Current wait times

🇪🇺 Schengen Area Visa Processing Times

Typical processing times from each East African city — covering both the time to get an appointment and the time for the embassy to process your application after submission.

Processing times are estimates based on reported patterns. Actual times vary significantly with staffing, season, and individual case complexity. Always add 2–4 weeks buffer and never book non-refundable travel until your visa is in hand.

Type CTourist / Visitor

Short-Stay Schengen Visa

City	Processing time	Appointment wait	Note
🇰🇪 Nairobi	10–30 days	2–6 weeks depending on country embassy (French Embassy often 3–5 weeks)	Processing time is counted from the date the embassy receives your complete file. Most decisions come within 15 calendar days. Embassies can take up to 30 days (60 days in exceptional cases).
🇷🇼 Kigali	10–30 days	1–4 weeks	French and Belgian embassies in Kigali typically process faster than peak-period Nairobi.
🇺🇬 Kampala	10–30 days	2–5 weeks	French Embassy in Kampala handles the highest Schengen volume.
🇹🇿 Dar es Salaam	10–30 days	2–4 weeks	French Embassy in Dar handles most Schengen applications.
🇪🇹 Addis Ababa	10–30 days	2–5 weeks	Multiple Schengen embassies in Addis due to AU presence — German, French, Italian all available.

Peak season: June–August is peak. Apply by April for summer European travel. December also sees high volumes.

Fast track: No formal Schengen fast-track. VFS Premium service available at some locations for faster appointment slots (not faster embassy processing).

Last updated: 2025-05

Plan your application timeline

Use the timeline calculator to build a week-by-week schedule based on your travel date and these processing times.

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