Schengen Visa Refusal Barometer 2025 - Global Analysis of 2024 Visa Applications & Rejection Trends
Nearly 12 million Schengen visa applications were filed in 2024 — a strong rebound compared with previous years, but one that still reveals deep disparities between regions. Refusal rates range from under 5% in East Asia to more than 35% in parts of North Africa , illustrating one of the sharpest geographic divides observed in recent years.
HelloSafe presents its exclusive 2025 Schengen Visa Refusal Barometer, an in-depth analysis based on official 2024 data from the European Commission. Compiled from thousands of consular data points, this report offers one of the clearest global views available today on Schengen visa applications and refusal patterns — in a year marked by a strong post-Covid recovery, rising visa fees and the upcoming rollout of the biometric Entry/Exit System (EES).
🌍 11.7 million** applications in 2024 — +13% vs. 2023
❌ Global refusal rate: 14.8% (≈1 in 7 applications)
🇨🇳 China: 1.78M applications (+59%) — refusal rate 4.6%
🇩🇿 Algeria: highest refusal rate worldwide — 35%
💶 €316 million lost due to non-refundable rejected files
💸 €185: average cost per rejected file
⚖️ African applicants are 8× more likely to be refused than Asian applicants
⏳ 25–30 days processing time in North Africa (vs. 15 days globally)
💼 Top reasons: financial resources (21%), non-compliant insurance (15%), doubts about return (12%)
Schengen visa refusal rate: application volumes rebound, but rejection levels remain high
Schengen visa refusal rate (% of total applications) by year
| Year | Applications (millions) | Estimated refusal rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | ~7.6 | 17.9% |
| 2023 | ~10.3 | 16.0% |
| 2024 | 11.7 | 14.8% |
The gradual decline in the refusal rate is partly due to the strong return of Asian travellers — but this global improvement masks pronounced disparities between regions.
Short-stay (type C) applications reached 11.7 million in 2024, up 13.6% year-on-year . The global refusal rate decreased slightly (–1.2 pts vs. 2023) but remains well above its pre-pandemic level (9.9% in 2019) .In practice, around one in seven applications is still rejected.
While the recovery in Asian travel contributes significantly to the improvement, persistent regional gaps continue to shape the Schengen visa landscape.bloc suivant
Top 10 countries with the highest number of Schengen visa applications (and refusal rates 2024)
In 2024 the Schengen Member States processed over 11.7 million short-stay visa applications — yet approval odds varied widely across nationalities. Chinese applicants filed 1.78 million applications (the highest volume) and recorded a refusal rate of 4.6%, while applicants from Algeria were refused in 35% of cases — illustrating a dramatic gap in outcomes.
Visa refusals represent a significant financial burden for applicants: application fees, visa-center charges and non-refundable insurance accumulate to an estimated €316 million in losses in 2024 — with nearly 60% of this amount borne by the ten most affected nationalities. These disparities fuel a perception of increasingly uneven access to Schengen visas among countries with high refusal rates.
Schengen visa applications: refusal rates by country in 2024
| Rank | Country | Applications | Var. 23→24 | Refusals (Volume) | Refusal rate | 💸 Estimated losses (€) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇨🇳 China | 1 779 255 | +59.2% | 80 703 | 4.6% | €14.9 M |
| 2 | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | 1 173 917 | +11.1% | 170 129 | 14.5% | €31.5 M |
| 3 | 🇮🇳 India | 1 108 239 | +14.6% | 165 266 | 15.0% | €30.6 M |
| 4 | 🇲🇦 Morocco | 606 800 | +2.6% | 115 774 | 20.1% | €21.4 M |
| 5 | 🇷🇺 Russia | 606 594 | +2.5% | 44 885 | 7.5% | €8.3 M |
| 6 | 🇩🇿 Algeria | 544 634 | +14.8% | 185 101 | 35.0% | €34.2 M |
| 7 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | 505 455 | ~0% | 29 517 | 5.9% | €5.5 M |
| 8 | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 470 569 | +5.7% | 32 390 | 6.9% | €6.0 M |
| 9 | 🇹🇭 Thailand | 265 243 | −1.9% | 16 361 | 6.2% | €3.0 M |
| 10 | 🇪🇬 Egypt | 244 701 | +3.5% | 62 997 | 25.7% | €11.7 M |
The estimate of economic losses (€316 M) is based on the formula: number of refusals × average cost per file = 1.7 M × €185
The average cost includes:
€90 in consular visa fees (EU tariff 2024),
€30 in external visa center fees (VFS/TLScontact),
€45 for Schengen-compliant travel insurance,
€20 in administrative costs (translations, transportation).
