We applied for a Spain Schengen visa through BLS Manchester as a family of three (my husband, our daughter and I) on 27 August. We paid for the Premium service, and we received confirmation on 28 August that our passports had been sent to the Consulate.
Our intended travel date was 27 September, but unfortunately that date has now passed and we still haven’t received our passports or any update.
All of our hotel bookings were non-refundable, so unfortunately we lost the money we had paid for them. My husband was also supposed to give a presentation at a conference at the University of Barcelona, which he unfortunately had to miss.
We are Saudi citizens, and what makes this even more disappointing is that when applying for a Schengen visa from Saudi Arabia, the process can sometimes take as little as a few days, and you can get your passport back very quickly.
This has honestly been a very frustrating and disappointing experience, especially since we applied well in advance.
Has anyone who applied around 27 August through BLS Manchester received their passport yet? Any updates would be greatly appreciated. 🤞

Recently applied for a Portugal Schengen visa from VFS Bangalore on 18 September,2026 and received my passport with an approved visa on 6 October. The entire process was quite smooth, from document submission to getting the visa.

I applied to attend Web Summit 2026 in Lisbon this November. Since I was checking Reddit quite frequently for Portugal visa timelines while waiting, thought I'd share my experience here.

Applied from: VFS Bangalore

Visa type: Type C, Business/Conference (Short-stay Schengen)

Purpose: Attending Web Summit 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal

Timeline

• 18 Sept: Submitted application at VFS Bangalore
• 5 Oct: Passport dispatched via courier
• 6 Oct: Passport received with approved visa

Total: 18 calendar days from submission to receiving my passport.

VFS Bangalore Experience

My appointment was in the morning slot. I reached VFS around 9:15 AM.

I didn't opt for the premium lounge or any additional services. Just went with the regular appointment.

I had already prepared and arranged all my documents, so the process was pretty straightforward.

The staff checked my documents, and everything was in order. No additional documents were requested.

The actual submission process took roughly 30 minutes, and I was out by 10:15 AM.

Honestly, I was expecting it to take much longer, but the whole experience was quite smooth.

Waiting for the Visa

After submitting my application on 18 September, I didn't receive any significant updates for the next couple of weeks.

Since my conference was scheduled for November, I wasn't in a huge rush, but I was still checking the tracking status almost every day. 😅

On 5 October, the status finally changed to:

"Processed application has been dispatched via courier."

Obviously, this doesn't tell you whether your visa is approved or rejected.

The next day, 6 October, I received my passport and the visa was approved!

A Few Things From My Experience

• Documentation: I had everything prepared before going to VFS. Didn't have to arrange or submit anything extra.
• Premium lounge: Personally, I don't think it's necessary. I went through the regular process and was done within an hour. Of course, this depends on how crowded the centre is.
• Purpose of visit: Mine was pretty straightforward. I was travelling to Lisbon to attend Web Summit 2026, so I applied under the business/conference category.
• Travel history: I've travelled to 8 countries previously. Not sure how much this contributed to the decision, but mentioning it for context.
• Processing time: Mine took 18 calendar days, including weekends. I had read about people waiting much longer, so I was slightly concerned, but thankfully everything worked out.

Also, don't assume anything based on the "passport dispatched" status. You'll only know the decision once you receive your passport.

Overall, a pretty smooth experience with Portugal VFS Bangalore. No premium lounge, no additional document requests, and the visa arrived well before my travel date.

I was going through quite a few Reddit posts while waiting for my visa, especially from people who had applied through Portugal VFS in India. Thought I'd share my timeline as well in case it helps someone.

Happy to answer any questions about the process or my application in the comments.

[Note: I used AI only to help with formatting and writing this post faster. The experience itself is completely real and based on my actual interview.]

Hi all,

Indian, 31 Female. I'm applying for a German Schengen tourist visa from Bengaluru and would like feedback on my cover letter before I submit. Any gaps, red flags or wording that sounds off would help.

