the visa page on the embassy’s own website and follow the official link there. Avoid intermediary websites that sell appointments; official appointments are not for sale.

Step 3: Create an account and fill in the application form

Register with your email on the centre’s website and activate your account, then fill in the application form. Some countries have their own official portal, such as France, whose applications are filled in on France-Visas before booking an appointment. Tips for filling it in:

• Write your name exactly as in your passport, without shortening your middle name.
• Choose “multiple entry” if you travel more than once, especially Saudi citizens eligible for a 5-year visa.
• Enter the same trip dates as in your bookings, as any difference is noticed immediately.
• Save the form, print it and sign it before your appointment.

Step 4: Book your Schengen visa appointment

Choose the city, visa type (tourism, family visit, business), number of applicants, then the nearest available appointment. Save and print the confirmation, as it is required for entry. You can apply no earlier than 6 months and no later than 15 days before travel, and it is best to start at least two months before summer.

If you can’t find an appointment

• Check the system often in the early morning, as centres add cancelled or new appointments at set times.
• Try a centre in another city; some countries, such as France, let you apply at any centre in the country.
• Use the centre’s official premium services if available, bearing in mind they don’t speed up the embassy’s decision.

Step 5: Prepare your documents in the right order

Follow the full document list in our guide to Schengen visa requirements, arrange your papers in the order given on the centre’s website, and bring originals with copies. The key point at this stage is consistency: your flight, hotel, itinerary and insurance dates must all be the same. Order your flight reservation and hotel booking one or two days before your appointment so they are valid on the day you apply, and make sure your travel insurance covers €30,000 in all Schengen countries.

Step 6: Appointment day and biometrics

Arrive 15 minutes before your appointment with your passport, confirmation and complete file. The officer checks your documents, then your fingerprints and photo are taken, and you pay the official visa fee (€90 for adults) and the centre’s service fee. Your fingerprints are stored in the European VIS system for 59 months, so you may not need to give them again for applications within that period.

Step 7: Track your application and collect your passport

Track the status with your reference number on the centre’s website. Processing usually takes 15 days and can extend to 45 days in peak season. When you collect it, check the visa sticker immediately: name, start and end dates, number of days allowed and number of entries. Any error is easy to fix before you travel, and difficult after.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for a Schengen visa fully online?

Not currently. You fill in the form and book the appointment online, but biometrics and handing in your file happen in person at the centre.

Do I need a flight reservation before booking the appointment?

No. Book the appointment first, then order your reservations one or two days before it.

Do I need an agency to get the visa?

No. You can apply yourself by following these steps, and the decision rests with the embassy alone, whoever prepared the file.

Can I change my appointment after booking it?

Yes in most cases, from your account on the centre’s website, depending on availability.

Sources

• European Commission – Visa policy
• France-Visas
• Websites of VFS Global, TLScontact and BLS International in Saudi Arabia and Egypt