UAE Long Weekends 2027: When to Apply for Your Visa

The UAE’s 2027 holidays are expected to give residents several long breaks: New Year, Eid al-Fitr in March, the school spring break in April, Eid al-Adha in May and the summer holidays from July. For most visas the application window opens months before each break, and several windows are already open. This planner lists every expected break, the earliest date you can apply for a Schengen or UK visa, and the date we suggest you apply by.

Islamic holiday dates are astronomical estimates until the moon is sighted, so treat them as planning dates and confirm them nearer the time.

UAE holidays and school breaks, January to September 2027

When to apply: Schengen and UK windows for each break

A Schengen application can be lodged no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before you travel. A UK visitor visa can be applied for up to three months before you travel, and a decision usually takes three weeks. The departure dates below are typical ones for each break; move the dates to match your own trip.

The “aim to” dates are our advice. They allow for finding an appointment in a busy month and for the standard decision period, which is 15 days for Schengen and can extend to 45 days.

USA in 2027: plan around the suspension

B1/B2 and student visa appointments are available in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. There is no announced resumption date. For 2027 trips, your realistic routes are:

• Travel on a US visa you already hold, if it is still valid.
• Apply for ESTA if your passport is in the Visa Waiver Program.
• Book an interview in your country of nationality, which the US Department of State allows.
• Prepare your documents now so you are ready if UAE services resume.

Students starting a US course in August or September 2027 should note that F-1 visas can be issued up to 365 days before the course start date. See our US visa page and the current status explainer.

Five ways to get more trips out of the same visa work

• Ask for the validity your history supports. Travellers with a record of previous Schengen visas used correctly may be issued longer multiple-entry visas. You cannot demand one, but a clean travel history is the best argument for one.
• Stack a spring and a summer trip. If you apply in January for Eid al-Fitr and already have summer dates, explain both trips in your cover letter. The consulate decides the validity, but it can only consider what you tell it.
• Keep a UK application separate from a Schengen one. UK visa centres return your passport the same day, so you can run both applications in the same month.
• Book leave early. Many consulates ask for a leave letter or no objection certificate naming your dates. Get it signed before you look for an appointment.
• Use our planner. Our visa timeline planner works backwards from your travel date.

Which destinations suit which break

Short breaks such as Eid al-Fitr favour destinations with direct flights and quick visa routes. The spring break and summer suit Europe and the UK, where the application windows are long enough to plan properly. For Europe, start with our Schengen visa guide and the documents checklist. For the UK, see our UK visa page. For Japan, read the Japan visa guide.

If you are planning around December 2026 first, see our National Day and winter break deadlines.

How Visa Doctor helps

We check which visa your passport needs, prepare your file against the consulate’s current list, and book the earliest suitable appointment we can find once your window opens. We do not promise appointment dates or approvals, because neither is ours to give.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• UAE Government portal, public holidays: https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/public-holidays-and-religious-affairs/public-holidays
• Khaleej Times, UAE holidays 2027 (updated 30 August 2026): https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/uae-holidays-2027-possible-6-day-break-multiple-long-weekends-expected
• The National, Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 2027 dates (9 September 2026): https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/09/09/ramadan-2027-dates-eid-al-fitr-holiday/
• Khaleej Times, Dubai school calendar 2026-27: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/schools-and-parents/dubai-school-calendar-202627-term-dates-holidays-half-term-breaks
• European Commission, applying for a Schengen visa: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen/visa-policy/applying-schengen-visa_en
• GOV.UK, Standard Visitor visa: https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor/apply-standard-visitor-visa
• US Embassy and Consulate in the UAE, visas: https://ae.usembassy.gov/visas/
• US Department of State, student visas: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/study/student-visa.html

All sources checked on 24 September 2026.