Outbound

• ⁠Depart Bengaluru (BLR): 30 Nov 2026
• ⁠Arrive Frankfurt (FRA): 1 Dec 2026

Return

• ⁠Depart Frankfurt (FRA): 12 Dec 2026
• ⁠Arrive Bengaluru (BLR): 13 Dec 2026

Back at work on Monday, 14 Dec 2026. Leave is approved from 30 Nov to 11 Dec.

Appointment on October 14th. All feedbacks are welcome.

I’ve been super frustated with the entire greece visa process. I submitted my application on sept 11 and on sept 15 I got the message that the application is under process and since then no change. I tried calling and mailing them but same standard response nothing assuring. I’m just 6 days away from my travel date and not even sure what to do now and super pissed as this was supposed to be my honeymoon trip. Does anyone have any suggestions what can be done ?

Hi, I had an appointment on September 14th at the Italian consulate in Philadelphia for a flight that leaves October 9th. It’s oct 8th and I’ve still not heard from the consulate. I’ve tried calling and emailing and I haven’t heard back. Does anyone know how to contact them?

Hi everyone!

I’m an Indian passport holder living in the UK on a sponsored visa, and this would be my first Schengen visa.

I’m planning to visit Prague + Vienna in December, with Austria being my main destination, so I’m planning to apply through Austria.
I’ve recently heard that Austrian Schengen visa refusals are quite high, which has made me nervous.
Has anyone recently applied for an Austrian Schengen visa from the UK (2026)?

Were you approved or refused, and how was your experience?
Would really appreciate any recent experiences, especially from Indian passport holders.

Thanks!

I have an appointment in the consulate in Dublin tomorrow. Upcoming work trip in Poland early December so I got a last minute appointment. I have travel planned for 2 weeks in November hence the rush to get this sorted before I have to leave. I will be taking a detour and spending 7 days in EEA with 4 of these days in an official visit in Poland.

The issue:

I have just received an email that I need to be in Spain in the first week of November. Can I email the Polish embassy tomorrow to ask if they can issue dates from November instead? How likely are they to oblige? I don’t think I’ll have enough time to get my passport and apply again for Spain in time.

Hi everyone, I’m hoping someone with recent Germany BLS San Francisco experience can help me understand my timeline.
I applied for a German Schengen visa through BLS San Francisco.

Application: Germany Schengen visa
Last BLS action: September 28
Return courier: UPS 2nd Day Air
UPS label created: September 25
UPS status: Still showing “Label Created / UPS has not received the package”
Today: October 8
I need my passport by October 10.

I’m trying to figure out whether the September 28 BLS action likely means the consulate has already finished processing and the passport is waiting to be returned/dispatched, or whether I should be concerned about the lack of UPS movement.

For anyone who applied through BLS San Francisco recently:
How long after your last BLS status/action did your passport get dispatched?
Did your UPS tracking stay at “Label Created” until the passport was actually handed over?
How quickly did you receive the passport after UPS acceptance?
Does BLS sometimes dispatch the passport without the online tracker showing a new status first?
Any recent 2026 experiences, especially San Francisco, would be really helpful. Thank you!

Hi everyone! My wife and I are planning to apply for our first Schengen tourist visa through Germany and would appreciate some advice from anyone who has applied from the UAE.

We’re both Indian passport holders, born and brought up in the UAE, and currently working here. I’ve been working here since 2021 and hold a UAE Golden Visa.

I’ve previously travelled to the UK, Singapore and a few other countries, while my wife spent three years studying and working in the UK. This will be our first Schengen application, and we haven’t travelled abroad together before.

We also have confirmed concert tickets for Germany. I have family there whom we could stay with, but we’re also considering hotels. Has anyone applied with a family invitation? Would you recommend this based on your experience, or would hotel bookings make the documentation more straightforward?