These values reflect typical non-refundable expenses for an applicant in case of refusal.
Stark geographic and economic divides
| Region | Average refusal rate 2024 | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| North Africa | 29–35% | World record — 2 to 3 times the global average |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 24–28% | Strong heterogeneity by country |
| South Asia | 13–17% | India and Pakistan highly contrasted |
| East Asia | <10% | China and Japan almost “VIP” |
| Middle East | 10–15% | Saudi Arabia, Emirates: low refusal rates |
| Americas | 5–8% | Lowest rates, close to EU area |
👉 In 2024, an African applicant was 8× more likely to be refused than an Asian applicant, and 12× more likely than a traveler from the Americas.
China stands out with a spectacular +59% rise in applications , driven by the post-Covid recovery of tourism and business travel. Despite this surge, refusal rates remain very low (4.6%) , thanks to generally well-prepared files and strong financial documentation. Other Asian countries such as Saudi Arabia or Thailand also exhibit refusal rates below 10%.
South Asia shows mid-to-high refusal levels overall (13–17%), but with a striking gap between India and Pakistan: India is around 15% refused, versus ~47% for Pakistan in 2024, unlike East Asia where refusal rates are consistently low (<10%).
In contrast, North African countries — Algeria, Morocco and Egypt — face a well-known triple challenge:
- Longer processing times,
- High rejection rates (up to 35%),
- Significant financial losses (≈€185 per rejected file)
In high-flow countries like India or Türkiye, refusal rates hover around 15%. Most rejections stem from insufficient financial proof or non-compliant travel insurance.
Overall, refusal rates depend less on volume than on region, profile and consulate-specific practices. Larger application volumes are statistically associated with lower refusal rates (correlation ~–0.45).
Nationalities considered “high-risk” — especially in North Africa — remain disproportionately affected, while Asian travelers benefit from more favorable outcomes for equivalent documentation.
Profile of the applicant most likely to be refused
There is a typical applicant profile that concentrates most refusal decisions:
👤 Median age: 31
💼 Male in 58% of cases, monthly income below €700
🎒 Planned stay under 20 days
This profile corresponds mainly to short family visits or tourism . Files are often weakened by incomplete documentation.
In contrast, applicants from the Gulf or East Asia generally submit premium insurance, stronger financial proof and achieve >90% approval rates.
Refusal reasons: administrative and financial criteria remain decisive
Across all nationalities, four structural factors account for most Schengen visa refusals. The leading cause remains insufficient financial resources (21%) , as consulates rigorously evaluate an applicant’s ability to cover travel, accommodation and daily expenses. The second major factor is non-compliant travel insurance (15%) — one of the most underestimated requirements. Thousands of applications are refused each year because insurance lacks the mandatory €30,000 medical coverage, repatriation, or a certificate recognized by consulates.
A third significant cause is an unclear or weakly justified travel purpose (12%) , typically when itineraries, invitations or supporting documents fail to establish a credible reason for the trip.
Breakdown of refusals by reason in 2024 – all nationalities combined
Across regions, refusal patterns vary depending on local administrative practices, document availability, and socioeconomic context. Financial guarantees, clarity of travel purpose, and consistency across documents remain among the most decisive factors for consulates worldwide.
Refusal reasons (% of total applications – all countries combined, 2024)
Breakdown of refusals by reason AND by region in 2024
Refusal patterns vary significantly by region, reflecting differences in socioeconomic context, documentation practices and consular expectations.
In North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, the dominant factor is insufficient financial resources (25–28%), combined with a higher prevalence of vague or weakly justified travel purposes (9–10%) and return-related concerns (10–18%).
In South Asia, refusals are more evenly distributed, with elevated shares for both financial resources (22%) and purpose of travel (14%).
By contrast, East Asia displays the lowest rate of documentary issues, with refusals mainly tied to purpose of travel (13%) or return-related concerns (7%), and only 6% linked to non-compliant insurance.
The Middle East and the Americas show moderate refusal levels overall: the Middle East is primarily driven by purpose of travel (12%), while the Americas stand out for a relatively high proportion of unclear travel motivation (18%).
