WEALTHY Gulf visitors heading to Spain have been warned not to ‘visa shop’ by applying through smaller Schengen countries to try to ‘jump the queue’ when entering Europe.
The alert comes after VFS Global, which handles Schengen visa applications in the UAE, said travellers applying through countries they do not intend to visit risk immediate refusal and a permanent red flag on their record.
Agents say applicants sometimes try to secure faster appointments by applying through Luxembourg, Malta or other quieter consulates, before travelling directly to Spain.
Officials are now warning that the practice can trigger problems not only during the application process but also at the border, where officers routinely ask travellers to explain their itinerary, length of stay and choice of visa-issuing country.
Experts say this will become even stricter as the EU rolls out its Entry Exit System, which records fingerprints and facial data and links every crossing to a single travel history.
Visa refusals are logged in the EU’s Visa Information System and can complicate future applications for years.
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Travel centres in the Gulf report rising demand for winter trips to Spain, especially the Costa del Sol, as wealthy visitors seek out off-season stays in Marbella and Malaga’s luxury resorts.
Advisers say the rules are simple: apply to the country where you will spend the most time, or the country you will enter first if the trip is evenly split.
They also warn against private agents who promise ‘guaranteed appointments’ or ‘VIP processing’, noting that no such fast-track exists under Schengen rules.
Arab visitors are among the highest-spending tourists on the Costa del Sol, with average outlays per trip regularly surpassing €50,000 once luxury hotels, shopping and dining are included.
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Marbella has positioned itself as a year-round destination for travellers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, who favour private villas, five-star resorts and personalised concierge services.
Direct flights between Malaga and several Gulf hubs have made Marbella one of the most accessible Mediterranean destinations for visitors from the Middle East.
Gulf investors have become a growing force in Marbella’s luxury property market, with agencies reporting sharp rises in enquiries and purchases of multimillion-euro homes in areas such as Sierra Blanca, the Golden Mile and La Zagaleta.
Developers on the Costa del Sol report that interest from Gulf clients has surged in the past two years, particularly for large contemporary villas and high-end apartments close to Puerto Banus.
Marbella’s business community has actively courted Gulf tourists in recent years, attending fairs in Dubai and Riyadh to strengthen ties with a market known for long stays and high per-capita spending.
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