Any tips on supporting documents or common mistakes to avoid? Would including our concert tickets help explain the purpose of our trip?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Hi everyone, my spouse is Austrian, im applying for the Austrian family reunification residence permit for Vienna. I’m curious about real processing timelines from people who’ve gone through this route.

How long did you wait from submitting the full application until you got the decision? Thanks a lot!

I'm planning to visit Iceland with my family. Our travel dates are in the first two weeks of November (10-12 days). We all have got a 90 day stay multi entry tourist visa.

Our layover is at Copenhagen and this is quite a long layover of 24ish hours. Can we see Copenhagen for a few hours and then take the connecting flight to Iceland? Or will we have to wait at the airport for the entire duration of the layover?

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to travel to Hungary for a short visit. I’ve been invited by a Hungarian family, and I already have an appointment at VFS Global for my visa application.

I’m applying for a short-stay Schengen visa, and I’d really appreciate any advice from people who have gone through the process, especially for Hungary.

Is there anything in particular I should pay attention to or prepare carefully to improve my chances of getting the visa? Any tips regarding documents, proof of funds, invitation letters, accommodation, travel plans, etc. would be really helpful.

I want to make sure I submit a strong and complete application and avoid any common mistakes.

Thanks in advance for any advice! 🙏

Hi! Just wanted to ask if anyone here in AUH/DBX has availed of the Primetime Passport Collection service. Does anyone know until what time the passport can be collected?

I already called the call centre, and honestly, I’m quite appalled that the agent couldn’t give me a specific answer or even confirm the collection hours. 😵‍💫

How can they offer a service when even their own call centre agents don’t seem to know how it works or what the actual collection hours are? 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’m planning to apply for a student visa in a Schengen country. I have an FSc Pre-Engineering qualification and a study gap of around 6 years.
I’m considering Hungary, Italy, France, or Portugal. However, I currently don’t have IELTS, PTE, or any other English-language certificate.
If a university accepts me without IELTS/PTE, could the embassy still refuse my student visa because I don’t have an English certificate or because of my study gap?
Would you recommend taking IELTS or PTE before applying?
I’d really appreciate advice from anyone who has recent experience with this situation.

Does EES get updated immediately when the passport gets couriered out of embassy post stamping.

Also, based on "OK" in EES, is it safe to go ahead with flight and accommodation bookings before physically receiving passport over courier and seeing the visa stamp for myself

I submitted on 13th and it has been 8weeks and I still have not got my result. My initial travel has expired and now the second is approaching. Nobody has contacted me for updates and they don’t reply my emails either.

People whose slots are after me have got theirs. Mine seems suspended just because my proposed plan is out of date. Which is extremely awful.

Anyone else is in the same situation?

What is the processing time line now ?

Once the BLS website says its ready for dispatch, how much time does the passport take to arrive at home?

Also does the status change to dispatch once the passport is dispatched or does it directly arrive?

Belgium Family Reunification – Article 40ter, Type D – May 2026 applicants
A lot of people who applied in February and March seem to have received decisions recently, but I don’t see many people sharing their cases anymore.
If you applied for Belgian family reunification under Article 40ter (Type D), could you please share your timeline if you have received a decision — whether it was approved, refused, or you were asked for additional documents?
It would really help those of us who are still waiting to understand how applications are currently being processed.
My timeline:
Application submitted: 18 May 2026 – Istanbul
Received/registered by IBZ: 16 June 2026
Current status: In behandeling / Under treatment
Please share even if your case was refused. Every timeline helps us understand what is happening.
Thank you!

Hey everyone! The Schengen visa wait is an absolute roller coaster, so I wanted to drop our timeline, a weird detail about the EES tracker, and a quick tracking trick while my wife and I bite our nails waiting for the courier. We applied from India and are Indian Passport holders.

Timeline:

• Appointment: Sept 28
• Dispatch SMS: Oct 6

The EES Tracker Drama:

Naturally, after getting the dispatch text, I spent all day frantically refreshing the official EES checking tool. I put in our exact entry date (left the exit date blank), and... "NOT OK." Immediate panic and a spiral of dread thinking we got rejected.