Finally, Eastern Europe exhibits a distinct pattern, with an unusually high proportion of refusals grounded in security or public-order concerns (10%), the highest across all regions.
| Main reason | North Africa | Sub-Saharan Africa | South Asia | East Asia | Middle East | Americas | Eastern Europe | 🌐 Estimated global total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💶 Insufficient financial resources | 25% | 28% | 22% | 10% | 15% | 12% | 15% | 21% |
| 🩺 Non-compliant travel insurance | 20% | 18% | 17% | 6% | 8% | 4% | 7% | 15% |
| 🧳 Vague / unjustified travel purpose | 9% | 10% | 14% | 13% | 12% | 18% | 9% | 12% |
| 🔁 Doubts about returning home | 18% | 10% | 13% | 7% | 10% | 6% | 13% | 12% |
| 🪪 Incomplete or falsified documents | 7% | 9% | 8% | 6% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 7% |
| 🏠 Unproven accommodation | 6% | 5% | 7% | 5% | 6% | 5% | 4% | 6% |
| ⏳ Problematic travel history | 5% | 7% | 6% | 5% | 7% | 4% | 8% | 6% |
| 🔒 Security / public order concerns | 2% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 10% | 4% |
| 🛂 Previous visa refused | 3% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 3% |
| 🧭 Misleading declarations | 3% | 4% | 4% | 2% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
| 🗂️ Wrong consular jurisdiction | 2% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
The most restrictive Schengen destination countries
| Rank | 🇪🇺 Schengen country | Refusal rate 2024 | Applications | Change 23→24 | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇲🇹 Malta | 37.6% | 49 500 | +4.2 pts | Limited consular capacity |
| 2 | 🇪🇪 Estonia | 31.1% | 47 000 | −2.1 pts | Increased checks on African files |
| 3 | 🇫🇷 France | 22.5% | 2.1 M | +1.0 pt | High pressure in Algiers and Casablanca |
| 4 | 🇧🇪 Belgium | 20.9% | 231 000 | −0.6 pt | Invalid insurance frequent |
| 5 | 🇳🇴 Norway | 18.7% | 135 000 | +0.9 pt | Higher rejection of African & Middle Eastern files |
Smaller states (Malta, Estonia) reject more applications due to limited consular capacity.
In 2024, not all Schengen states applied the same criteria when issuing visas. Some countries stand out for particularly strict consular policies.
Malta tops the list with a record refusal rate of 37.6% , meaning more than one in three applications is rejected, notably because of limited administrative capacity and tighter screening.
Estonia follows closely (31.1%), with its consulates rejecting a large share of African and Middle Eastern applications.
Among the major issuing states, France shows a refusal rate of 22.5% , largely driven up by its consulates in Algiers, Casablanca and Dakar, where incomplete files and non-compliant insurance remain common.
Conversely, countries such as Switzerland (13.2%) or the Netherlands (12.8%) are more open, prioritizing clear documentation and professional profiles. These differences reflect a “two-speed Europe of visas” , where consular practices vary widely depending on volumes, nationalities and diplomatic context.
The strictest Schengen consulates
| Rank | 🇪🇺 Member State | 🌍 Host country | 🏛️ Consulate | 📄 Applications | ❌ Refusals | % Refusals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇫🇷 France | 🇩🇿 Algeria | Algiers | 197 868 | 63 217 | 31.5% |
| 2 | 🇫🇷 France | 🇩🇿 Algeria | Oran | 80 462 | 30 670 | 40.5% |
| 3 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 🇮🇳 India | New Delhi | 217 373 | 26 126 | 12.0% |
| 4 | 🇫🇷 France | 🇩🇿 Algeria | Annaba | 73 965 | 24 810 | 35.0% |
| 5 | 🇩🇪 Germany | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | Istanbul | 119 595 | 22 084 | 18.5% |
| 6 | 🇬🇷 Greece | 🇹🇷 Türkiye | Istanbul | 183 156 | 21 852 | 11.9% |
| 7 | 🇫🇷 France | 🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire | Abidjan | 62 786 | 20 496 | 33.5% |
| 8 | 🇫🇷 France | 🇹🇳 Tunisia | Tunis | 106 617 | 19 626 | 18.7% |
| 9 | 🇫🇷 France | 🇲🇦 Morocco | Casablanca (just outside the top 10 but very close) | ≈ 110 000 | ≈ 18 000 | ≈ 16% |
| 10 | 🇪🇸 Spain | 🇲🇦 Morocco | Rabat (close to the threshold) | ≈ 100 000 | ≈ 16 000 | ≈ 16% |
👉 The three French consulates in Algeria (Algiers, Oran, Annaba) rank among the world’s top 4 for refusals.
👉 Taken together, they account for over 118,000 refusals, i.e. nearly 7% of all Schengen refusals worldwide.
👉 The Swiss consulate in New Delhi is the largest Asian issuer of refusals, driven by the massive volume of Indian applications.
👉 North African consulates (Tunisia, Morocco) concentrate most rejections, often due to non-compliant travel insurance or insufficient financial proof.
