diff --git a/docling/models/api_vlm_model.py b/docling/models/api_vlm_model.py
index f7e82b5f..f11e08d8 100644
--- a/docling/models/api_vlm_model.py
+++ b/docling/models/api_vlm_model.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from collections.abc import Iterable
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
 
 from docling.datamodel.base_models import Page, VlmPrediction
 from docling.datamodel.document import ConversionResult
@@ -36,12 +37,15 @@ class ApiVlmModel(BasePageModel):
             }
 
     def __call__(
-        self, conv_res: ConversionResult, page_batch: Iterable[Page]
+        self,
+        conv_res: ConversionResult,
+        page_batch: Iterable[Page],
+        concurrency: int = 1,
     ) -> Iterable[Page]:
-        for page in page_batch:
+        def _vlm_request(page):
             assert page._backend is not None
             if not page._backend.is_valid():
-                yield page
+                return page
             else:
                 with TimeRecorder(conv_res, "vlm"):
                     assert page.size is not None
@@ -63,4 +67,8 @@ class ApiVlmModel(BasePageModel):
 
                     page.predictions.vlm_response = VlmPrediction(text=page_tags)
 
-                yield page
+                return page
+
+        with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=concurrency) as executor:
+            for result in executor.map(_vlm_request, page_batch):
+                yield from result
diff --git a/docling/models/picture_description_api_model.py b/docling/models/picture_description_api_model.py
index 44bb5e21..2c19759d 100644
--- a/docling/models/picture_description_api_model.py
+++ b/docling/models/picture_description_api_model.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from collections.abc import Iterable
+from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Optional, Type, Union
 
@@ -45,11 +46,13 @@ class PictureDescriptionApiModel(PictureDescriptionBaseModel):
                     "pipeline_options.enable_remote_services=True."
                 )
 
-    def _annotate_images(self, images: Iterable[Image.Image]) -> Iterable[str]:
+    def _annotate_images(
+        self, images: Iterable[Image.Image], concurrency: int = 1
+    ) -> Iterable[str]:
         # Note: technically we could make a batch request here,
         # but not all APIs will allow for it. For example, vllm won't allow more than 1.
-        for image in images:
-            yield api_image_request(
+        def _api_request(image):
+            return api_image_request(
                 image=image,
                 prompt=self.options.prompt,
                 url=self.options.url,
@@ -57,3 +60,7 @@ class PictureDescriptionApiModel(PictureDescriptionBaseModel):
                 headers=self.options.headers,
                 **self.options.params,
             )
+
+        with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=concurrency) as executor:
+            for result in executor.map(_api_request, images):
+                yield from result