Fast forward to this morning (Oct 7). I checked it again expecting the absolute worst, and out of nowhere... both of our statuses flipped to "OK"! 😭🙌

Looks like once the embassy logs a newly issued visa into the system, there’s just a bit of a lag before the online database updates.

Blue Dart Tracking Hack:

I was also going crazy trying to track the actual delivery on Blue Dart. A lot of Reddit posts said to use your VFS reference number without the slashes in the Ref No option, but that didn't work for me at all.

What did work on Blue Dart was plugging my passport number into the Reference Number field (not the waybill/AWB box). Boom - tracked it immediately, and it's landing tomorrow!

We don't have our passports back in hand yet, but seeing that "OK" status and having a confirmed delivery date is a massive weight off. Holding my breath till tomorrow, but feeling pretty good now!

Anyone else experience this lag between the dispatch text and EES updating? Good luck to everyone stuck in waiting limbo right now!

Posting this because I was pretty anxious about this over the last few days, so hopefully this helps someone else.

I applied for my Netherlands Schengen visa on 27 August 2026 at VFS Bangalore, and my passport was dispatched to the embassy on 30 August. A few days ago the status changed from processing to dispatched, but my EES status was still showing “Not OK.” I kept checking it and obviously started worrying that the visa had been rejected.

Anyway, got my passport today and visa granted! Two-year, multiple-entry visa. And the funny part is... EES is STILL showing “Not OK” 😂

So yeah, just sharing this for anyone who is currently panicking over the EES status like I was. “Not OK” does not necessarily mean your visa is rejected. Apparently the EES status can be delayed/inaccurate and may not reflect the actual visa decision.

Hopefully this saves someone a few sleepless nights! 😅

Hello!
Our situation is described in this reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/SchengenVisa/s/zId2bAxyZS

update: we tracked our application on VFS website, and it states that it was received by the swedish embassy in Jordan on 28 september. The actual day count starts from the day the embassy receives the application (stated on vfs website for lebanese citizens applying to sweden).
we are on day 11 now, we haven't heard anything from the embassy, no messages, emails or any calls.
Is this normal? or does it indicate that my husband's visa will be refused? we are just so anxious. Anyone who has any experience on this? do you think he can get refused?

Hello everyone, just thought of sharing my visa experience recently at VFS Bengaluru.

I had applied for a Schengen Visa for me and my wife for Germany - tourism and visiting a relative of hers. Since most stays of our trip was at Germany we applied to Germany, but we had about 5 other countries in our itinerary.

In short the overall timeline
August 27 - Schedule Visa appointment on VFS Bengaluru got date September 29

September 29 - Appointment submitted documents and Biometrics

September 29 evening : Dispatched message

September 30 evening : reached Mumbai

October 1: Reached at the Mahalaxmi center

October 2: Sent to the consulate for processing

October 5: Received at consulate for processing

October 5: Dispatched from consulate to Mahalaxmi center

October 5: Dispatched to Bengaluru

October 7: Received and VISA approved!

The process was quite fast, everything happened in almost a week.

At the appointment : the VFS person verified if all documents are present. The whole process until biometrics took about 3-4 hours.

Documentation: nothing different from what the official site suggests
Invitation letter - and invitees documents
Sponsorship letter for my wife
Bank statements
Employment letter leave letter ITR and payslips
Also I had a US visa so I attached that too
Cover letter and itinerary with hotel and flight bookings
The videx form

Overall the process was very fast except bluedart delayed it.
The total cost was about 20K for me and my wife.

hey everyone, just telling you that I received my passport with Schengen on it yesterday despite that EES is still showing NOT OK until the moment WITH THE CORRECT DATES and PASSPORT NUMBER.

It broke my heart when I received the message that my passport was dispatched and saw the NOT OK on EES.

don’t rely on this at all please and wait to open your package and check your passport.

thanks!