Outlook 2025: toward a biometric Europe
The Schengen area is about to undergo a major transformation in its border and consular policy. As of October 12, 2025 , the EES (Entry/Exit System) will officially enter into force at all entry points to the European Union. Each traveler will be registered biometrically — face and fingerprints — upon entry and exit, marking the end of simple passport stamps.
This digital shift goes hand in hand with a broader modernization of procedures: the digital Schengen visa , filed 100% online , is expected to be rolled out by late 2026 , while ETIAS — a pre-travel authorization for visa-exempt travelers — will complement the system.
While these innovations aim to simplify procedures and enhance security , experts anticipate a challenging adjustment phase . In the first months of implementation, the refusal rate could temporarily increase by 1 to 2 percentage points due to technical adjustments, additional biometric checks and errors in the new automated systems.
In short, Europe is entering the era of “smart borders” , but the transition to this digital frontier will require rigor and patience — both from travelers and consular authorities.
Methodology & official sources
This exclusive HelloSafe barometer is based on the aggregation and independent analysis of several public and institutional databases covering the year 2024.
All figures cited come from official European sources or from internal calculations derived from these datasets.
ℹ️ Note on scope: All figures presented at the beginning of this report refer to the Schengen Area as a whole (i.e., all Schengen Member States combined), not to France only — unless a country is explicitly mentioned (e.g., “France”, “Switzerland”, “Malta”, etc.).
Core data
Application volumes and refusal rates are drawn from the DG HOME – European Commission portal, section Visa Statistics 2024 .
These files (“Visa applications by nationality” and “by Member State”) list 11.7 million Schengen type C visa applications in 2024, versus 10.3 million in 2023, i.e. an increase of +13.6%. The overall refusal rate (≈14.8%) corresponds to 1.7 million rejected files .
The estimate of economic losses (€316 M) is based on the formula: number of refusals × average cost per file = 1.7 M × €185
The average cost includes:
€90 in consular visa fees (EU tariff 2024),
€30 in external visa center fees (VFS/TLScontact),
€45 for Schengen-compliant travel insurance,
€20 in administrative costs (translations, transportation).
These values reflect typical non-refundable expenses for an applicant in case of refusal.
Country breakdown and changes
Statistics by nationality (China, India, Algeria, etc.) are taken from the DG HOME “by nationality, 2024 edition” file. The 2023 → 2024 changes were calculated by HelloSafe using the equivalent 2023 dataset.
Estimated losses by country result from the product refusals × €185 average cost .
Refusal reasons and the role of insurance
Refusal reasons are based on the EU Visa Code (Regulation EC No 810/2009, Annex VI) and European Commission reports. The weighting of key causes is a weighted average consolidated from public reports by the consulates of France, Spain, Belgium and Greece.
Most restrictive Schengen countries
National refusal rates (Malta 37.6%, Estonia 31.1%, France 22.5%, etc.) are taken directly from the DG HOME – Visa Statistics 2024 “by Member State” file. Qualitative comments are based on SchengenVisaInfo (2024) , Euractiv (2025) and consular press reports .
Profile of the applicant most likely to be refused
Profile reconstructed from:
- Activity reports by VFS Global , TLScontact and BLS International (2023–2024) ,
- Studies by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and articles from AP News / Business Today ,
- DG HOME statistics by refusal reason.
This is an indicative, non-nominal profile : male, 31 years old, income <€700/month, tourist stay <20 days, non-compliant local travel insurance.
2025 outlook and regulation
Elements related to digitalization (EES, digital visa, ETIAS) are based on:
- Council of the European Union , press release of March 15, 2024 (EES entry into force on October 12, 2025)
- European Commission – DG HOME , proposal COM(2023) 228 final (digital visa by end of 2026)
HelloSafe anticipates a temporary increase of +1 to +2 percentage points in the refusal rate in 2025 due to the biometric transition phase.
Main documentary sources
- European Commission – DG HOME , Visa Statistics 2024
- Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 – Schengen Visa Code
- Council of the European Union – EES & ETIAS communications
- SchengenVisaInfo , Data Portal & Country Reports 2024
- Business Today , AP News , The Times of India
- Aggregation & modeling by HelloSafe (2025)
This study is based on:
- Official statistics from the European Commission (DG HOME), 2024 edition;
- Analysis of reports by nationality, Member State and consulate;
- A HelloSafe aggregation of refusal data and average costs (visa fees + insurance + external center = €150 per applicant). 2025 rates are projections based on 2024 trends and regulatory changes (EES, digital visa).
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