Top Schengen Countries for Visa Refusals

Schengen Visa

Millions are schengen visa applications are rejected every year. The European Authorities publish statistics of schengen visa every year which provides a good insights into of visa refusals by schengen area countries.

Quick Summary

For 2022, A total of 5.9 million schengen visas (out of 7.5 million visa applications submitted at consulates worldwide), were issued, according to the visa statistics published by European commission, but at the same time on an average 17.6% of 1.3 million visa applications were refused for 2022 by consulates abroad.

Malta, Sweden, Belgium are the Top countries with highest refusal rates (%).  Likewise, France, Spain, Germany rejected highest number of applications, in terms of numbers.

Highest Refusals – Malta, Sweden, Belgium, France (consulates)
Lowest Refusals – Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia (consulates)

See below the table.

Visa Data

These are the top schengen countries with highest refusal rates issuing the schengen visa, sorted by refusal rate.

Schengen State Uniform visas applied for Total  uniform visas issued (including MEV) Multiple entry uniform visas (MEVs) issued Total LTVs issued Uniform visas not issued Not issued rate for uniform visa
Malta 22 275 13 758 5 983 43 7 915 36,4%
Sweden 135 946 89 112 29 981 5 579 38 652 29,0%
Belgium 171 966 116 927 66 132 342 46 569 28,4%
France 1 918 515 1 428 228 574 836 3 521 408 876 22,2%
Norway 72 463 56 307 18 946 1 437 14 719 20,3%
Estonia 23 151 18 033 14 663 84 4 533 20,0%
Spain 1 197 457 912 325 358 898 8 448 227 712 19,8%
Denmark 73 947 56 402 27 805 107 13 167 18,9%
Slovenia 17 680 9 832 8 026 4 083 3 085 18,1%
Portugal 150 915 123 174 71 396 360 27 378 18,1%
Netherlands 412 967 333 074 185 017 1 941 70 566 17,4%
Germany 1 043 297 817 307 740 356 52 158 167 517 16,2%
Austria 151 566 125 275 93 816 1 769 23 984 15,9%
Hungary 144 227 122 470 56 405 267 21 757 15,1%
Czech Republic 117 624 99 659 47 250 1 024 16 941 14,4%
Italy 727 490 629 223 464 674 3 230 92 186 12,7%
Greece 459 139 386 371 277 286 10 061 56 566 12,5%
Switzerland 410 036 319 841 220 345 40 932 49 263 12,0%
Poland 83 114 73 023 42 301 1 877 9 841 11,6%
Luxembourg 6 931 5 992 4 362 26 709 10,5%
Finland 164 427 142 302 102 954 2 583 15 530 9,7%
Slovakia 12 211 10 876 6 163 150 1 181 9,7%
Latvia 21 140 18 888 13 033 142 1 989 9,5%
Lithuania 26 556 24 090 17 267 48 2 037 7,8%
Iceland 7 715 7 407 429 5 146 1,9%

Source: European commission / Schengen Visa Statistics 2022

Third Countries

Nationals of these countries, were rejected by consulates of schengen states. Data shows almost half of the applications filed were rejected.

ALGERIA

48,2%

NIGERIA

45,6%

GUINEA-BISSAU

45,6%

GHANA

44,2%

SRI LANKA

44,2%

SENEGAL

43,8%

HAITI

43,2%

PAKISTAN

43,0%

GUINEA

42,7%

Applying for a schengen visa can be a stressful at times with fear of rejection. It may be advantageous for you to file your schengen visa application with a schengen state refusing in lowest numbers. Note that if your visa is rejected, the information is shared by all schengen countries, which could hamper your chances of future application to all the 27 schengen states.

The decision to refuse a Schengen visa and the reasons for the refusal are notified to the applicant using a standard form. The decision to refuse the visa must include the reasons on which the refusal was based, and the procedures and deadlines for submitting an appeal.

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